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Around the room, people began to nod. Most looked guilty, some worried. And yet, they all looked determined. It made me feel like something might actually change.
Chapter 57
Nariana
We spent the weekend recovering. The guys wouldn't let Anver go home. Instead, Ela and Talin spent the first night across the hall, sleeping in Talin's bed on the new silk sheets they'd bought for the "gentle" room. The next night, Talin held me carefully, Wraythe got to spread out, and Ela shared the room across the hall with Anver. But the night before we had to go back to class, Anver insisted he needed to go back home.
Talin went with him, acting as a buffer. When he got back, he said that Grath had been waiting for Anver and was determined to make sure his ward didn't cause problems. Just knowing that we weren't the only ones looking after our friend felt kinda nice, and yet I missed his company. I was starting to get used to having the guy around again, even if he was nothing more than a close friend.
But I skipped grappling the next morning. Talin informed Ghale that I'd been injured in a session. Instead of being understanding, though, Ghale made it clear that this was why priests only had one Path. He said that if I didn't show up the next day, my grade would suffer for it. In my Obligation course, Elma pulled me aside to ask if everything was ok. It seemed she'd heard about the events of the weekend as well.
I promised her that I would be, explained my broken rib, and that I was on light duty. Elma promised that she'd relay that to Ati, and that I would not be allowed in my cooking course this week. Not that I would be excused if I didn't show up, but that they'd kick me out if I tried.
My next few classes were fine. They were all seated, requiring nothing more than taking a few notes. Each instructor asked about my injuries, proving that I was once again the talk of the temple, but this time everyone was kind about it. Then there were the whispers about Nyrren.
The guy didn't have friends. As priests, we'd all given up our families. The only person he'd had was Wobem, his guardian, who was now dropped down to the Path of Obligation. My heart broke for the guy. I knew I should've been mad about it. He hadn't done enough and I'd been hurt, but his desire had died.
And it was all Oryll's fault.
My Path of the Body instructor had tried to play his little games, and it had cost a man his life. Oryll acted like we were pawns here for him to push around, not caring how chasing his own desires harmed the rest of us. From what the priests had said in my room, our training was seriously lacking. Mine was better, and my guys as well, but only because we had a god - and some very good mentors - to tell us what we needed to know.
How many others would end up hurt - or worse - because of Oryll's pathetic instruction? The man wanted to be a powerful priest, but he wasn't willing to do the work to get there. He thought that focusing on me was the easy way out. All he had to do was make me declare a Path and Kinen would reward him. It didn't matter if Kinen knew Oryll's plans, encouraged them, or not. As far as I cared, they were both responsible for Nyrren's death.
I was done with being nice. I walked into Sexual Orientation ready to pick a fight, and stopped hard in the doorway. Talin's hands found my arms, guiding me forward, and Ela took over to steer me into my chair, but my head was swiveling around the room. There were too many faces, and I knew plenty of them. Sitting behind Oryll's desk was Saval. At the back of the room were Harlin and Jola. Harlin's partner, Balon, and his desire were at the side.
There were more, at least a dozen, and most had open notebooks. I saw lace above necklines and plenty of weapons from those on the Path of Protection. Priests and Priestesses of the Body were also there, sitting beside their guardians. Ela and I took our seats, waiting while the rest of the room slowly filled. Talin and Wraythe headed to the back of the room to stand beside Anver. A few heads followed, but no one said a thing.
Soon enough, Oryll walked in, dropping his book onto his desk. Saval flinched at the sound, giving him a scathing look, but Oryll just sighed. Evidently the man realized he was being judged, and it seemed he didn't like it.
"As many of you know by now," he started, addressing the class, "there was an incident at the last session. A pair of guardians got out of hand, causing a session to go bad, and a priest was killed in the ensuing scuffle."
Saval cleared her throat.
Oryll's head snapped over to look at her. "And I suppose you were there?"
"Actually," Saval said, "I was. Like many other priests, I was summoned through my lace. A rather strange feeling, I assure you, but there are records of Zeal doing that in the past."
"I've never heard of such things," Oryll grumbled.
"Long ago," Saval said. "Back when the gods still walked among us. Our lace was intended to be a direct line to our god. A tie that binds us to him - or her, for those who worship the goddesses."
Oryll grunted, then turned back to the class. "Be that as it may, Priest Nyrren was lost to the temple, and Priest Wobem has moved to Obligation because of it. The decision has been finalized by the High Priest. It is a tragedy, and I understand that many of you knew them both. I offer you my condolences."
A murmur washed through the room, and quite a few students turned to where Nyrren had previously sat. Others looked at the wall to where I could only assume Wobem had once stood. Both spots were empty - no one had been brave enough to take the space.
"However," Oryll went on, "the incident interrupted many of your sessions. Those who were unable to complete the assignment will be given a failing grade. Your job as a priest or priestess is to give your patron your complete attention. I have a list here of students who will be graded as failing. Nariana, of course. Osas, Tishlie, Lesia, Eladehl, Merida..." He continued on, but I was no longer listening.
Many of the names I didn't know. Some I did. The list also wasn't short, and it seemed that Oryll didn't care. Beside him, Saval was taking notes, her pen moving furiously to keep up. But when Oryll finally finished reciting the names, it was Harlin who shot to his feet.
"You're failing these students because of what happened?" he demanded.
"I can't grade them for an incomplete session," Oryll said.
"No, but you can remove the grade and excuse all of them. For those who did get a passing grade, use it to replace a lower one. Be fair to your students, Priest Oryll. A kiddiedthis weekend. One you should've trained to handle that session."
"Who are you to tell me how to run my class?" Oryll snapped.
"The man who was third on the scene," Harlin said. "Not only was I there, but I have blood on my hands due to your failure as an instructor. Do better, or I will be filing a complaint. This is not acceptable."
