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I followed Quin's gaze to where one of Nari's mentors stood in the most beautiful dark blue dress, talking to Nari and Shalsa. All of the ladies were in deep colors, looking like shadowed jewels. Granted, that was expected from our temple. Zeal's color was black, but that was often seen as too stark for a social event, so we used other colors instead.
And every priest and priestess around me had their sign of the temple prominently displayed. Like the rest of the men, mine was a pin to hold my cravat in place. Unlike some, it was the five-headed version Zeal had given us. The women mostly wore a choker with the symbol against their throat. Nari's was the gift Zeal had given her for the Darkest Night, and that black gem sparkled in a way that should be impossible, drawing the eye right to it. Irila, however, had a longer chain with a larger pendant that lay over the collar of her suit. It worked for her.
I was still examining the priests around me when both of the large doors at the front began to open. Light and sound flooded into the entrance of the temple. A moment later, a single silhouette hurried up the stairs, walking in proudly. I knew that was Maela, but it was such a change from the first time I'd met her. Clearly, the woman was no longer afraid of our temple.
"I have two carriages," she announced, pausing to look at us. "Oh, it might be a bit tight, though."
"We'll manage," Nari promised, making her way over to hug the woman like long-separated friends. "I'm so sorry I missed last weekend."
"Lessons," Maela said, waving that away. "I heard. That just means this is our chance to celebrate. I haven't been to a social function in far too long. Since your visit, actually."
I was making my way around the group, reaching the pair just as they started walking toward the door. Stepping in, I offered Maela my arm. "Lady Ranndor?"
"Oh." She took it, glancing over at Nari to make sure she didn't mind. "Thank you, Priest Eladehl."
"I was hoping you'd let me escort you today, since I heard your husband won't be attending."
"Well..." Again she looked at Nari. "I assumed..."
"I'll be with Talin," Nari promised. "This isn't the sort of event where our guardians need to become shadows, is it?"
"No," Maela promised. "There will be plenty of priests from all of the temples. It's considered normal for most houses to invite the clergy. I used to think Tath didn't because of me. Now I'm starting to realize that he doesn't because he's more interested in - "
Her mouth snapped shut and her head whipped around to look at me. The woman's eyes were just a little too wide and her skin was starting to pale. I reached up to place my hand over hers, then rubbed it as reassuringly as I could.
"I'm a priest, Maela, not a man from society. I assure you that anything you can say to Nari, you can say to me, and we probably hold similar opinions."
"I think he has another mistress," Maela admitted as we approached the carriages. "But that's fine."
"It's not fine," Nari said, gesturing for Maela to enter first.
I moved to hand her into the carriage, watching as the guardians began heading to the second carriage. A quick headcount showed that I would be riding with the ladies. Well, that worked. Even better, it seemed that Wraythe was escorting our former instructor as if he were her guardian instead of mine. Since I wouldn't hang on his arm, and Saval didn't have someone else, that made this a rather nicely even group. Probably why Amerlee had invited her.
One by one, I helped the women in, and then followed. With their dresses, there was no room for me to sit, but it wouldn't be a long trip. Squatting down beside Nari, I made the most of it. The women began to chatter about the daughter who'd be announced, how old she was - fifteen - and how incredibly young that was to consider marriage.
I listened. I laughed with them. The whole time, I watched Nari and Maela, aware of how easily my partner blended into this world. Sure, we'd been trained for a decade to have the manners and knowledge of high society, but it was different for her. Nari was so approachable, so easy to like, and she seemed so vulnerable. I knew better, but most wouldn't. They'd assume she was like Maela: a little timid and a prize to be caught.
Soon enough, we arrived at the manor of the Baron of Ambition. The building looked like a single wing of the temple, but the exterior was black. The drive was covered in a reddish gravel of some kind, and all of the trim had been painted as red as possible. Elegant flower beds and various statues decorated the main yard, making it clear they had wealth to spend frivolously. Then there were the carriages.
I saw blue, white, yellow, and green. Ours was black to match Temptation. Of course, there wasn't a red one. Since Ambition lived here, there was no need for them to drive. But mixed among the vibrant colors of the gods were others. Grey and brown were the most common, proving that more than the barons and their families were here.
As soon as the carriage stopped, I hopped out, then turned to offer Maela a hand down. From the other carriage, the guardians began to pour out, each one coming toward us to claim their own ward. Once Maela's feet were on the ground, I offered her my arm again, and Talin stepped up to get Nari out.
"Please keep me from looking like an idiot?" I begged Maela
She looked up at me in surprise. "It's just a luncheon."
"In formal clothes, at a baron's home," I reminded her. "I have yet to attend a society function."
"This is your first?" She pressed a hand to her lips. "I honestly had no idea. Don't worry, Eladehl, I'll show you everything you need to know and introduce you to a few people. My parents should be here too."
"Does this mean I'm your date for the afternoon?" I asked.
Her cheeks began to flush. "I'm a married woman."
"I'm a Priest of Temptation, so the two are not incompatible."
"But Nari..."
