Chapter 152

A ritual to help commune with the goddess of sex. When Aria had woken up this morning, she hadn’t expected that to be on her list of daily duties.

She dropped the two temple newcomers off in a prayer room, then scurried away to gather the necessary materials. Though the flirtatious looks and rather blatant innuendos made it clear they would rather get started sooner than later, there were preparations to be made. Aria wasn’t sure what was going on—whether the pink candles were a sign from Ephythithys herself—but she would do her best to lead a communion ritual that was proper of a goddess. If there’d ever been a time to see to her duties studiously, it was now. That there were two beautiful women waiting to pounce her was irrelevant.

Unfortunately, her body didn’t agree with her on that last part. Both need and embarrassment squirmed around inside her. She had to fend away several questions from her concerned colleagues as she scurried between rooms, gathering supplies—because her flustered state was quite obvious, especially to anyone who knew her.

Finally, though, Aria had collected everything she needed, and she fled back to the prayer room with incense, herbs, and a rather indecent piece of literature from the temple library. Ephythithys didn’t have many holy books, but as a significant member of the pantheon, plenty of prayers and verses had been written for her, and this wouldn’t be the first attempt at a closer communion. As such, she had some guidance to go by. She wouldn’t be entirely making things up as they went. Just mostly.

While fleeing back into the prayer room meant safety from other members of the temple, it unfortunately put her back in the presence of her two visitors.

“I, um, brought some prayers to read,” Aria said, waving the book nervously. “And herbs and incense to set the mood.” She shrugged her other arm, which cradled said supplies.

“Cool,” Delta said. “Sounds like you know what you’re doing.”

“Not really,” Aria admitted, letting the two women help her set the various items onto the shrine. “But communion shouldn’t be some rigid process. Growing closer to the divine is an intimate, personalized process. It shouldn’t be the same for any two people.”

“So we’ll be improvising?” Zoey asked.

“Mostly,” Aria said. “To start us off, I’ll, um, get the shrine ready, then lead us in prayer.”

“Prayer?” Zoey asked. “That’s not it, though, right? What else?”

Aria’s cheeks colored. “With luck, prayer will draw Ephythithys’s attention our way. It’s what I can contribute. But you two, of course, will—um, worship her however you please. You’ve already heard my advice on the matter.”

“However we please?”

“A carnal goddess like Ephythithys is probably best drawn with bold displays,” Aria said, her blush growing deeper. “So this is a situation where less wouldn’t be more, I figure. So, yes, however you please.”

“And you’ll be helping?”

“I’m a priestess of the temple,” Aria said. “I’m happy to lead this communion for you, but I can’t go around and—and—join directly.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s...” Aria floundered briefly. “Lewd. Improper. We don’t even know each other.”

“So? It’s showing your appreciation for a goddess. A perfectly fitting duty for a priestess.”

A part of Aria agreed. Another balked at the indecency of joining in a carnal ritual with two strangers—whether a potential sign had come from Ephythithys or not. Even her eagerness to oversee the ritual might be improper for someone of her position. Especially since she wasn’t just any priestess, but the daughter of the Head Priest himself. What would he think about Aria doing this?

“I’ll lead,” Aria repeated loudly, turning away from the two women and starting to organize the shrine. She spaced the incense out and lit it. A thick, heady aroma filled the air—powerful and intense, as fitting of Ephythithys. Again, she was a goddess where more was more, not less.