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"So what do we do?" I asked. "Do we open it?"
Amerlee just placed the letter back on the counter. "We most certainly do not," she told me. "You, Anver, add a shot of whiskey to your tea. Shalsa and Irila are going to make sure Saval knows about this. Jamik?"
"We're going to the Council of Educators," he guessed.
Amerlee gave him an adoring smile. "Yes, my love, we are. Whatever this is, we need to make sure Talin knows, which means sending a messenger to interrupt their session. We also need to make sure the kids are cleared to deal with it. If that means leaving their session, we do not want them to do it without permission, because if Anver is right and Tath has decided to file charges for sexual assault, then we need to do this perfectly."
"Which means permission first," Jamik said, sounding as if he was repeating something he'd heard before.
"Anver," Amerlee said, turning to me. "If they come back, send a Priest of Obligation to Elma. Let us know. If Talin opens the letter, send another."
"Which means we need priests to be ready if they're needed," Jamik said. "I'll stop one on our way and make sure someone's wandering in this area," he told me.
Then they were gone, and I was once again alone. Every step outside the suite made my heart stutter, hoping it was them, but the silence was overwhelming. My mind kept jumping to the worst things, and then I tried to work out some way to get out of it. If Tath accused them of rape, though, how could they defend themselves against that?
Because even if they were found innocent in the court - which came down to what the witnesses would say - it would still be enough for Kinen to demote them from their Paths. All four of them would drop to Obligation, if they were allowed to stay in the temple at all. The real question was what would happen if they were kicked out.
Zeal said he wouldn't take our lace. He'd made that clear. The problem was that Zeal wasgone. He'd been gone too long, and I hadn't been talking to the other gods lately. I'd been so caught up in Nari's issues all week, worried about Migard and this session right along with them.
Was this the gods' way of punishing us? Had one of them faded, which was why Zeal wasn't here? Was he alone, grieving, and hating us for not doing enough? But just as I opened my mouth to pray again, the doorknob turned.
My lungs forgot to breathe. My eyes jumped to the door and my body pushed me to my feet. When the door opened, the first thing I saw was black, but behind that was a glimpse of gold and another of purple. Those colors were enough to let my lungs fill again.
"There's an official letter from Sandrest," I blurted out, once again thrusting my arm out to point at it.
Talin pushed his way into the room and headed straight for it. Snagging it off the counter, he didn't say a thing, simply wandered towards the living room as he scanned the back the same way Amerlee had. Then he hooked a finger under the wax and popped the seal open.
I'd turned for the door, hoping there was a priest outside I could send to Amerlee when everyone else rushed forward. I turned back to see Talin's face as white as a sheet and his knees buckled. He landed mostly on the couch, and Wraythe guided him back. Nari was hovering protectively. Ela just looked worried, but Talin didn't move anything but his eyes.
The feeling in my lace wasn't something I could even begin to describe, but I didn't like it. It was like a vice, clenching me much too tight, and I struggled to find a breath - just like Talin. In that moment, I was sure that my worst fears had been confirmed, yet all Talin did was swallow hard and pass the letter to Ela.
"Priest Talin," Ela read. "You are officially required to return to Sandrest due to the death of the baron - "
Talin surged back to his feet and ran for the kitchen. He barely made it to the sink before his guts heaved, and the man vomited into the sink before him. Nari went after him, and I knew she was what he needed, but I'd heard enough. My head was spinning. I felt like I was going to fall down next, but that wasn't me. That was this bond, and I forced myself to push through it. I had to let the Priests of Obligation know so they could tell Amerlee. She'd know what to do. She'd have some way to guide us through this.
And behind me, Ela continued to read in a voice that shook. "Tath Ranndor has departed this world. As the third in the line of succession, your presence is required according to the laws of Calseth..."
I stepped into the hall and flopped against the wall next to our door. The cold stone helped. The support helped even more. Pressing a hand to my head, I tried to make those words make sense. Tath Ranndor was dead. The Baron of Temptation's heir was a child. Maela was a widow.
Fuck!
Which was when a young woman walked up to me and gently touched my arm. "Priest Anver?" she asked.
I turned to see one of the priestesses who'd shared Nari's cooking class. "Odette, right?" I asked.
"Yes, and you're Nari's friend."
I nodded slowly. "I need you to get a message to Amerlee for me. Is that possible?"
There was too much worry on her face. "It's why I'm here. Drandir sent up five of us that he can trust."
"She should be with Priestess Elma, the head of the Council of Educators," I explained. "I need you to make sure she knows that Talin is home and that he opened the letter." I had to swallow twice to get the next words out. "The baron is dead."
Chapter 70
Nariana
Talin wouldn't talk to me. I was pretty sure it was because he wasn't sure what to say, or maybe even how to make his thoughts make sense. After rinsing out the sink, I managed to steer him back to the couch and got him sitting down. Wraythe was immediately beside him, pulling Talin in for a crushing hug. Anver got a glass of water, so I caught Ela's eye and tilted my head to the dressing room.
