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Do it.
The urge was so strong it had a voice in my head. I took another step back, and my friends didn't notice, so I surrendered to it. Turning on my bare feet, I simply marched out of the room, making plans in my mind. Ciella, Ryshie, and Kald. I repeated their names over and over in my mind, trying to decide how to hurt them the best. I wanted them all to know what it felt like to be laughed at. To have their safety taken away and their innocence broken for no reason at all.
I wanted them to pay.
I reached the top of the stairs to hear giggles coming from one of the rooms, so I knocked on the door. Ciella opened it with a smile, clearly expecting me to be someone else, and it felt like something deep inside me snapped. My hand lashed out, closing on her throat, and the lights all the way down the hall flared to life. With a strength I never knew I had, I pulled her out of her room only to slam her back against the wall.
Words began to fall from my mouth. "Priestesses are here to serve, not to be served. Temptation comes with a price, and you have not yet paid your dues." Slowly, I was pushing her head sideways, even though she was fighting me with all she had. "I want you to know what it feels like to cower in shame. It is time you understand that true strength comes from giving, not taking."
"Let me go, Nariana!" she demanded, slapping at my arms.
But the words wouldn't stop. "You were the short straw, the one no one else wanted, but you can be trained. My patience is not limitless. My fury knows no limits. If you want to play with temptation, then it's time you learn what it is like to lose. I will not have someone like you in my ranks."
I'd pushed her far enough that the heat from the lamp was warm on my hands. I still needed more. As if my wish had been heard, the glass shattered, exposing the bare flame, and Ciella's long, golden locks flopped against it. Immediately, they ignited, the stench of burning hair thick between us.
"No!" she screamed, trying to swat out the flame. "Nariana, let go. You're hurting me."
From down the hall, I heard Saval demanding to know what was going on, and people were leaning out of their doors to see what was causing all of the commotion.
"If you damage my priest, I will strip you bare. This time, your punishment is shame. Next time, I promise it will be much, much worse. Do not play with gods, little girl, because sometimes gods play back."
Blow it out.
I had no idea where the words came from, but I understood. Sucking in a deep breath of foul-tasting air, I blew as hard as I could at her hair. The flames vanished mere inches from her head, but the locks still smoldered. The entire right side and most of the back was burnt, twisted, and melted, leaving nothing more than a haze hanging in this end of the hall.
And then a pair of strong hands grabbed my shoulder. "Nariana? Are you back with us?" The voice belonged to Jamik.
I turned back to look at him, but never made it. Blackness washed over me too quickly.
* * *
WRAYTHE
When I realized Nariana was gone, I thought she'd left to get Saval, but then my hands began to tingle. I couldn't explain why, but I was sure I should find her. It seemed that Anver and Eladehl agreed. My best friend wiped at his eyes and swung his legs off the table.
"Where'd she go?"
It was like we all knew; I just couldn't decide who to help first. Eladehl was clearly still getting feeling back in his feet, and Anver might be able to carry him, but not all the way up the stairs. Giving in, I decided that he'd hate me more if I left him behind.
"Arm around my neck, Ela. I think Nari's doing something stupid."
He didn't even complain, so I lifted him up, jerking my chin for Anver to go first. Unfortunately, Eladehl wasn't a little guy. He might be smaller than me, but he was solid muscle, and the kind that made my arms strain halfway up the flight of stairs. I ignored it, but he didn't. The moment we made it to the top, he assured me he could stand, and then limped along beside me, getting better with every step.
But all the lights were on. When we rounded the last corner, I understood why. The smell of burning hair was nauseating, and Nari had Ciella pinned against the wall saying something about how playing with gods meant that sometimes they would play back. However, that voice didnotbelong to the girl I knew.
It was too clear, too loud, and too...muchto be her putting on an act. Combined with the feeling we'd all just had and the guardian running up the hall toward her, I felt every drop of blood in my body fall to my feet. My lungs paused. I was pretty sure even my heart decided to take a break, because I could guess what was happening.
Nariana had been marked as special. Her lace extended all the way up her arms, but it wasn't just meant to be beautiful. That was Zeal's claim on her, and it was a strong one. Strong enough, it seemed, for him to use her as his voice.
Just as Jamik reached her, she turned - and then her eyes rolled back in her head. She dropped, collapsing like a rag doll. Thankfully, her mentor's guardian caught her before she hit the ground and swept her frail little body into his arms.
"Anver," I snapped, "take Eladehl to your room. Make sure he's ok." As soon as he nodded, I jogged over to the guardian. "Priest Jamik? Her room's down this way."
He followed me, but Saval joined him. I hurried over to pull back Nari's covers so he could lay her inside the sheets, then flipped them over her still body. Without thinking, I reached up above her pillow for the soft little rabbit she loved. Not caring that two priests were watching, I tucked it carefully under her arm.
"What are you doing?" Jamik asked.
"She loves that rabbit, Priest Jamik. When she wakes up, she'll know she's ok because she'll feel it even before she opens her eyes, and it's been a bad night. I don't want her to..." I paused. "I need to get her something else."
