“Now let me show you how to tighten the girth,” Ellilah said to the Duke. “You have to make sure it’s not too loose—you don’t want it to fall off. But at the same time you don’t want to make it so tight that it pinches your zorel.”
She spent several moments showing him, during which the formerly restive zorel held perfectly still.
“And that’s why it’s important to check the equipment yourself—even if you trust your groom,” she finished at last.
“I see.” The Duke was nodding and looking at the little priestess as though she was an amazing fountain of information.
Actually, she was, Roke thought. He had never seen such an impressive display of bravery and knowledge. He wondered why Ellilah was a priestess at all. Surely she would be happier training zorels than chanting meditations in the Sacred Grove all day. Well, maybe he could find out once the two of them got to know each other.
At last the Duke rode off—not without promising again to leave an invitation for the two of them at the gates of the palace—and the curvy little priestess turned to Roke with fire in her green eyes.
“All right,” she said tightly, crossing her arms over her breasts. “Who exactly are you and what are you doing here?”
Eleven
Elli crossed her arms over her chest and glared up at the big warrior. She’d never imagined she would see the mysterious male from the Christmas party again—the one she’d shamed herself with—the cause of all her trouble.
He looked just as she remembered him—wild black hair and dark eyes—broad shoulders and a muscular form which was emphasized by his tight black shirt and trousers and his long black boots. He was tall too—much taller than her. But she didn’t care that he could pick her up and break her like a toothpick—she was angry at what he’d put her through and she wasn’t afraid to let him know it.
“All right,” she said tightly. “Who exactly are you and what are you doing here?”
“My name is Roke and the Goddess sent me to you,” he answered, which made Elli stare at him even harder.
“How can I believe that?” she demanded. “After all the trouble you caused me! Do you know where I’m supposed to be right now? At the Priory of Extreme Atonement. The Ascending Priestess Superior wanted to send me there to be beaten for a solid hour every day and locked up in solitary confinement the rest of the time! And all because of you!”
He widened his eyes and she saw that they weren’t only dark—they were actually concentric rings of dark green and dark blue—like the forest meeting the ocean.
“Forgive me, little priestess,” he said, bowing to her. “You can chastise me all you want, but can we do it somewhere else instead of out here on the road?”
Looking around, Elli saw that he was right—they were still on the winding, cobblestone street in front of the stall selling bright red fruit. No one had bothered them while they dealt with the Tenebrian nobleman, but now that it was just her and the rather disreputable looking Kindred warrior—if he even was a Kindred—some of the shopkeepers and customers were beginning to shoot them dirty looks.
“Fine,” she said tightly. “Let me just get my case and we can talk somewhere else.”
But when she looked around, she saw that Tully and Looney and the cartful of thunder melons were all gone.
“Oh dear.” She frowned anxiously. “Where did they go?”
“Where did who go?” Roke asked.
“I was riding in a cart,” Elli explained. “And it had my case with my spare robe in it.”
She looked down at her once-white priestess garments, which were dirtier than ever after her encounter with the Duke and his zorel. Adding to the dust and thunder melon juice, Wind Chaser had drooled on her when she was hugging his huge head.
“I can’t possibly go to the palace like this!” she exclaimed.
“You won’t have to,” Roke told her. He started to take her by the shoulder but Elli shook him off.
“Don’t touch me!” she exclaimed, glaring up at him. “The last time you touched me you took advantage of me and made me shame myself! You ruined my life!”
“All right, all right…” The big warrior held up both hands in a gesture of truce. “I swear I won’t ever touch you again unless you ask me to, little priestess,” he rumbled. “But in the meantime, come with me and tell me why you want so badly to get into the Tenebrian palace.”
“Well…” Elli bit her lip uncertainly.
“You might as well tell me,” Roke said, frowning. “I’ll need to know since I’m coming in with you.”
“What I’d like to know is exactly why you invited yourself along on my quest,” Elli snapped at him.
He scowled.
“Because there’s no way in all the Seven Hells I’m letting you go into that place alone, little priestess. It’s not safe.”