Ella saw the tiniest flicker of confused concern in the hot priest’s eyes. Was he not allowed to talk about this? Had some invisible line been crossed? But he hadn’t done anything.
“Oh, that wasn’t Draikis,” she interjected, sparing him the elder’s increasingly intense gaze.
“No?” Soparo asked.
“No. I read it in one of the old texts.”
“You did?”
“Yes.”
“And how did you do this?”
“In the archives. You said I should study, so I did.”
Draikis sat up a bit straighter. “It’s true, Elder Soparo. You did instruct her to study. I recall your words quite clearly.”
Soparo’s expression wavered between annoyance, amusement, and a tiny sliver of what might have even been respect. “You managed to not only read some of our texts, but to understand them? Fascinating. And while it is highly unusual for an outsider to be granted access to the archives, you are correct. I did say that, and while I did not expect you to follow through in this manner, you should be commended for taking the initiative to act on those words.”
“Thank you. And I have to say, it’s actually been really interesting. Learning the history of the Norvalians, seeing how all the different sects and factions came to be. I’m looking forward to diving further in. There’s so much to learn, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the opportunity.”
The old priest merely nodded as he mulled over her words a long while. “Well, then. It seems there is more to you than meets the eye, Ella.”
Without another word he turned and walked away, stopping to chat with other brothers as they broke the ceremonial bread.Draikis looked at her, both surprise and relief on his chiseled face.
“That went far better than I’d have expected,” he noted. “Elder Soparo can be a bit of a tough nut to crack, but you seem to have improved his opinion of you.”
“He didn’t like me much, did he?”
“Not that, exactly. You’re just a variable he’s not accustomed to dealing with. But you showed him you’re more than just a pretty face. There’s a sharp mind in there, and he has always held intellect in high regard.”
“You think I’m pretty?”
Draikis’s cheeks flushed more than she’d ever seen before. “What? Uh, you are—I mean, you?—”
“You said I’m pretty.”
“No. I mean, I-I did. Yes. I mean, objectively, you are a beautiful woman.”
“Oh, so now I’m not just pretty, but I’mbeautiful? Keep it up. I’m liking where this is going.”
Draikis was well and properly flustered now, his eyes darting across the sea of priests surrounding them, suddenlyveryself-conscious, quite the opposite of the air of pure confidence he radiated during his oration. “Come on,” he said abruptly. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Is it over? We don’t need to stick around for anything else?”
“No, we don’t. And I think we both could use some fresh air.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
As Draikis had suggested, the fresh air away from the others as they walked to the compound walls was a welcome change of scenery, not to mention a definite improvement over the palpable eyes and tension Ella had felt as the lone female in a massive chamber full of men.Priests, no less, and judgmental ones at that.
Yes. This wasdefinitelya good call. And, as she noted the direction of their path, it looked like their walk would lead them right out of the Norvalian Sect’s somewhat uncomfortable environs and into the freedom of the trails outside their walls.
Despite the prior discomfort she might have felt under Norvalian scrutiny, out here, striding away from the judgmental eyes, she was absolutely buzzing, her heart beating faster, and not because of the exercise.
It was Draikis. His presence. His arousal she could actually smell wafting off his delicious body. The way his muscles moved beneath the supple fabric of his clothing would have been distracting regardless, but whatever was happening between them had turned up this ridiculously powerful attraction, whatever it was, to eleven.
Ella’s hand grazed his, just lightly, but the contact made him jump as if shocked by an electric eel. She felt it too, her body absolutely buzzing with want. Draikis, to his credit, or detriment, depending how one might frame it, regained his composure almost immediately, though a slight glisten seemed to now be shining on his forehead.
