13. Chapter Thirteen #2
“An amazing offer, Cardinal. Had I known you were coming, I would have ensured I was here to collect you. Funny how I never received notice such a high standing cleric was on his way to the cathedral.” Keida’s words were short, curt, and clear.
She was upset by Janus’ presence. I wouldn’t say threatened, but I had no other context for her ire.
Sure, it wasn’t typical of Cardinals to leave their temples.
They were birds set to roost. Our Lady Avaris bestowed extra powers upon them to maintain their flock, shielding the innocent under their wings.
It was not typical for them to travel for any reason other than death or new life.
Unlike the Lunar Cleric, a position posted at each temple, meant to do the traveling jobs the Cardinals could not.
The higher the temple in the order, the more trusted the Lunar Cleric, the more dangerous the travel.
However, the Cathedral was the highest temple, putting Keida and Janus at the same level, technically, under Leonardo. Despite how she started as his protégé.
“Well, does a godfather need an excuse to come and spoil his goddaughter?” He schmoozed, spreading his worn hands out wide.
Wrapping a hand around my shoulder, he clamped the other around Keida’s.
I could see the crinkle in the fabric from the squeeze.
“Come now, Keida. Do not be upset by formality.”
“I am more put off by your lack of faith in me to see to things here. Familial relations or not,” Keida spoke softly, her tone still venomous.
Until her gaze landed back on me and her face softened.
She gave me a slight bow of her head like she’d not been locked on my lips earlier.
“Melrose, I heard you saved the laundress a week’s worth of work? ”
“I had idle hands,” I breathed, a weird pressure pushing down on my lungs.
“See, Janus?” Keida retorted, blinking back up to her old mentor. “No need for concern.”
“Bah!” he harrumphed, letting go of both of us.
The pressure on my lungs loosened and I turned away to heave a deep breath into my body.
Janus clapped his hands in front of him.
“I’m not here to dictate how you tend to your flock while His Holiness is away.
I am merely here to check in on Melrose and enjoy the warmer temperatures. ”
Keida rolled her eyes, “It’s snowing outside.”
“As I said,” Janus snickered, “warmer temperatures. Or did you forget the toe-biting frost that used to seep into the temple stone in the middle of summer?”
Keida’s eyes caught mine as I shifted to stand at the third corner of our triangle.
We took up the entire aisle between the pews.
Candles danced over our heads in the chandelier.
Amber light glittered around the room. Despite it being an hour before sunset, it was as dark as night inside the cathedral without them.
“Maybe I was never bothered by the cold, old man.” Keida’s voice finally softened all the way and my lips curled up on my face.
“There she is! That’s my frosty child!” Janus chortled as he slapped her on the middle of her back. “Come, I’m hosting you and Melrose both in my chambers for dinner.”
“Oh!” Keida’s eyebrows rose and I gave her a silent, apologetic smile in response. She returned a single glance in my direction then bowed her head in response. “Of course, allow me to change into less damp robes and I’ll be right there.”
Janus clapped their hands together. “Excellent, then I shall see you shortly! Melrose?”
I realized I was still stuck by Keida’s side while Janus was already headed deeper into the cathedral. I offered my godfather an apologetic smile, “I’ll be right there. Since Keida’s going to be changing, I was hoping to show her the robe I made for her.”
“Oh! Delightful! I can’t wait to see,” Janus cheered with glittering eyes.
He twisted from both of us to waltz confidently toward his room.
I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something didn’t sit right in my stomach.
Keida was always formal. Always stiff and stoney and polite.
And yet. That interaction between them was hostile at best and my stomach turned angrily as I peeked at Keida.
Her eyes were narrowed on Janus sharply.
“Keida?” I whispered.
“Pardon?” She blinked once, straightening up then smiling at me. It was merely a curl at the corner of her lips, but it was distinctly different than any other time. She nodded for me to lead the way. “Let’s see what ridiculous frock you’re dressing me in this time.”
“It’s not ridiculous!” I huffed, stomping across the stoney floor toward my workroom.
My skirts swished around me, my hooves clicking with every hardened step.
It wasn’t until I was back in the workroom, twisting to show her just how ridiculous I was, when she used my backside to close the door.
Keida pushed me up against the groaning wood and pinned me there with a kiss.
Her roaming hands fisted up my hair and grabbed onto my ass.
I was hoisted off my hooves an inch and my legs draped around her waist in quick succession.
“Keida,” I panted for air only to have my words cut off with another kiss.
“Shhh, Trouble,” she warned roughly, nipping on my lips. “Wouldn’t want the Cardinal to hear.”
“Please,” I scoffed with a roll of my eyes.
But my arguments were kissed away. Hot puffs of air tickled my face as our lips danced.
It was a desperate, hungry kiss that left me breathless.
We were only separated by the bell that played overhead and the sound of people returning to the church.
Keida peeled herself off me, exhaling heavily.
“My apologies, I...”
“Did not mean to attack my mouth like a starved wolf?” I teased with a shit-eating grin.
“That was more poetic than I was intending, but sure,” she laughed dryly, sparing a hand to my hair. She tucked it back nice and neat behind my ears. “Where is this frock, huh?”
“It’s not a frock,” I warned with a threatening forefinger waggled in her face.
Storming around her, having to mentally calm my lustful insides down, I pulled the satiny fabric off the worktable.
I turned to show it off and found my frosty cleric with her eyebrows in her hairline.
Holding the simple, dark purple robe up, the silvery embellishments glittered in the candlelight.
It wasn’t much, but it was a giant crescent moon on the back, and a cluster of stars falling down the sleeves.
Otherwise, it was just a royal plum color with a stylish sash to hold it closed. “I thought you’d enjoy the simplicity.”
“It’s perfect, Melrose. You’ve outdone yourself.
” Her words came out in a rush of air as she stepped toward me slowly, like I were the frightened deer ready to bolt away.
I held fast while she plucked it from my fingers and admired it close up.
My gaze followed her thumbs, lovingly brushing across the buttery fabric. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome,” I managed to force out of my throat as my cheeks burned.
Keida glanced up at me with wickedness glittering in her eyes.
A mischievous, hungry look that stole my breath away.
Then she put it aside to pull open her robes.
I stepped back to give her the space to undress but mostly to enjoy the show as she pulled off each layer.
It was like the best kind of teasing as I knew there was nothing I could do about it...
and yet I wanted nothing more than to put my teeth against her skin.
I craved scraping them across her pert nipples, hidden under the silk slip and enjoying them grow dark crimson.
“Careful, Trouble, we are headed to dinner.”
“Oh, do not worry. I will be very well behaved for dinner,” I grinned from ear to ear as she slid her arms into the sleeves of her new robes. “But I am plotting my dessert.”
Keida’s eyes flashed with a warning...and a promise. One I couldn’t wait to reveal.