The Priestess' Affair [Books 1 &2]

𝐕. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞

He sighed deeply before answering with a sarcastic tone, "Yeah, I decided to change my profession. The feudal lords took my land away anyway," I stared at his face for a whole minute to see if he was lying or if that was the truth.

"What about you? Have you given up whoring?" He asked in amusement. I gave him a death glare while he continued, "Seems so. You aren't dressed like one this time. I'm assuming you changed your profession recently as well,"

"Yeah," I sighed, matching his tone, "I'm a healer now. Whoring didn't seem to be my cup of tea,"

"Well, I'm glad to know that," He returned as a dark look flashed in his eyes briefly, but it was gone soon. "Since you said you're a healer now, and I saved you for the second time, you should heal a friend of mine who seemed to have stepped on a curse trap. I'd hate to lose him tonight," He told me.

I froze and didn't say anything, so he continued, "What do you say?..." He trailed off, glancing down at me briefly again. "What? Don't you have a name?" He pressed when I didn't say anything. "What are you called?"

"What makes you think that you're entitled to know my name? Did you tell me yours? " I shot back.

"You want to know my name?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow and looking at me as if I had asked him something I shouldn't have, as if I had almost committed a crime.

"Yes," I demanded. He stopped walking for once and looked down at me pensively for a whole minute. It was semi-dark like the night on the ship. The flickering flames of the merchant's torches cast shadows on his face, and when his entire face was drenched in darkness for a moment, the rim of his eyes glowed, intensifying those strange sensations running up my arm.

"Call me Nico," He told me, breaking the silence.

"What do you mean by call you?" I asked him, narrowing my eyes, "Isn't that your real name?" I pressed. His eyes darkened a bit before he answered, "It's one of my names," and resumed walking. I wanted to question him further, but the group decided to stop and set up a camp. I watched in surprise as they set up the camp in a matter of a few moments. I had never seen people work so fast. It looked superhuman.

Soon, I found myself sitting by a fire, still tied, watching one of the merchants from the group roasting a deer. Nico had disappeared somewhere briefly. I decided to use this opportunity to find a way to untie myself. When the merchant wasn't paying any attention to me, I edged a bit closer to the fire and tried to hold the ropes closer to it. I was risking burning myself, but that was worth it if it meant that I could be free.

I got slightly excited as the ropes caught a few sparks, and they burned a bit but soon went out, making the ropes looser. I tried that again until someone cleared their throat, making me look up to find Nico standing by, holding a knife.

"Looks like you don't need this anymore," He said, pocketing the knife.

"NO! Please, untie me! I cannot feel my legs anymore!" I told him. I wasn't lying; my legs were starting to feel numb. He cocked an eyebrow at me and argued, "Why? You seem to be helping yourself just as fine,"

"Do you want your friend healed or not?" I shot back.

"You were trying to escape to heal my friend? I didn't know people had such pure hearts nowadays," He laughed dryly while I glared at him.

"Fine, I will free you, and in return, you have to heal my friend and tell me your name. What do you think?" He asked. I blurted out yes even before his second demand adequately registered in my brain. He nodded before kneeling before me and starting to cut the ropes one by one. I watched his huge steady hands work through the ropes, setting those strange sensations whenever and wherever they touched me. Meanwhile, I tried my best to be as still as possible.