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Chapter 14
Nariana
My High Society course was taught by a Priestess of the Word that I didn't recognize. She seemed like she knew what she was talking about, though. Apparently she'd been an advisor to the Baron of Inspiration for a while - though I didn't want to know what she'd advised him on. Still, that meant she'd actually spent time with the nobility.
Ela and I took notes as she explained what the class would cover, what would be expected of us, and how our midterm and final exams would be graded. Clothing and style of dress sounded like it would be a serious topic, along with manners. I could handle that, and it actually sounded almost fun.
The Priestess released us early, which was almost expected, and then I was off to my Words of Zeal course. Ela walked me most of the way, even passing the hall for his Control course only to leave me at the turn for my next classroom. It was sweet of him - and a bit unnecessary, since it meant he had to double back. Then, just as I reached the door for my third class of the day, a wave of nervousness hit me.
Not because of the subject. It wasn't even the fact that I had a new teacher for this. It was the voices. Mature ones wafted from the room, and when I convinced myself to round the corner, the few faces looking back at me were all adults. Middle-aged and older adults. Granted, that made sense. Most new Priests of the Word had served in another Path first. There had only been one person selected for this Path from my year. I just hadn't really thought about it until now.
"Priestess," a man said, gesturing to the chair beside him. "Please. We don't bite."
Another guy chuckled. "We gave that up, it seems."
"Hush, Delran," a woman said. "She looks overwhelmed."
"I am," I admitted as I moved to take the chair. "I'd completely forgotten about the fact that most on your Path move into it as adults."
As if my words summoned her to prove me wrong, a young girl hurried into the class. Her eyes scanned the group, and then she turned for a chair at the back. The older priests smiled at her in greeting, clearly recognizing her. Then, another came in. This was a guy from my primary years. I recognized his face, but I'd never actually learned his name.
"Nariana," he greeted me.
"Hey," I said, doing my best to fake it.
"Zevon," the man who'd offered me the chair whispered. "The girl is Livia. She's a first-year."
"I see." But I really didn't. I just tried to commit the names to memory.
Then the woman on my other side leaned in. "We had classes with them earlier. There aren't many of us, so we get to know each other pretty fast."
"And you," the man named Delran said, "have been the talk of the temple."
I didn't get the chance to answer before a familiar, and even older priestess walked in. "Be nice to the Priestess of Temptation, Delran. You're no longer on the Path of the Body." She headed to the desk at the front, making me think she was the instructor for this class.
"I was being nice!" he insisted.
"He was trying," the woman beside me clarified.
Then our instructor cleared her throat. "For those who don't know me, my name is Vernie. I've been on the Path of the Word since my own Choosing. We will not discuss how many decades that has been." Because she had to be at least in her eighties. "I also don't stand on ceremony, I'm not going to treat any of you like children, not even those of you who are - " And then she paused as one more person sauntered into the room.
I turned to look, and then checked the people around me, because that was Zeal. He didn't head to a desk. Instead, he claimed a chair at the side, right across from the instructor's desk. There were eight other people in here besides me, and seven of them were watching him. The one who wasn't had her nose in a book. It was the first-year, Livia.
"I hope I'm not interrupting?" Zeal said.
A smile claimed Vernie's face. "Zeal?"
He parted his shirt where it lay at his throat, revealing his lace. "Hopefully, you won't make me strip to prove that this goes all the way down?"
"You look exactly like your statue," Vernie breathed.
"Who?" someone at the back whispered.
We all turned to look towards the sound. Sure enough, Livia was looking back as if we'd all lost our minds.
"She doesn't see me yet," Zeal explained. "Everyone else does, so I decided there was no point in hiding."
"I see," Vernie said. "Livia, it appears that our god has chosen to sit in on this class."
