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"Rage," I told her. "There was so much that I couldn't think straight. You know that phrase about seeing red? Well, there wasn't any red, but I felt like I was a little disconnected."
"Well, we had all your friends pray for Zeal to give us proof, because this is the kind of thing that could have you assigned to the Path of Obligation without a Choosing Ceremony." She paused to lick her lips. "This morning, we got it."
"Morning?" I asked. "What time is it?"
"Almost lunch," she said. "You slept for nearly twelve hours. Classes were cancelled today, so it's ok. Now, do you want to know about the proof?"
All I could do was nod, wondering what kind of proof there could be.
Amerlee smiled. "In front of the High Priest's office there is a statue of Zeal. It's a slightly smaller version of what is in the Temple of All Gods, but without the basin of tears. This morning, his cupped hands were filled with Ciella's hair. The same hair that everyone else saw burned away, along with the rest."
"Rest?" I asked.
Her head was bobbing slowly up and down, and the smile on my big sister's lips was cruel. "It seems that Zeal was busy. Ciella woke up completely bald. Saval said that the girl's lace is fading back down to her wrists. I just wish Eladehl had asked for her to be sent to Obligation, but he swears he's fine. Every time I try to ask, he says Zeal made it feel good."
"Which is why he had an orgasm," I realized.
"Not necessarily," she told me. "When men are scared, angry, or hurting, they can get an erection. Sometimes, it results in ejaculation."
"You don't know Eladehl," I countered. "Amerlee, he's always the last to get off. He prides himself on being able to control it so he can please others. I told you, he wants nothing more than to be a Priest of the Body. He wouldn't just give in! He'd fight it, and he wasn't gone that long. Half an hour, plus the time it took for us to find him."
She lifted her hand. "It doesn't matter, and don't you dare think less of him for it."
"I wouldn't!"
One of her elegant red brows rose higher. "And yet listen to yourself. He got off from being hurt? He would never do that? He must be so ashamed because he had an orgasm he didn't intend? Those all sound like you thinking less of him."
"I'm saying that's out of character for him," I explained. "If it was anyone else, I wouldn't say that, but Eladehlisproud of his control, and losing it would make him feel bad. He's never shown any interest in being hurt before, although Jamik says that can change, but I don't want it to happen because he was jumped by kids in our class!"
"Shh," she breathed. "I asked Shalsa to spend some time talking to him. She deals with pain play, and she can help him work through it. Irila and Jamik are going to be teaching your other two friends a few defensive things when you're taking lessons with me. Seems your big brother wants them to know how to care for you and Eladehl if you ever get hurt again."
I groaned. "And there it is. Everyone just assumes I'm going to follow the Path of the Body."
"No," she corrected, "I assume that you have a bully in your class, and you just picked a fight with her. I assume that your male friends are a bit bigger and stronger than you are. I'm also assuming that this is the kind of lesson that she will never forget, and girls like Ciella are the kind to make you pay years down the road. I just want to make sure you're able to get there."
"Ok," I said, giving in.
"You should also know that Ciella wasn't the only student to wake up with no hair this morning. Seven others lost their locks, which made it easy to know who was involved." Then she pointed to the plush dog I was holding. "So you going to tell me about that?"
"It's Wraythe's," I said, reaching down to pet the matted pelt. "His sister gave it to him after he was surrendered. Something for him to remember his family by."
"Yet he put it in your arms last night, and he ran all the way down the hall to get it, and then all the way back. Think he's trying to tell you something?"
"That we're family?" I asked.
"That would be my guess," she agreed. "Nari, I believe those boys are very fond of you. I also get the feeling that you're pretty fond of them. Just don't forget that childhood friendships don't always last forever."
"Yeah, but you and Jamik - "
"Did," she agreed. "And I don't talk to anyone else from my class anymore. One person out of seventy-four. The rest of us grew up, went our own ways, and lost ourselves in our Path. I barely even see the other priestesses who work alongside me - from my year, I mean. Just... Don't hope for too much, ok?"
"You mean with Wraythe?" I asked. "He's going to be Eladehl's guardian. I already know how that works. And Eladehl is definitely going the Path of the Body. I just like that they're going to stick together."
"What if Zeal decides Wraythe is better suited for you? How do you think Eladehl will take it?"
I paused to chew on my lower lip. "I think he'd be sad, but he'd also be happy. He just wants to make sure someone is around to stand up for his friend. Someone who won't let everyone else make fun of him for being big or not the kind of pretty they're all used to. I would hope that Eladehl would be ok with it, but I get it. He could be jealous."
"Sometimes very jealous," she said.
