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Chapter 7
Nariana
The next day, technically the first day of the last weekend before classes started for my second - and last - year of initiate training, Ela and I headed to Saval's office together. It had taken a little work, but we'd convinced Talin and Wraythe to stay behind. They pointed out that Saval wanted our guardians present. My excuse was that I had Ela with me, who was also one of my guardians. His was that he had me.
The guys didn't like it, but Wraythe understood that Ela didn't want this discussion to become a spectacle. With four of us going everywhere together, it often felt more like we were a herd than anything else. Plus, this was Saval, my own mentor in three different Paths. She'd raised all of us but Talin since we'd been surrendered. He'd had another instructor for his primary years, and yet he still had a tie to Saval. It sounded like she'd once dated his father, back before the man had married Talin's mother and become the Baron of Temptation.
Yet when we walked into the woman's office, she looked around us, waiting for our guardians. When she didn't see them, her brow furrowed and her eyes landed right on me. She didn't look relieved. Instead, she looked worried.
"Nari, where is your guardian?"
I gestured to Eladehl. "He's standing in. According to Zeal, he counts. I've been trained as a guardian, so I count for him."
"And I'm tired of this conversation always becoming a debate," Ela said as he dropped into one of the chairs before her desk. "So, specializations?" And he dropped two pieces of paper on the desk before her.
"I'm going to need you to be cleared for..." Saval's words trailed off as she looked at the pages. "Entertainment?" The confusion was obvious in her voice.
I made my way into the second chair. "It sounds like Entertainment as a specialization will give us more opportunities to use the other Paths as well as the Path of the Body."
"And I have an appointment with Faylie to get cleared for sessions with patrons tomorrow," Ela assured her.
"I assumed you'd take Control," Saval admitted.
"So does everyone else," he agreed. "You just overlooked the most important thing to me: her." He tilted his head at me to prove what he meant. "Nari and I want to specialize in multiples. We intend to get a well-rounded education, but Zeal prefers the idea of us working together."
"And he has his reasons," she agreed. "What do you think about this, Nari?"
"Working with Ela was one of the things that drew me to this Path as my main," I assured her. "I took how many years of dance and gymnastics? I enjoyed my manners classes, and our time with Maela has given me the chances to mingle with high society. I think Entertainment is the specialization that makes the most sense for us."
"But?" Saval asked, looking between us. "Every student has some reservation, so what's yours? Both of yours."
"The extra sessions," I mumbled.
Ela nodded in agreement. "So far, student sessions have not gone well for us. I'm less worried about being locked away with a patron."
"Yeah," Saval agreed. "After what happened to Talin, I can see that."
"And Anver!" Ela snapped.
That had Saval's complete attention. "What happened to Anver?"
"Uh..." Ela looked to me for help. Clearly, he hadn't meant to say anything.
But I'd promised Saval a long time ago that I wouldn't lie to her and wouldn't hide things from her. So far, she'd never given me a reason to want to. This woman was as much a part of my family now as Amerlee and Jamik.
"Oryll assigned us to work with Tishlie in the multiples session last year," I explained. "That put Anver in a position against us - or should have. Oryll also made it a pain session. I honestly think he was trying to split Ela and me up, unaware that Ela's not a dominant."
"It will be a common mistake," Saval admitted. "Sadism is commonly tied to dominance. Dominants want their lovers to be submissive."
"Doesn't really work when my lover is Zeal's Chosen," Ela pointed out. "She's the one calling the shots. Well, when Zeal isn't. I despise submissives. They're weak, usually sniveling, and nothing about that is attractive to me. It is, however, fun to toy with."
Saval chuckled at him. "Which is why you need to pass Faylie's assessment, young man. We've already lost one priest because his passion for pain got out of hand. I have no intention of letting you slip through my fingers."
"So what do you plan to do with me?" Ela asked.
Saval leaned onto her desk, propping her elbows on the top so she could clasp her hands before her. "I plan to make sure that you can bring the Baron of Ambition to his knees, harvest his tears, and leave him begging for more. I want you to be the priest who has the power to restore balance in Calseth. You will lift up the broken, showing them they are whole, and tear down the despots, proving their power is nothing compared to yours... Or hers." She glanced at me. "Zeal has made it clear that you work for him in a way I cannot even understand. My goal is to make sure you're both prepared for that."
"So Entertainment is a good idea?" I asked.
