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Which meant he wanted me to leave. I did, but not without glancing back one last time. "It feels wrong to walk away from her."
"And the other boy?" Jamik asked. "You have to pick, Wraythe. You can only be completely devoted to one."
"You sure about that?"
He dragged a hand over his mouth. "Yesterday, I would've said yes. Today, my little sister spoke what seems to be Zeal's words from her mouth. I'm no longer sure about anything. I'm just glad you're not trying to fight me." He reached back to close the door, shutting Amerlee in alone with Nariana. "In truth, I'm not convinced I could make you do much. You really are big, aren't ya?"
"Yeah, um..." I laughed once. "And my mentor is a Priest of Action. He kinda accepted me because I was so gangly they assumed I wouldn't turn into much. Told me there was no way I'd fill out my body, but I guess I did."
Jamik nodded. "So you haven't really had any special training on the Path of Protection?"
"No, sir. Just the stuff we learn in class."
"We'll set up a schedule. The books don't cover half of it, and it's not an easy Path to walk. Less so when you care about them too much."
"Yeah." I took a step back. "Is it ok if I check on Eladehl now?"
Jamik fell in step beside me. It seemed that while I was trying to take care of both my friends, he was going to take care of me. That was probably a good thing, because I still couldn't quite believe what had just happened, and I couldn't figure out what part I was supposed to tackle first.
Chapter 17
Nariana
Iwoke up the next morning to the smell of Wraythe beside me. Except it wasn't him. I was all alone, and my arms held something soft. Cracking open my eyes, I looked down to find Bunny beside his little dog, but my movement hadn't gone unnoticed.
"Don't think, just answer," Amerlee said. "What's the last thing you remember?"
I had to pause for a second, sorting through my memories to find that. "Turning around to say something to Jamik."
She nodded once. "The moments before that, can you tell me what happened?"
I sat up, sucking in a breath. "I held Ciella to a wall sconce? But she's stronger than me. Wait. It shattered so I could push her hair into it because she loves it so much. After she ruined my priest - " I stopped. "That's not what I meant."
"Don't think," she told me. "Just keep talking."
"In my head, it was like Eladehl was some possession or a toy. I'd put a lot of effort into him, and her little stunt could've ruined him, and I was so mad. I couldn't even think because of it. I just knew she needed to pay, and so I made it happen, but it was like this voice was in my head, egging me on. It told me to do it, but it also told me to blow out the flames in her hair. And the things I said? I don't even really remember that. It was like the words just fell out. How's he doing?"
The last bit caught her off guard. "Oh, Eladehl! He's ok. A bit shaken up, but he says he's going to be fine. Wraythe convinced Saval that it was ok for him to spend the night with Anver." She paused to chuckle. "The four of you have quite the arrangement, don't you?"
"It kinda works, though. Wraythe is all big and strong, Anver is supportive, Eladehl is so daring, and I make sure they don't mess up too much."
"Mm," she said, nodding. "So what convinced you to mess up last night?"
I looked down at the stuffed things in my arms. "They tied him to a table, put a rope around his neck so he couldn't pull himself free, and then poured hot wax across him. Not the type that's made for that, but the candles we use for reading or walking the halls. They kept pouring it until his only option was to pray for Zeal to help him."
She sat up straighter. "Oh, that's a new part of the story."
I nodded, "And I'm betting you they didn't mention that they didn't stop until he came in his pants, and then theylaughedat him."
Amerlee's eyes closed, and the breath slipped from her lungs. "We spend so many years teaching you kids that it's ok to be touched, and one spoiled little brat tries to ruin it all."
"Yeah," I agreed. "That's what set me off. You and Jamik have talked to me about how a bad time can turn an acolyte from our Path, and all Eladehl has ever wanted to do was follow the Path of the Body. I was going to tell Saval, and then, it was like I just snapped. Almost like I was riding along in my body as it took off with me. I mean, how could I pull Ciella around like that? I haven't gotten that much stronger... Have I?"
"You said that if she damaged your priest, you would..." She looked down at her notes. "...Strip her bare. Her punishment would be shame. If she did it again, you promised it would be worse. And then you said, 'Do not play with gods, little girl, because sometimes gods play back.' Do you remember that?"
"Not really, no."
"Everyone else does." Then she leaned closer. "What did it feel like, Nariana? Having a god ride your body, what did youfeel?"
