Page 155 of A Vow of Embers

No one even tried to hide the fact that we’d been listening but she didn’t address it.

“Is everyone enjoying their reading?” she asked, and we all mumbled various replies while she determinedly opened the book she’d stolen from the vault.

I was conflicted on how I should feel—there was still the shock of finding out that Quynh was in love with Thrax and the things Xander had told me last night, along with the nice moments he and I had just shared.

The strange tone in his voice when Io demanded he keep me safe because of her faith in the prophecy.

Like him, I wasn’t sure what I believed, but there was no question that Io believed enough for all three of us.

All these different moments, thoughts, and feelings swirled around in my head while I pretended to read, the words swimming on the page in front of me.

Io gasped loudly and I looked up.

“What’s wrong?” Ahyana asked. Suri went over to her, putting her arm around Io’s shoulders.

Io didn’t speak. Her mouth hung open slightly, her chest rapidly rising and falling as her eyes repeatedly scanned her book.

“You’re scaring me,” I told her. “What is it?”

She swallowed hard before answering. “I know how to break the physical connection between you and Xander.”

“How?” I demanded. Whatever it was, it needed to happen immediately.

“You have to consummate your marriage.”

Chapter Fifty

No one responded for several moments.

Then Zalira asked, “Are you certain you read that correctly?”

Io nodded. “It’s here at the bottom of this page. This healer is writing about sicknesses and illnesses that primarily affect women. Then there’s this entry that says, ‘There is one unusual manifestation that only happens to former priestesses once they are wed. As soon as the marriage ceremony begins, the betrotheds are linked physically. If one sustains an injury, so will the other. Once the marriage is consummated, that link is broken.’”

“That’s it?” I asked. “That’s all it says?”

“Yes,” Io confirmed.

“That’s more proof,” Ahyana said. “Proof that priestesses used to marry. Why would there be specific information about it unless it was something that regularly happened? It was common enough that someone wrote about it in a medical text. Priestesses got married—it can’t be any plainer than that.”

I understood her enthusiasm but I didn’t know what to say. The only way for Xander and me to not be linked physically was for us to have sex?

Sweat broke out on my back and I could feel it rolling down my heated skin.

“Why do we take a vow of celibacy then?” Zalira asked.

“Many of the goddess’s laws are designed to protect her daughters,” Io said, not answering Zalira’s question. “That link must serve the same kind of purpose.”

Ahyana closed her book. “How would the link protect a priestess?”

We all thought quietly for a few moments.

“I told you that I saw a list of dowries for priestesses from the temple. Each dowry was sixty minae. That’s a lot of money for a bride price. Maybe there were men that would marry for the money alone and then mistreat their new wives,” I suggested. “And this link would make it so that if they were abusive, that pain would be given to the husbands as well. Or if he tried to take the money, set her aside, and neglect her, the link would be a constant reminder.” I knew I was reminded of Xander every time a new bruise or cut showed up on my body.

“Or maybe priestesses got married but they didn’t consummate so that they could keep their vows,” Zalira offered, looking as confused as I felt.

“From what I’ve learned, I would guess that there aren’t many men who would be happy to marry and build a life with a woman they weren’t allowed to have sex with.” Ahyana said this with so much confidence that it alarmed everyone.

Especially her sister. “What are you saying?”