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It was filled with carriages. So many black carriages had been called that the line was lost in the darkness. Two were drawn by equally black horses while the rest had various colors hitched to them. Most of the married women headed to theirs further down the line. The unmarried brothers took their mother to the third one. Maela had just gestured for us to head to the second one, when Tath stepped up and caught my arm.
"You're with me tonight, priestess," he said.
"Then I'm going with Eladehl," Maela informed him.
Talin just lifted his arm toward the first carriage, giving me a clue about which way I should go. There was no point in trying to fight this. The fact that Tath had made a scene not just in front of his wife buttoher left me feeling uneasy. Rumors said that in the shadows under the dome, sometimes things became rather inappropriate, and I hoped this man wasn't getting any ideas.
Talin stepped up to hand me in. Then he offered assistance to the Baron - who ignored it. I chose the back seat, not surprised at all when Tath decided to sit beside me. Little did he know that put him even closer to Talin and his weapons. The pair of us shared a look just as the horses began to move.
It wasn't too long of a ride, but the cold and uncomfortable silence made it feel like an eternity. Then, for the first time, I got to see the front of the Temple of Temptation on Zeal's night. Every light in front of the temple was lit. Lanterns lined the path from the street. Talin stepped out first, holding the door wide for his brother. When Tath turned to offer me a hand, I was honestly surprised.
"You're my date tonight, priestess," he reminded me. "Try to act like you're enjoying yourself, would you?"
I smiled up at him. "So you know, this version of you is much nicer to be around." Then I took his arm.
The pair of us walked up the pale marble steps along with dozens of other well-dressed members of society. Each one had been invited. Some were barons, others were related to them, and still more were merchants and other wealthy citizens of Calseth. All of us had dressed to impress. I saw jewels, fine fabrics, and clothes that were just a bit more revealing than society usually allowed.
Just before we made it inside, I turned back in time to see Ela helping Maela from her carriage. Wraythe stood silently beside them, a massive shadow that somehow managed to blend into the rest of the night. Lina was walking up from a little further down the street. Reylie came from the other direction on her husband's arm, and every available space on the curb was taken up by a carriage filled with people.
"They're fine," Tath assured me.
"I actually haven't seen this side of the temple on a holiday," I explained. "In truth, I've only watched the display once, as a student."
"I forget how young you are," Tath mumbled, pausing to turn us both so we could look back down the stairs. "The traffic on the street is busier tonight than usual. The people of Calseth find any excuse to drive past, hoping to get a glimpse of who was invited this year. Those with new money will dress the most scandalously, trying to prove themselves somehow. This is the event of the season, Nariana. The one holiday that is not open to all."
"Thank you for letting me gawk," I said softly.
The man smiled down at me almost kindly. "I am a gentleman, even if you don't believe it."
"You were raised to be a well-mannered man," I countered. "That's not the same. Not from a woman's perspective."
"And what's the difference?" he asked, once again leading us toward the temple doors.
"A gentleman protects women. A well-mannered man uses them and makes it seem polite. The problem is that you're willing to hurt us. I'm not talking about a swat on the rump, either. I'm referring to the real wounds. The kind that kill a person's soul while leaving their body intact. Words, Tath. Reminding us that we're smaller, weaker, or not allowed to do things. Treating us the way your father treated you."
"I would never do that!" he huffed.
"No? Remind me again how you ordered me to attend you. Not once did you ask. In your efforts to prove yourself to your brother, you completely forgot that I might have feelings about who I let inside my body." I looked over and lifted a brow. "Being trained to take it isn't the same thing as looking forward to it. You used me, and you never cared what I thought about it. You were too focused on your own goals."
The man clenched his jaw, staring straight ahead as we made our way through the doors and into the temple. Inside, priests moved to each new group, offering to take their coats. Tath helped me take mine off just as a young man hurried over.
"Nari!" he said in greeting. "Let me get those for you."
I couldn't remember the guy's name, but he sat a few rows behind me in First Aid. "They have initiates working the door?" I asked.
He nodded. "Yeah. Obligation has the coat room. The disciples of Action are handling seating. Our Festive Occasions course has this as an exam score."
Tath passed over my coat to the priest, then his own. Talin stripped his off, but when he gave it to the initiate priest, he also pressed a coin into his hand. The guy smiled, dipped his head in acknowledgment, then hurried off to make sure those were stored for us.
"You know him too?" Tath asked.
"We're in a class together," I explained. "I know a few of the people in the temple, Tath. We live with them."
"Ah..." He sounded like he honestly didn't care. So much for the kindness I'd almost seen from him earlier. "Well, Maela and I should be seated near each other. I suppose we should wait."
"You're fine," Talin promised. "I'll handle getting people where they belong."
So we headed down, using the stairs that took us to what was technically a part of the basement. The hallway was longer than I expected, and sloping, sending us into the pit under the dome. I'd never come in from this direction, but I recognized the room immediately.
There, in the center, was the lowered "stage" that would be the center of attention tonight. All around us, priests had already started to gather, proving these were people who wouldn't be performing. Among them, I saw some other faces I recognized. Divine ones.
Over by the stage was Will, examining the people coming in as much as the ones waiting to perform. At the side were the twins, Bode and Savi. Both were laughing like they'd just shared some joke. Leaning back in one of the chairs in the front row was Charisma. I had a feeling she was waiting for Will to join her.
I didn't see Merci at first. Turning, I tried to pick her smooth curls out from the people around me. It was movement at the back that made me finally realize that she was subtly helping the performers deal with their anxiety. From there, my gaze moved outward, hoping to find the man responsible for all of this: Zeal.
He was probably busy, since this was his holiday. Tonight, more than any other night, he'd have patrons praying to him. At first, I didn't see him, but leaning against the wall was Anver, talking to the very god I was looking for.
"Excuse me, Tath," I said, pulling away. "I need to wish someone a happy Darkest Night."
