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"Admission tickets?" a priest at the side asked.
Talin stepped up and passed over the three tickets. "That's for Cormak, Kaidan, and Priestess Nariana."
"You'll need a ticket as well," the man said softly, but not enough that Cormak and I couldn't hear.
Talin simply smiled. "I'm assuming the Ranndor family has access?"
The man looked at his list. "Um, yes."
"Talin Ranndor, the Temptation tithe," Talin greeted the man. "If that won't get me access, I'll simply purchase a ticket."
"No, I have you on here," the priest admitted. "Have a good evening, you four, and enjoy the blessings of the season."
"Same to you," I told the priest before leading Cormak and his boy outside.
"You got us an extra ticket?" Cormak asked.
"No," I clarified, "my guardian did."
"How?"
I just rubbed Cormak's arm. "I was born poor. Not all priests are. The difference is that once we give up our last names and take the title of Priest or Priestess, it no longer matters. That doesn't mean our families forget us. Talin's family always makes sure he's on guest lists."
Cormak's brow furrowed. "Are they really important?"
"His brother is the Baron of Temptation," I said. "So, not really."
That made the man laugh, and it was an honest one. "Well said, priestess. Now, what are we supposed to do here?"
I simply turned to Kaidan. "What looks like fun, sir? I get the impression that you're the leader today."
"Can I, Da?" Kaidan asked.
Cormak dropped his head and sighed. "Ok, just be careful, because we don't have money to pay for you breaking anything."
I looked back at Talin. "Do you have my pouch?"
"I do," Talin admitted, knowing I was talking about the coin purse that was filled with money others had lost. "And so you know, there are games on the far side."
Cormak turned to me and shook his head. "Do not spoil my boy."
"It's a festival," I reminded him. "Let him have fun. I promise it won't cost you anything."
But he shoved my arm away. "Don't you get it?" he growled. "I can't afford it. I can't take the chance of him getting used to this. I can barely afford raising him as it is, and I'm not here for him to havefun." He pushed again, his anger boiling over. "I'm not here to have some prissy little priestess remind me how much I've failed him!"
"That's not - "
Then Cormak grabbed my arm and pulled me forward. Behind me, Talin moved, but a priest in yellow stepped up to hold him back. I saw that from the edge of my vision, because I didn't dare take my eyes off my patron.
"I came to see what his life will be like as a priest!" The man's voice was strained, and he shook me as he ranted. "I'm going to have to surrender him, and he's all I have of my wife. He's my whole world, and I can't even take care of him. I don't want you to get his hopes up just for me to dash them. I don't want to feel like I have to lose him too so he can have the toys he longs for. I don't want yourhelp!"
