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"Not much," Harlin admitted.
"I do," Balon said. "Ghale was actually my primary mentor. Why?"
My eyes narrowed at that. What were the chances? Probably better than I realized, since Zeal was involved, but still. Although the question had my friends all pulling in a little closer. I moved over by the wall, Talin headed to grab a cup of water for me, and Jamik looked to judge the distance between us and everyone else in the Salle. It wasn't busy, but we all knew this wasn't a conversation that should be overheard. Harlin and Balon seemed to understand, making their way over without complaint.
"I'm pretty sure my instructors want to force me to choose a Path," I told Balon. "Unfortunately, I can't."
"She really can't," Harlin agreed. "She's friends with the man I was telling you about."
"Zeal," Balon said, making it clear he knew that much. "I heard about Harlin's nose." Then he ducked his head to rub at the back of his neck. "Well, I can tell you that Ghale and Oryll were bonded before they ascended to the Path of the Word. Ghale's always been a brute of a man, but Oryll was the delicate type. Might still be, for all I know."
"More the soft type now," I said.
Balon chuckled. "Not surprising. Age does tend to hit us around the middle, and those guys have to be almost fifty now. I can also say that they weren't exceptional. I was assigned to Ghale when I was in my second year because I hadn't found my own mentor. He seemed mollified that at least I wanted the Path of Protection, but always told me that the ring was torture. That I should strive for more, which I think says more about his character than mine."
"Our desires hope to still be Priests of the Body when they're in their silver years," Harlin explained. "Balon and I aren't opposed."
"Someone has to," Jamik agreed.
"Since you'll be going to Word?" Harlin teased. "Yeah, even age doesn't halt temptation. Tell me, Jamik, is your transition guaranteed now?"
"It is," I answered for him. "With Zeal getting more power, I think our god is making plans. He just needs us all to believe."
"I've been trying," Balon promised. "It's not as easy as I thought, though. I mean, I always assumed I was a believer, but I haven't seen him yet. Harlin said the trick is to stop doubting."
"He needs true faith," I explained. "The kind that leaves no room for anything else. That moment where you don't care if you sound insane, because you know it's right in your gut."
Balon nodded. "Then I'll try harder. But I'm not sure what you're looking for with Oryll and Ghale."
"Just something to help me work around them," I said. "I don't know why they care so much about my Path."
"Because they're lazy," Balon told me. "The fact that you wear all the Paths means that change is coming. Change usually brings more work for all of us. Often, it also has benefits, but not for everyone. Those two wanted to be on the Path of the Word. They wanted to be partners, not guardian and desire. They also thought they could find a shortcut to making a name for themselves and end up in the High Priest's inner circle. His council, even."
"And there it is," Eladehl said. "That's the tie. You're supposed to be the shortcut."
"Huh?" Harlin looked confused.
"The High Priest doesn't like that Nari has more lace than him. He can't push her anymore because her lace changed completely with the last immersion, and half the temple saw it on her skin when she was carried up from the pool."
Balon looked over at Talin. "By you, right?"
"Zeal," Talin clarified, "but he was using my body, so close enough."
"So..." Harlin leaned his shoulder against the wall and looked at all of us. "The High Priest wants her to pick a Path. Ghale and Oryll agree, and they probably think it's an easy way to impress the leader of the temple. What can she do to make sure it doesn't happen?"
"Pass her classes," Jamik said, as if that should've been obvious.
"Not that easy when Oryll fails her for no reason and then taunts her to talk to the High Priest if she wants to protest her grade." Ela snarled under his breath. "Because then she'd be making it clear that they're helping. And the High Priest still ends up looking like he's above it all. Especially in a he-said-she-said type of debate, because her teeth didnottouch that dildo!"
"Oh," Balon groaned. "I remember that test. My desire hated it… mostly because he's straight. Yeah, and there's no way to prove it after the fact, except..." He paused, glancing at Harlin. "The other students always watch, right? What if she changes the subject?"
"To what?" Wraythe asked.
"It's not about her," Balon explained. "Make it about them. That if the instructors are willing to fail her for no reason, then what's stopping him from failing them? The only problem is that you'd need to use the rumor mill to do it, and it would have to come from someone other than you."
"Anver," Talin breathed. "Shit, Zeal, you're a genius."
"Not quite the prayer I'd expect a god to want," Balon teased.
