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"Not so much," Norris countered. "Most of us are here because we sucked as priests. You're pretty much the opposite of that. Even my class has heard about you."
"He's a second-year," Odette explained.
"And you?" I asked Polst.
"Second-year," he told me. "And yeah, we all heard about your little show in the nave and how Zeal rode someone to carry you around like a pampered little piece of shit."
"Zeal rode someone?" Odette asked.
"Yeah, my guardian," I admitted. "He wanted to make it clear that he's not stripping my marks. He'll change them, but he's not putting me on a single Path."
"Is it hard?" she asked.
I just nodded. "More than I expected. I'm now takingthreeextra classes, plus trying to keep up in a full list of Body courses and not get my ass kicked in Protection."
"So you're not your own guardian, huh?" Polst sneered.
"If I was, then what's that guy doing?" I asked. "Trust me, Polst, I've pretty much heard it all already. I just want to learn how to make a pie."
Thankfully, that was when Ati made her way to our table. "Ok! I'm going to pair you ladies for making the crust, and you boys can work on the filling today. Next time, we'll switch until all of you can make the entire dish. For your final exam, you will not only make this dish, but help serve the council of educators, demonstrating both aspects of kitchen service. Now, here's your list of ingredients." She offered two cards, one to me and the other to Polst. "All utensils are on the side cabinets for dessert. This will be served with our dinner tonight, so try not to destroy it?"
"Not hers," Polst said. "She gets to eat in the best dining hall."
"Second best," Odette corrected. "Word gets the top options and Nari eats with Body."
"Oh." Ati sounded like she didn't know what to do with that. "Uh, we usually have the students eat their own creations so you can understand where things may have gone wrong."
"Then I'll eat with the students," I assured her.
"No," Ati decided. "We'll just send a piece up when you're done. I'll have someone deliver it to the proper dining hall."
I groaned. "Please don't make someone do that? I can come get it, Priestess."
"I'll do it," a guy said on the far side of the room.
I turned to see the same man who'd pulled me out of Elma's course when Maela came to visit. He was smiling at me like we were old friends. "Priestess," he greeted me.
"Drandir," I said, proving I remembered his name, even if it had taken me a second to recall it.
The guy actually grinned. "I'll take it up to her, Ati. I already know where her room is. Been delivering wood there all winter."
"Thank you," she told him. "And did you bring the flour?"
"Yep." He smiled at me again. "The apron works for you, Nari."
Odette just pointed to the corner. "He's with her, so stop flirting, Drandir."
The guy grinned. "It's the best way to get tithes, Odette." Then he turned and sauntered his way out.
Ati just tossed up her hands, told us to get our things from the side cabinet, and then made her way to the next table. Odette grabbed my wrist and towed me after her, taking charge. I was more than willing to let her, because it seemed like everyone knew where things went down here except me.
"Ok," she said, lining up behind a cluster of others. "This is all the dry goods. The next cabinet over is for things like butter and spices."
"Is Drandir a student?" I asked.
She flashed me a smile. "Nope. He's one of the runners. Sleeps a few bunks down from me." And she moaned to make it clear what she thought of that. "The view when he wakes up is amazing."
But that didn't sit right with me. Not that she enjoyed the view, but that she could even see it. "You don't get any personal space at all?"
