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"Because a guardian should be treasured by his ward, not abused." I tilted my head back toward where Talin and Lurel were still stretching. "I would walk through fire to make that man's life easier, and I met him on the day of my Choosing. We barely know each other, yet we both feel the connection of our bond. For that to be used as a leash?"
Ghale nodded slowly. "Do you feel comfortable enough to tell me which Priest of Protection it is? I can't do much if I don't have a name."
"Anver," I said softly.
"Ah..." He pushed out a breath, almost as if I'd just confirmed something for him. "That does explain a lot. Unfortunately, I'm not sure there's much I can do in that situation."
"Can you at least teach him how to dodge when she tries to hit him?" I begged. "Or how to block her attacks without needing to stand there and simply take the abuse like a punching bag? Maybe even just tell him that he's not required to take it like some stoic monolith?"
"What?" Ghale grabbed my arm, turning me a little more so no one could even read my lips. "What exactly did you see?"
So I explained to him about the display in the hall on the way to breakfast the other morning. I did my best to leave nothing out, especially not Anver's defeated stance, or how he'd kept his arms crossed over his chest, even knowing she was going to hit him. And then how when she did, he simply turned with the blow to lessen it, not even bothering to step back.
"In the hall between the initiate wing and the dining room?" he asked.
I nodded. "With people walking past. She didn't even care about his shame."
"Ok," Ghale said. "I'll see what I can do. It would be best if you told no one else about this."
"My partner and our guardians all saw it," I warned him. "So far, I haven't said a thing to anyone else."
"Good," Ghale told me. "That young man shows more talent than he realizes, but he's holding back. I would hate to lose him to the Path of Action. Knowing he's having problems at home? Hopefully it will help me help him." Then he paused, looking at me again. "Thank you for speaking up. I didn't actually expect this from you."
I just let my hands flop at my sides. "I don't know why everyone thinks I want to be a problem. I assure you I didn't ask to be a spectacle. All I did was beg my god to pick my Path for me because I honestly couldn't decide."
"Then why didn't you step down?" he asked. "If you'd claimed Action, there wouldn't be a problem."
I let my chin drop to my chest. "Talin."
"What?" Ghale asked, my answer too much of a mumble for him to make out.
"Talin," I said again. "He had to wait a year for his Choosing because his father died. If I step down to Action, then he has to wait another? The man is already twenty-three. The idea of him getting put on hold, year after year, and never even walking his Path in this temple until he's, what, thirty? Because at the rate things are going, who knows how long he'll be postponed." I paused, biting my lips together to hold in my next words, but then decided to just get it out there. "I'm doing this because I love Eladehl, and he's not an easy man to care for. He'll need a partner, and Wraythe isn't enough to rein in his arrogance. Priest Ghale, I put it all in Zeal's hands. I gave in to my temptation to not choose, and this is my price, so I'm paying it. It's what our god demands."
"I can't go easy on you," he warned me.
"I never asked for that," I assured him. "I honestly want to learn. I know I need to. I also know that no one wants me to be this thing, and I don't even understand why."
"Because the temple has rules and order," he explained. "Those rules keep us safe, and they make the entire system flow smoothly."
"Then if one girl having a different Path is that much of a problem, has anyone considered that the system is broken?" I asked.
"The system works for those who believe in it," he warned me. "The Temple of Temptation is like a small town inside this city. In here, we have our own government, our own form of high society, and our own traditions that we cling to for stability. Your supposed Path of Temptation is threatening to destroy it all."
"No," I insisted, "it's not. My Path is threatening to remind people that our god actually exists. I was offered the Path of the Word. I said I didn't want it, because I'm terrified of speaking in front of others. I hate it when too many people pay attention to me, so just imagine how much this sucks, ok? I don't want to destroy anything. I just want to be the best priestess I can be. I want to help people believe in Zeal again. More than all of that, I want..." I clamped my mouth, halting my rambling.
"What do you want?" he insisted.
"To stay with the people I love," I finally admitted. "Not just Eladehl, but Talin, Wraythe, Jamik, Amerlee, and all of them. I'm tired of trying so hard and always losing, but it seems I have to do it again, so I will. I'm honestly trying, Priest Ghale, but I always assumed I'd get the Path of Action, and I'm just not ready. I don't have the basic education everyone assumes I should've had."
"Then I'll push you," he promised. "Unfortunately, I can't grade you lightly."
"I know." Because I'd heard almost the same thing from Oryll the first week of classes.
"You really don't," he grumbled, "but if you're willing to try, I'll make sure you learn. I can't promise that you won't also hurt. Just don't think that one talk is going to change anything. I expect to see youproveit." Then he tipped his head back toward where Grath was stretching without me. "I'll give you a few extra minutes to warm up, but I suggest you hurry."
"Thank you," I breathed.
Then I jogged back to my spot and immediately leaned over to start working on my legs. Grath, who'd all but been assigned as my babysitter for this class, flashed me a confused look, but I shook my head. With a grunt, he ignored that. Instead, he moved behind me to help, grabbing one of my arms to pull it back while I was still bent over. In other words, I was going to work both halves of my body simultaneously.
