Mantle of the Gods

We had been busted.

I twisted out from under Ether, positioning my body in between the two women. I turned to look up at the disapproving blue eyes and hoped that the fire light was low enough that my Priest hadn't seen much.

“How long have you been there?” I nervously searched her face for a hint.

Justia raised one eyebrow, “Long enough to know she feels safe with you.”

Shame washed over me as I tried to think of what to say next. I knew that I shouldn't care what Justia thought. She was the one who was supposed to serve me, but for some reason, I felt like there was worth in her opinion. I couldn't shake that feeling even though I tried to think of why. I knew it wasn’t because I had romantic feelings for her.

When I looked at the brown-haired woman, I knew she was beautiful. She had flawless skin and a figure that proclaimed she was athletic. As desirable as she should have been, I didn't see her in a sexual way. Instead, there was something about her that I had never felt about anyone else. Something that felt close, something that resonated. Like she was a part of me, but not. I had no idea what it was but I knew just by looking between Ether and Justia that there wasn't a drop of sexual energy between the two of us.

I didn't know what to say so I went with comedy.

“Did you enjoy the show?” I smirked. That earned me a slap across the back of my head. I turned and looked at the white-haired beauty I had just been making out with.

“That was a compliment!”

For some reason, I earned a second smack across the top of my head.

Before I could complain, she gave me a short kiss. Then she rolled away and walked back towards the campfire leaving me alone with Justia.

“Are you going to try to screw every woman you're alone with?”

I looked up at her, “I'm not trying to screw you.”

I didn’t have much of a defense considering what she said had been true over the last two days.

She bristled at my comment as if it was an invitation. I saw the apprehension on her face and I held up both of my hands.

“No-no-no. I didn't mean I was going to try to do anything with you. I meant that you're a woman…” I stopped before I finished the sentence. There was no way I was going to come out of that defense ahead so instead I tried to start over.

“Look it's obvious that you don't want anything to happen between us and regardless of what that old coot back in the Cathedral says, I'm not going to make you do anything.” I tried to give her a reassuring smile but I think that came off as creepy. “I don't know why, but you feel vital to have close to me and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. So please don't think that you have to be so on guard around me. Because you and I are a team first. And that's the way it's always going to be.”

My mind was replaying our interaction trying to find a way out of it in one piece. Something clicked.

“You were enjoying the show, weren’t you?”

She blushed and pulled her arms tighter around her. “I was not…”

I looked back to where Ether was sitting by the fire. Rix had a bunch of poles that she was stabbing into the ground to make x's and tying them together with some Vines to create a makeshift fence around our camp. I turned back to my Priest.

“You were.” I studied her face for any indication I was right and found it. “You think she's pretty because you weren’t watching me.” I winked.

I motioned back at the campfire. “Do you like someone?”

The way she bristled at the question told me that I was right.

“Is it Ether?” I didn’t see any reaction, “Rix?” still nothing, “Aelin?”

Her face turned red as she pulled me to my feet and dragged me further from the camp.

“Keep your voice down!”

“Tell you what. Call dibs and I’ll respect that.” I smiled, enjoying her embarrassment.

“You’re being juvenile.” She looked back at the campfire where Ether was helping Rix make the fence.

“I’m sleep-deprived and exhausted.” I couldn’t help myself, “And this is fun. So…”

“I like Aelin.” Justia admitted before I could tease her anymore. “But it can’t happen, so there’s no reason to make a big deal about it.”

“Why not?”

“Because you're not supposed to be like that I'm not supposed to be like that.” She was looking at her feet and I was barely able to hear her.

Being told what I was supposed to be had me feeling a little bit insulted. She continued before I could speak.

“There’s supposed to be a relationship between the high Priest and their God. I’m supposed to give you all of me and I can't do that if I'm with someone else.”

I raised my eyebrows, “Who made this rule?”

She shrugged, “That’s the way it is.”

“Let me get this straight, I’m supposed to become a God and have my own realm. Don’t I get to make the rules in that realm?”

She looked confused, “Yes..?”

“Then I should be the highest authority on that matter.” She looked at me like I had just said the sky was Green.

“If I'm the one that you are supposed to be serving,” I nodded at our camp, “and I say if you want to go after her then do it. And if someone has a problem with that then they can answer to me.” I felt something stir inside me. It was almost like electricity but coated with anger. It was like I wanted to put myself in between this thing that was threatening to hurt someone who was precious to me. I put my hand on her shoulder.

“Don't worry about this rule or expectation because as far as I'm concerned you don’t have to deny yourself this for my sake or the sake of living up to someone who doesn’t matter’s expectations. So don’t feel like you have to hide who you are.”

I realized what I said, “Well, maybe hide that you're a high Priestess until I won't get eaten by the other Gods.”

She chuckled and nodded, “I think I can do that.”

“Good.” I elbowed her, “Let's go back to camp.”

She nodded.

“Really? Big boobs?” I couldn’t help teasing her.

She smacked me on the back of the head, “Don't you say a word.”

I made the motion of sealing my lips and throwing the key. I felt like a barrier that had been in between the two of us was gone and that we were finally getting to a place where we could trust each other. I was starting to think that this exercise might actually be fun.