AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"There's no reason to risk her," Grath said. "I'll be the lone man, if you need one, Ghale."
"I was going to use her as the incapacitated priestess," Ghale said. "Do all of you really think I'd harm a student?"
Talin just leaned over his arms, his eyes on the sandy floor in front of the railing. "I think that after the mistakes Oryll has made, we're all a little overprotective. I think that it's no secret you're paired with the man. I think that love has a way of making people give in to some very bad ideas or strong pressure." Then he lifted his head and looked right at our instructor. "I want to believe that you were a very good guardian, but so are we."
"We?" Ghale asked. "Do you mean as a whole, or are you expecting the entire temple to protect your ward?"
"Just the three of us," Talin told him. "See, Nari's not like other priestesses. She's Zeal's Chosen. He wants to make sure she's protected, so he's made sure of it. Didn't you wonder how some of them got there so fast? Jamik all but raised her. He may as well be her father. Harlin's devoted to Zeal. Ela was tied up by some girl and still managed to not only get his pants on, but he and his guardian were the next ones in that room. How? How did they know?"
I held up my arms. "Because not all match marks are on the back, Ghale. Mine are in Obligation. Ela's are in the Path of the Body. Talin's are in Protection. Zeal gave us to her. She is his, but we are hers. Know what? I'm good with that."
"And when you have to choose between your own ward and Talin's?" Ghale asked.
All I could do was laugh. "Have you met my ward? I'm not there to protect him. I'm there to protect his patrons! Besides, Ela will be right there with us. He's the golden one who walks in darkness. She's the shadowed girl who sees the light. You people keep trying to tear us apart. You keep thinking you can force her to choose a Path, but you can't. She answers to agod. Us? We answer to her. Pick someone else for your display. I'll break you before I let her get hurt again."
"None of us will raise a weapon to her," a guy on the far side called out.
"If she's Zeal's Chosen, you'd have to be an idiot not to respect that," a girl said, and I recognized Darnie.
Across the sandy ring, she met my eyes and nodded, so I nodded back even as others called out their support. We were done hiding this. We were done trying not to be noticed. Zeal needed faith, Nari needed acceptance, and the system needed to change. This was the only way that would happen.
Then I felt a pair of smooth fingers brush my arm. "Thank you, Wraythe," Nari said.
I just leaned down to kiss the top of her head, not caring who saw. "I'm done pretending like I don't care."
"Me too," she agreed.
Chapter 59
Nariana
When we got back to our rooms after classes, a small piece of lavender paper was sticking out from the bottom of the door. Eladehl scooped it up before I could, but when he turned it over to see the addressee, he passed it to me. I recognized the handwriting immediately. This was from Saval.
The guys opened the door and guided me in, but I was cracking the wax seal and scanning the letter. It wasn't long, just a short note that Saval would be in her office late tonight, and she really needed me to stop by. She said to bring whichever guardian was available.
"Guys..." I jerked my thumb back toward the hall. "I need to run to Saval's office. Who's babysitting?"
"I am," Talin said, turning around just to gesture for me to lead on.
As we walked, I read the letter again. I'd barely seen Saval this semester, which made me wonder if I'd done something wrong. There wasn't a single hint in the letter, though. Granted, she was too careful for that. Anyone could pick it up and crack the seal. I didn't know Saval as well as Amerlee, but she'd always taken care of me. If there was a problem, she just wanted to warn me, right?
"What's that look for?" Talin asked.
"Saval summoned me," I said, trying to explain. "She's never summoned me. She usually just stops over."
"Ah." He stole the letter from my fingers and scanned it quickly. "Maybe she needs someone to see you in her office? No idea. I also don't think Saval is anything to worry about."
I hoped he was right, but this week was barely two days in and already felt weird. Oryll had ignored me today. Ghale had backed down from my guardians this morning. Never mind that the guys had explained that it wasn't just my lace that wasn't normal. It was also the men protecting me, and basically everything about my position as a priestess.
"Are they going to kick me out?" I asked.
"They wouldn't," Talin assured me. "If they tried, you still have your lace, Zeal won't take that away, and the Temple of All Gods would take you. I mean, Savi had to have pushed that man to mention it. The one thing you needed to hear? The solution to our problems? A perfect backup plan, and some random priest at a luncheon brings it up?"
"Yeah, sounds like a little godly influence," I agreed.
Thankfully, we arrived at Saval's office before I could start worrying about that too. A light tap at the door was answered with her voice, so I turned the knob and stepped inside. Saval wasn't alone. The man with her, however, was a priest I knew well. His name was Roek, and he'd been my primary weapons instructor. A fair man, and the one who'd made me write a paper about black powder pistols.
"Priest Roek," I greeted him.
