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The first priestess glanced back. "You think you can hold him back?"
"Oh, yeah," Irila promised, turning to Wraythe. "Because if you try to stop them from bandaging her, I'm going to grab you by that ring and fucking twist. You hear me, boy? This is going to hurt her, but she's strong enough to handle it, and you're not going to shame her by acting as stupid as Talin."
"A hand on my chest will work," he promised. "Talin's the one who loses it. I trust my girl."
As if that was permission, the women helped me to sit up. Then, working together, they wrapped my entire torso with a bandage just tight enough to keep me from breathing too deep. It wasn't comfortable, but it didn't quite get bad enough to count as hurting. More of an ache, and as soon as they were finished, I honestly felt better.
The first woman informed me that she'd be back at the end of the week, but to call her if I had any problems. They left me with some pain medication, and then told Wraythe to find me loose clothing. Yet when they left the room, I heard the pair talking about my lace. Something about extensive.
"Need help getting her dressed?" Irila asked. Wraythe just pulled open the closet and found my robe, but Irila shook her head. "She's got a crowd. Shirt and soft pants, Wraythe. And someone may have to help her in the bathroom."
"I can," he swore.
"And when you need help, we're only a few doors down," Irila reminded him. "Get her clothes on, and then help her into the living room, ok?"
Wraythe headed over to his own dresser, then began rummaging inside. He pulled out a dark shirt before moving to Ela's drawer. There, he found a pair of pants my partner used for training in the Salle. With that, he came back, then squatted before me to work the pants over my feet.
"I'm getting these up to your knees," he said, "then we're going to put the shirt on. When you stand, I'll get everything in place, ok?"
"Wraythe..." I tried.
He just looked up at me with those dark green eyes. "Let me do this? Nari, there are a dozen priests in the other room. Talin can't bend over without getting dizzy. Ela's fine. It's you and Anver that I'm worried about, and he's just sleeping." He held up the shirt, stretching the neck open so I could push my head in. "Arms as far down as you can reach. There you go. Now stand and grab my shoulders, baby. I'll pull these up, and then we'll make sure you're covered."
Which he did. The pants had a string to hold them on my hips, but Wraythe made sure they hung low. The shirt was massive, almost a dress, but comfortable. He rolled the sleeves up to my elbows. Then, once I was something close to presentable, he turned me to the door, holding my shoulders as I shuffled that way.
And he was right, the living room was filled with people. So many faces I recognized, while a few others, I didn't. I saw that Roek, my weapons instructor from primary classes, was here. Saval was talking to him. Amerlee and Shalsa seemed to have taken control, but Jamik and Irila were herding the insanity. Eladehl sat in the corner of the couch with Talin leaning against him. Wraythe led me to the one plush chair we owned, gesturing for Jola to vacate it.
"She needs to sit, and I don't need anyone bumping her," he said.
The woman's eyes narrowed, then she looked over at Talin. "I thought he was her guardian."
"He is," Wraythe said. "He's just not her only one, and Zeal's been messing around."
Jola offered her arm to brace against as I sat down, yet the whole room had gone quiet. Slowly, the crowd shifted closer, led by Amerlee. My mentor, the woman who was like a mother to me, squatted down by my knees, and worry filled her eyes.
"Nari?" she breathed.
"I'm going to be fine," I promised. "I also heard about Nyrren."
She nodded. "Wobem's marks are gone, too. He only has Obligation."
"Which is what Zeal said he'd do," Harlin said, speaking up. "Once the room was cleared, the boy said they were told to make her quit. Well, not in those words."
Shalsa's head whipped around to look at him. "Then what exact words were used, Harlin?"
"He said, 'We had to pass. It was our last chance. If we could make her stop, then we wouldn't need to worry about our grades again.' He said something about how Nyrren had never inflicted pain before. He'd been scared that he'd like it too much. There was a lot of crying, and I let him see his desire's body." Harlin glanced over to me. "Sorry, Nari."
I lifted a hand to wave him down, pausing when it pulled. "He wasn't a friend. Never met the guy before."
"Nyrren was a second-year initiate," Saval said.
Roek pushed out a breath. "What are they doing? We spent ten years preparing this class, and everything I'm hearing about the courses this year is appalling."
"I know," Saval said. "The kids aren't being taught what they need to know. It almost feels like the entire lesson plan is based around forcing Nari to declare one Path."
"Not kids," Ela told her. "Sorry, Saval. You may have wiped our noses, but we're not kids anymore. We grew up."
"And you're still initiates!" she snapped. "Don't give me lip, Eladehl. I don't care how old you are. This temple should be teaching you how to handle the worst-case scenario, not focusing on shaming you. I mean, look at you! Your mentor had to arrange private lessons for you. That should've been covered in class. You all should've been shown the styles last semester, and you should've had the chance to play with your limits while under proper supervision!"
