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Talin gave the god a look and tried his hardest to ignore that. "I can say that it was Zeal who told me that Bode designed my lace."
"Pattern," Arion corrected. "That is definitely not lace."
"Which means he knows it's from me," Bode insisted. "Make him say it."
"Stop," I begged, my words merely a breath.
Talin tried to keep going, but Arion lifted a hand. "Stop what, young man?"
"I'm sorry, High Priest," I told him. "I didn't mean you."
"Do you think that this priest shouldn't tell me about his marks?"
"No, it's not - "
"Would you just tell him that I'm right here?" Bode demanded. "I have been waiting. I have been trying. He believes, but he's trying to think too hard, so he's creating his own doubts, and -"
"Please!" I begged.
Sitting at his desk, Arion looked from me to Talin, and then beside himself where we were both looking. Then he began to nod slowly. "I've been told that the Chosen can see their god. I was also under the impression that gods cannot enter another's temple until they are both strong enough and welcomed in."
"They can't," Talin agreed.
"So if you two aren't distracted by Zeal, then are you suffering an illness?"
Bode slapped his hand down onto the desk, making both Talin and me flinch. "You know this answer! You are just trying to convince yourself that it can't be true. I can't push you any harder, Arion. Just open your fucking eyes."
"Bode," Talin begged.
But Arion's head snapped up. "How do you see my god? The priests of Perception said that they're limited to their god and only their god."
"Because we're Nari's guardians," I explained. "I mean, Talin is. I'm her friend."
"He's her guardian too," Talin told the High Priest even as he unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. Then he spread it to reveal the color at his throat. "And I'm sure you know that guardians don't wear this. Or the marks on my hips and legs. Zeal said that one priestess is not enough to fix the problem the gods allowed to happen." He looked at Bode. "And you, so please let me talk to the High Priest without interruption for once?"
"You can see Bode because you were meant for this temple?" Arion asked.
I felt my lips curling into a smile. "While that might be partially true, High Priest, we see the gods because Zeal's Chosen is being watched too closely to always talk to them herself. We are her guardians, and the snake has five heads."
Talin just pushed his sleeve up a little higher until he could show the mark on his bicep. "Priestess Nariana is descended from the gods. We are blessed by them. So, if you truly want to see your god, we're here to arrange a meeting between you and her, although I should warn you that High Priest Kinen may not like it."
And that was enough to make Arion smile as well. "Too bad for him, he can't refute an official summons. Tell me, guardians of the Chosen, who all should I invite if I want the chance to learn everything that Kinen is ignoring?"
So Talin listed off our names. Arion wrote them down. Behind him, Bode just leaned back against the wall and sighed with relief. Something was happening, and while I wasn't sure if I'd just made a bigger problem, at least this was some kind of progress.
Chapter 50
Nariana
Talin and Anver weren't gone as long as we'd expected. Both of them were back by lunch, and told the rest of us about their meeting with Arion. So, when an invitation arrived at my suite the next day while I was out on our regular lunch date with Maela, it was almost expected. After a minor panic at seeing the envelope and thinking I'd missed his summons, I opened the letter to find that the High Priest of Intuition wanted to see us next week, after the end of classes on the first day.
The problem with that was my First Aid practical. It started later than most classes, so I'd have to miss it or cancel on Priest Arion. That evening I had a Priestess of Obligation take a message to Farik, asking if he'd excuse me from the practical so I could meet with Intuition's High Priest. I got his response back before the end of the weekend, telling me that he'd be offended if I showed up to his class when I had such a chance.
So, when the rest of my classes were done that day, the five of us made a stop at our suite to meet up and make sure we were presentable. Then we headed over as a group. Black was the color of the day, and I chose to wear pants instead of a more socially acceptable dress. However, when we walked into the foyer of the Temple of Intuition, a priestess was standing before the statue of Bode, wringing her hands as she anxiously waited for us.
The moment her eyes landed on me, they dropped to the open V at my throat, right where my collar of god-lace was visible, and she smiled. "Priestess, should I assume that you are Zeal's Chosen, and these are your, um, guardians?"
"They are," I agreed. "We're supposed to meet with High Priest Arion."
