metal bands around their wrists. He himself wore a pair made of solid gold. But these were…different. Weird. They had metal seams and small circles around them. As he held it, it vibrated in his hand.
“Huh. What’s this?”
“Let me go, sir.” She yanked on her wrist, but he held her fast. He was far stronger than she was. Her voice lowered. “This is highly inappropriate.”
He laughed. “I’m highly inappropriate. It’s fine. What is this thing you wear?”
“They help me navigate.”
“Navigate what?” He blinked and pulled her closer. She dug in her heels, but her sandals on the marble floor couldn’t do anything versus his strength as he tugged her nearer to him. He turned her wrist over in his palm, looking at the strange device. Sure enough, she wore one on each arm.
“The world. I am blind, sir. Now, please release my wrist.”
“Ah! I thought you were.” He yanked her arm hard, pulling her off balance, and it sent her sprawling into the pew next to him.
“Stop—”
“Oh, hush. You’re fine. It’s not every day a priestess of your rank gets to sit with a Cardinal, after all.” He watched as the color drained from her face. She sat up, stiff-backed, and her eyes went wide. “I figured you were blind when you didn’t know who I was. Nice to meet you, Ms…?”
She stammered uselessly.
“My name is Nero Finch.” He grinned at her, though she couldn’t see it. Nor did the flicker of his amber eye draw her into his thrall. Usually, he’d put a girl like her under his hypnotism until she calmed down enough to stop fussing. But she couldn’t see him. She was immune.
He was without his handsome charm or his gifts.
She was going to be a challenge.
Nero loved a challenge.
He draped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side. “I have been praying to Hera all wrong, what with the swearing and all. Maybe you could teach me how to worship correctly? What is your name, priestess?”
“My lord Cardinal, I am sorry if I have insulted you.” Her voice was a quiet, frightened whisper. She was still locked solidly to his side. He wanted to kiss her until she melted. He debated trying. It would probably be seen as “debasing” a temple to Hera.
But Hera was the goddess of marriage and childbirth.
How the fates did she think somebody got to that point?
“Insulted? Oh, no, I’m not insulted. You have to do a lot worse than scold me for swearing to do that.” He leaned into her. She was still stiff as a board.
With the feeling of her nestled to his side, he was about to be the same. He could smell her. She smelled like incense and candles. And a little bit of whatever flowery shampoo she used.
At least she can’t see me staring down her robes. And what a view it was. She was endowed by the gods to be pleasing. He wanted to bury his head in that crevice. If he could put her in his thrall, she’d let him. She’d let him lay her down on this pew and take her right here and now.
Perhaps it would be more fitting for the temple of Aphrodite. Hera might be annoyed. She did seem like a right stuck-up bitch.
He caught the glimmer of gold around her neck. A long necklace trailed down in between those wonderful orbs of hers that he wanted so much to fondle. Whatever hung on the end of that chain was buried treasure to him and a mystery he’d enjoy digging for if she—
“Please…let me go, sir.”
Right. He snapped himself back to the moment and looked up from enjoying the view of the young priestess’s body. He shifted his grasp on her wrist to her hand and clasped it in his. It was a friendly gesture. An intimate one.
Her cheeks went a little pink. Good. Yes. Right there. There’s a glimmer of hope. That is why I came here, wasn’t it? Hope.
“Tell me, my beautiful priestess. What is your name?”
She paused for a long time before speaking.
Then with one word, she sealed her fate.
“Hope.”
She was doomed. Utterly doomed. She knew it. From the moment he told her his name, she knew she was in trouble.
The Cardinal. The South Wind. Nero Finch himself. She had hoped it was a lie. But when he yanked her down beside him, she felt an unnatural warmth coming from him. He smelled like a campfire. Like a warm summer night.
His voice had a strange, rumbling