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Chapter 12
Nariana
Once we were in the hall, the group of us moved to the side to wait for Wraythe. A steady stream of students flowed from the door, each of them carrying a book, and most were in pairs. I recognized so many of the faces, having spent eleven years in classes with them, but I didn't exactly know a lot of those people.
Jamik had warned me about this, though, back before Choosing. He and Amerlee had mentioned how easy it was to fall away from our childhood friends when we had more options. They'd been talking about my relationship with Ela and Wraythe, but the knowledge still applied. Then again, I hadn't been that close with anyone else. I also didn't exactly care. My family was all that had ever mattered to me.
Beside me, Ela and Talin were discussing our lunch hour, and where we'd all meet up. The pair were worried about me walking across the temple alone, since I had my class for the Path of the Word right before. I was just about to speak up, when someone else did it for me.
"That's the far hall," Anver said as he pushed in beside us. "Sorry, heard you on my way over."
"Hey!" Ela greeted him. "Where did you come from?"
Anver jerked his thumb back to a door halfway up the hall. "I have Advanced Sexuality for Sensuals next. The match to the class you just had, I think, but for Tish's specialization. Seems I'm required for that one."
"Yeah, Saval and Roek are doing things a little different," Talin explained. "It feels a lot more relaxed this year."
"That's Saval for ya," Anver agreed, looking over at me. "How's Entertainment so far?"
"Good," I assured him. "I'm guessing you just had grappling?"
He made a noise like I was half right. "This morning. Then I have an hour break because Roek has to be in here. Sounds like there's a Priestess Ursula who will be assisting him. Haven't met her yet, but I heard she's like five feet tall and a complete badass."
"Wait," Talin said. "Like, deep brown skin, her hair shaved on the sides and cut short on top? Looks like she would snap in a strong breeze?"
Ela just threw up his hands. "Do you know everyone in the temple?"
"No," Talin assured him. "I've just seen her running around lately. Trust me, she's tiny. You'd never think of her as a guardian."
"Roek said she'll be teaching an alternative style of combat for those who weren't built for brute strength," Anver explained. "Makes me think that we're finally getting trained the way we're supposed to be."
"I just feel sorry for last year's class," I said. "Like Grath? Osas? How much are they going to have to learn the hard way?"
"I know," Ela said. "Even having an extra class feels worth it compared to that."
"You have an extra class?" Anver asked.
Ela nodded. "Yep. Saval put me in one for Control. It's right before lunch, which ends up with Nari in a different wing from the rest of us, because that's when she has her Word class."
"When's your lunch break?" Anver asked, looking at all of us.
"Noon," I told him. "Saval made sure our schedules work together."
Anver just smiled. "Me too. I can run past there today so you don't have to walk alone."
I reached over to slip my arm around his waist for a side hug. "I'll even take you up on that. Not that I can't walk across the temple on my own - I am still a guardian - but I know it would make Talin feel better."
"My pee-pee would hurt if you got hurt," Talin joked.
Anver just pointed at Ela. "Thought that was his job."
"Not to make my pee-pee..." Talin let that trail off with a groan. "Ok, yeah. Maybe that's not the argument I thought."
"Har, har," Ela huffed. "So funny. No, if I'm hurting your dick, then I'm clearly doing it wrong. I prefer to hurt the rest of you."
Wraythe came out of the room in time to catch the last of that. "Pretty sure I don't want to know. But, books," he announced, holding out his arms for each of us to take one.
"Guardians get one too?" Anver asked.
