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"This year," Saval said as she walked into the room, "you will spend half your time in the Temple of All Gods. Each of you will be assigned to a god that is not your own. Because they were born from one body, the gods all work together, and we must do the same. You will each be allowed to pick two gods, your first choice, and your second. Assignments will be made by your class placement." She smiled. "I did tell you that your grades would have an effect on your future."
When she passed a list to the acolyte at the end of each row, the class began to murmur. All of us wanted to have the same assignment as our friends, but I had no idea what any of them would want. Leaning onto the table, I looked over at Eladehl.
"Which gods are we going to choose?" I asked.
He just shook his head. "Ambition?"
Wraythe grunted his disapproval. "For the second choice, maybe. I have a feeling that would end up a lot of work."
"Intuition?" I offered.
"I can do Intuition," Eladehl agreed. "Make that first and Ambition our second?"
"I'm good with that," Wraythe agreed.
I looked over at Anver, but he was whispering quietly with Tishlie. Her eyes were bright and excited, and her hands waved before her while she whispered her ideas to him.
"Hey," I hissed. "What do you think about Intuition, Anver?"
He put his hand on Tishlie's arm, halting her, then looked back. "We're going to do Compassion and Inspiration."
"I can't do Compassion," I breathed.
"Why not?" he asked.
"My brothers are there. I..." I shook my head, the idea making my insides twist in fear. "No, I'm not ready for that yet."
Tishlie's eyes got bigger. "But they might not even be there. For all you know they could be working in the temple. Please, Nariana? I'm not any good at Intuition, and I'd fail out of Ambition!"
Anver rubbed her shoulder in sympathy. "Why don't you and I do Compassion, and they can do Intuition. That way we all get what we want?"
I felt like he'd just kicked me in the gut. All this time, Anver had been my friend first and hers second, but he'd just replaced me. I knew I should've seen it coming, but that didn't make it hurt any less. Even so, I didn't cry. When things got hard, I lifted my chin and plowed ahead. Like Amerlee said, I was meek because I should be, not because I had to be. Tishlie couldn't say the same.
And she needed him. He was so gentle with her. Each time she leaned on him, he beamed with pride the same way Jamik did around Amerlee. Never mind that I still wasn't sure which Path I was going to take. Tishlie was following the Path of the Body. Anver was on the Path of Protection. Theywouldend up together, but I hadn't expected it to hurt this bad.
But there was always a price to pay, even for my lack of decision, it seemed. Nodding at the boy who'd been my first kiss, the one who'd made me finally feel like I belonged, I let him know that was a very good plan. I also did my best to make sure I looked nothing but happy at the idea. After all, it was just a year, right?
Except that I knew it wasn't. I felt like he'd just thrown me aside like garbage. I also wasn't as good at pretending as I'd hoped. After we'd all filled out the form with our choices, Saval let us go, telling us the placements would be posted after lunch, when we'd meet in here again. Eladehl laced his fingers through mine and stood without saying a word. Together, he and Wraythe guided me back to his room.
"You ok?" Eladehl asked when we were finally alone.
"I'm fine," I promised.
He caught my chin, holding my face toward his. "Don't do that, Nari. If Anver doesn't want to be with us, then it's his loss, ok?"
Wraythe sat on the bed behind me, his arms sliding around my waist. "You'll find another guardian, baby."
"But maybe this is a sign that I'm not supposed to follow the Path of the Body," I pointed out. "I've never been sure - you both know that - but I thought that since there were four of us, maybe that was what I was meant for?"
"Then what will you do?" Eladehl asked. "Action? Why would Zeal put someone so special in a position where she's rarely seen?" He offered me a weak smile. "I know. It's the Path of the Word!"
"Would make sense," Wraythe said. "If she spoke for him once, maybe he wants her to do it again? That's pretty much the definition of the Path of the Word."
"Really?" I asked, starting to actually consider it.
Eladehl just sighed. "I was kinda hoping we'd be partners, though. The four - uh, three of us against the world."
I let out a deep sigh and leaned back against Wraythe. "But he was so perfect with us. Why'd he have to befriendherof all people?"
