Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The following morning found Ella far more tired than she would have expected.
She had slept well, after all, but she had also stayed in the archives studying the fascinating ancient texts until the wee hours, and even as she lay in her bed her mind still couldn’t quite shut off.
There was so much to learn. So many new ideas and utterly alien history to try to wrap her head around. Shocking, yes, but also invigorating.
As for the Dotharians, along with this Norvalian sect of monks intertwined within their ranks, it was both confusing yet also a remarkable wonder of intergalactic power struggles that had led to this eventual culmination of their efforts.
But it hadn’t been easy, and a lot of proverbial eggs had been broken in the making of this societal omelet.
There had been strife. Conflict. War. And while most records were undoubtedly skewed toward one side, there were still some instances where what appeared to be a retelling from the conquered parties’ side managed to slip into the lopsided histories of their battles.
The winner wrote the history books, and not without bias, but one could still get an idea of what truly went down if she read between the lines.
At the core of it all were these ancient texts.
The central tenets of their entire belief system.
Their governance. Their religion. And, most importantly for Ella’s current studies, details of the required runes found on the flesh of every single citizen within the Dotharian Conglomerate, the Infala being the most important of them all.
She was befuddled by the concept at first—the very idea of some plant-based ink somehow controlling your romantic fate was anathema to her way of thought and understanding.
But then she delved into just how they came to be, the long process whereby the initial runes were discovered, the symbiotic power the various types of pigments possessed and the skills and strengths they conveyed upon those marked with their living colors.
It had taken decades to form a basic framework of runes, and several centuries to refine them.
But in the end a system had been settled on, and the basis for all Dotharian laws thereafter was established.
It was a noggin-full of fantastical information she had ingested, her translation rune working overtime in the process, and by the time she turned in for the night, Ella’s exhausted brain was ripe for all manner of bizarre dreams.
Her eventual slumber’s sweet embrace did not disappoint.
She didn’t remember the details when she opened her eyes to the sun’s golden morning light, but Ella felt as though she’d just returned from some exciting adventure. And despite many hours of sleep, her body was not nearly as rested as she’d have liked.
“Oof, what a night,” she grumbled, sliding her feet to the warm stone floor and running her hands through her hair, stretching wide before heading to her fantastically alien shower unit.
It was quite a marvel, and one of the things she loved about this place.
High-tech goodies hidden within the seemingly rustic stone of the room’s environs.
There was no visible spigot for the water to flow from, but when she stepped into the rectangular spot outlined near the far wall, a warm flow rained down on her from above, swirling around her body from all sides, powered by some sort of force-field energy before running from her skin and being swept away by a hidden reclamation system.
Dressed and refreshed, the walk down the corridor was a welcome use of her healed body, the blood flow to her muscles doing the last bit in waking her from her lingering stupor.
By the time she reached the chapel area she had previously noted but never actually visited, Ella almost felt like herself again.
Peeking inside she saw almost all the priests were present, filling the vast chamber to near capacity. She’d never seen so many of them in one place at the same time before, and the realization of just how many lived in this place was something of a revelation.
A tug in her chest made her glance to the right. There he was. Draikis. In a sea of similarly clothed men, she saw him like a brilliant diamond amidst a sea of plain rocks, his silver eyes already locked on her, watching with a look she couldn’t quite read.
He gave a little nod, patting the empty seat beside him.
Whatever had made him so uneasy the prior day, he seemed back to his normal self, at least so far as she could tell at a distance.
Ella crossed to him and sat, her leg pressing against his, a jolt of electric tingles suddenly afire in her chest, the strange new Infala rune reacting to his vicinity.
Apparently, Draikis felt it too, though his face remained neutral.
Nevertheless, though she was watching his eyes, she saw his erection spring to life with her peripheral vision.
It was distracting to say the least, but somehow, she had the willpower to keep her eyes up.
What she saw at the edge of her field of vision, however, had been impressive as hell even after what she’d seen in the hot springs.
The beast between his legs could get even bigger, it seemed.
This man was both a shower and a grower.
Draikis, to his credit, maintained his composure, though he turned from her as he shifted in his seat, angling his cock to the other side so it wouldn’t be quite so noticeable. Mission accomplished, or so he thought.
“Brother Draikis,” Elder Soparo’s voice called out from his place at the dais, hushing the entire chamber in an instant. “Please rise and lead the group prayer.”
Ella noted the darkening of his cheeks, but Draikis wasn’t about to deny the elder.
“Of course. It is an honor,” he replied, moving to stand.
He rose strangely, his body angled and stiff, as though he’d tweaked his back. In actuality, Ella saw his hand subtly pull his erection to swing upward, adjusting it to swing around and lay up flat against his belly, restrained by the waistband of his trousers.
Good thing his shirt is loose-fitting, she thought with amusement as she watched him look out across the collective, a tiny glimmer of relief on his face as he realized no one had noticed what he was hiding.
Almost no one.
Ella’s nipples were hard against the material of her top, the little jolts of pleasure shooting much lower distracting her in the most delightful way.
She crossed her legs, squeezing as she did.
It took every ounce of self-control to not let out a little groan as the ball of heat in her belly flared up hot.
Her cheeks flushed a bit, that much she could tell, but everyone was looking at the man standing beside her, and that was a good thing.
Of course, knowing he was hard just beneath that layer of fabric so close to her face was a massive distraction, though one she was kind of enjoying given the exhibitionist bent to the whole situation.
Draikis, however, was nothing if not focused and professional, and as he gave the opening prayer to the group, she couldn’t help but appreciate the man’s presence and poise speaking to so many people.
Even in his state of discomfiture, he was a powerful presence once he got going, and watching him command the attention of every man present with such ease was incredibly hot.
He spoke at length, reciting what sounded like memorized call and answer sections, the brothers replying in the right spots.
But he also appeared to diverge from the letter of the prayers, adding a few bits here and there, glancing briefly at Ella when he reached the part about the powers of belief and the duties of their order, expanding on the temptations they might face and the fortitude of will required to overcome them.
She looked across the chamber. Elder Soparo was watching, and his eyes were not on Draikis.
Ella nodded to him then turned her focus back to Draikis’s recitation, not looking away until his last word. Only then did she look back across the room. The ceremonial bread was being passed around, but Elder Soparo was no longer at his place.
Where did he—
“An unusual addition to the recitation, Brother Draikis,” the old man’s voice said from right behind them.
Draikis and Ella turned. Soparo reached out, offering them each a piece of bread rather than waiting for it to be passed to them like the others were doing.
Draikis nodded a little bow. “I hope you approve.”
“There is no right or wrong way to recite the bread prayer, Draikis. You know this is one of the more flexible ceremonies.”
“Yes, of course. And thank you for having the faith in me to lead the prayer this cycle. It is an honor.”
“It is. And you did a fine job.”
“I am relieved to hear that. I just worried that—”
“But you did seem to emphasize some sections with a rather unusual focus,” the older man interrupted. “And there was more emotion in your words than one would expect.”
“I’m sorry if I disappointed you. I did not intend for the appearance of emotion. I just—”
“No, Draikis, do not apologize. There is nothing wrong with that. It is just unexpected. I am actually glad to see you putting thought and emotion behind the words. So many of the brothers recite by rote and lose the meaning and gravity of the words they are speaking,” Soparo said with an approving grin.
“Yours was a reminder that, perhaps, they should think more of the meaning of the words rather than simply repeating them.”
The old man shifted his attention, locking eyes with the human in their midst. “I hope you found the ceremony interesting. It has been quite a long time since we have had a guest present for the lunar prayer.”
“It was. And the imagery invoked was beautiful. I especially liked the aspect comparing the cycle of the moon to the core belief system. It’s a really artistic way to draw a literary parallel to the way the earliest instances of Dotharian power ebbed and flowed in the first conflicts among the factions before settling into an organic rhythm. ”
Elder Soparo’s expression shifted from one of tolerance, if not slight disdain, to one of curious interest.
“An astute observation, especially from one not of the brotherhood.” He glanced over to her companion. “It would seem Draikis here has taught you more of our internal workings than he has let on.”
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’m beautiful? 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, suddenly very self-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.”