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Chapter 56
Wraythe
Watching priests kiss a woman who wasn't there was odd. Both men leaned in, opened their mouths, and then just paused. Beside me, Yamina stared, her hands full of food and drinks. Neither of us could see Savi, but I knew enough to believe that Nari was doing something amazing again.
When Edrik turned and walked away, leaving Peyron with us, I decided he could have the other priest's share of the food. Giving Yamina a nudge, the pair of us began handing it out. The ladies got to sit on the bench. We men claimed the grass around their feet, and Peyron took a spot between me and Ela.
"I can't believe I saw her," he said. "Savi was just there."
"Is she like Zeal?" Maela asked.
Yamina groaned. "I'm the only one here who hasn't seen a god."
"Not true," Nari told her. "Do you remember skating with a priest named Zee?"
"Yeah?"
"Zee is short for Zeal." Nari grinned. "He just didn't think Maela was ready to handle that yet. Your eldest brother convinced her that our god was a monster."
Yamina's mouth flopped open, and then she laughed. The girl reminded me of my little sister in so many ways. Sure, she was younger, but since the last time I saw my sister, she was seven, it didn't matter. They'd both been outspoken and bold. They'd both been pretty girls, and Yamina was quickly turning into a lovely woman. Caught right on the edge of being grown, she didn't seem old enough to get married in my opinion, but it seemed society didn't care.
While we ate, Peyron tried to describe Savi to Maela and Yamina. Yamina bluntly asked Peyron if he was sleeping with her brother. The guy didn't even get to answer. His blush made it clear he was. Talin just groaned out a sigh.
"Sessions with priests are private, Yamina. In other words, none of your business."
"You're not a Priest of the Body," she countered. "Relationships with my brother are my business. Even if we gave you to the temple, that doesn't mean you're not still my brother, you know."
"I'm a Priest of Temptation," Talin told her. "Just like Nari is. That means I'm now on the Path of Body too, so stay out of my love life."
"I slept with him," Ela offered. "I also think he's cute when he blushes."
"Killing me," Peyron admitted. "Why does Savi like all of you again?"
I bumped his arm. "Because Nari makes people see her."
Somewhere, in all of that fun, the sun had started setting. It was the time of year where it went down early, but I still felt like today had simply flown by. I'd actually been having fun, and dancing with Nari had been better than I expected. Maela was honestly fun to spend time with, and the woman was nothing like any baroness I'd ever imagined. Yamina was even worse. So, once we were done eating, we decided to enjoy ourselves a little more.
Yamina wanted to look at the crafts for sale. The Temple of Perception invited citizens in to sell their wares, hoping to keep their businesses alive and thriving through the winter. There was an entire strip of booths catering to clothes, fabrics, jewelry, and more. Nari took Peyron's arm since he was now her date for the day. Maela claimed Eladehl.
Yamina claimed me.
The girl was small at my side, but fragile was not a word that fit her. Spirited, sure. Determined, definitely. Fun, most assuredly. She dragged me from one set of wares to another, leaving Talin to trail along behind us. Anything that caught her eye, she tried to get him to buy, but Nari's guardian wasn't a pushover.
"You do not need a doily," Talin told her.
"But it's purple!" Yamina tried to whine. "C'mon, Talin. We're supposed to be supporting the people of Calseth. That's the whole reason we're here, right?"
I poked her side. "He's here working," I teased. "Gotta keep his eyes on Nari to make sure she doesn't get into more trouble than usual."
Yamina rolled her eyes. "What about that necklace?" she asked, towing me to the next booth.
There, set up on a piece of fabric, were necklaces made with the symbols of all the gods. The "chain" was a dyed cord of leather. The pendants were carved from wood or stone. Naturally, Yamina went right to the black one, picking it up to examine the craftsmanship.
"He's not going to let me have this either," she grumbled.
"How much?" I asked the seller.
"Five silver," the man said. "That's stone, so it'll wear well for a Priest of Temptation."
