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"The father arrived with the son," I told Saval. "It was a session for one. Because Nari's limits require two guardians for sessions with multiples, I would not let both of them in the room. The father wasn't happy. He wanted to make sure 'she was good enough for his boy'. But, once he saw her, he..." I paused, trying to find the right words.
"He shoved at Talin," Nari said before I could. "There was something about how I'd made his workers ask for more money? I'm not really sure."
"Shit," Saval breathed, not even looking guilty for the profanity before a student. "Go home, you two. I'll mark this as a cancelled session, so no grade, Nari, but also no penalty."
"But what made him so angry?" Nari pressed. "Saval, what's going on?"
Pressing her lips together, Saval checked the space around us, making sure no one was close, and then she lowered her voice. "Ever since the Fresh Start, the gossip newsletters have been filled with columns about your place in the temples. Enough was heard to cause quite the scandal in society." Then she pulled in a deep breath. "And it seems that the commoners have been inspired by it. Miracles are happening, Nari. Little ones, but they're still talked about."
"But that's a good thing," Nari insisted.
Saval just nodded her head slowly. "It is, to everyone except the lords, merchants, and rich men who are no longer able to take advantage of those in need. The patronage of all seven temples is up. That's why it's so busy tonight."
"Because of you, Nari," I realized.
Nari just looked around us, seeing the commotion in a new way it seemed. "I didn't do this," she insisted. "I haven't even left the temple, Saval. I haven't done anything."
"Then maybe you should start," Saval told her. "If this is what happens when you do nothing? I can't even imagine how much it will help the gods if you actually do anything else."
Chapter 27
Nariana
Ihad no idea what to think about my session. It was supposed to have been easy! How the hell had it gone so wrong, so fast? Had it happened because I'd said something to Talin about being sexy when he was overprotective? Was I simply that bad of a priestess that I couldn't handle a simple assignment? Was it my fault that man and his son seemed to hate me?
The questions spun around in my mind when we got home. Talin tried to apologize for overreacting, but I wouldn't let him. He'd done his job, and I knew he'd been worried about it lately. The man kept thinking he'd failed me, so I refused to act like him being too cautious fell in that category. No, I was all too aware of how quickly the kind of anger that man had turned on me could turn into something worse. Tath had made sure of it.
Which meant that Talin had been right - I wasn't to blame, and this was just a bad session. They happened. I knew that. I also couldn't stop thinking about what Saval had said. Somehow, I'd been noticed by people outside the temples and was a topic for gossip? While washing my face and removing my seductive clothing, I tried to wrap my mind around that.
I was just a normal woman. I had never been special, except for the fact that I was related to the first priestess - distantly! Ela was the one who deserved to be noticed. Then again, that was probably why he was still at his session. Wraythe was the kind of man who made an impression. Talin was the best swordsman I'd ever heard of. Anver came close, but his reputation was for how many weapons he could work with.
In other words, I would be nothing without them, and that made it feel even more strange that I had become a hot topic. Oh, I'd expected it with the nobility and those who used dates with Priests of the Body as fashion statements. I'd assumed that my presence at functions would make both Ela and me popular enough to establish a respectable base of patrons once we graduated. It was the commoners who'd never seen me, didn't know me, and had no reason to care about me that had me so baffled.
Naturally, when Ela got home, we had to trade stories. His session had been excellent, and he was euphoric about how well he'd controlled himself with the woman who'd all but groveled for his attention. Wraythe was happy to add in details to make the imagery even more vivid. Then I told them all - because Anver had returned by that time - how mine had been called off, and why.
Like me, they had no idea what was being said outside the temple, but luckily, we had a date the very next day with a dear friend who would. That night, I fell asleep curled up in Talin's arms, with Anver pressed close against my back. The next morning, I woke to a hot tea in bed and my red dress laid out in the dressing room.
"Because," Ela said, "if you're the talk of the town, then you need to dress like it when goingintotown, and we have a date with Maela."
That immediately put me in a good mood. I had enough time to wake up slowly, make sure I looked exactly like I wanted, and still be early. Last week, our regular lunch date had been cancelled, and the truth was that I missed seeing my friend. Amerlee and Shalsa had probably been invited, and I could only guess at who else. Plus, it had been weeks since I'd been able to simply enjoy an afternoon with friends.
When the five of us arrived at the little cafe across the street, Maela was already there, waiting for tables to be pushed together for us. I greeted her with a hug, and then she turned and pressed herself into Ela just as easily. Talin got one too, which made him chuckle, yet Maela was on a roll. When she stepped away from him, she wrapped her arms around Wraythe's waist too.
He embraced her carefully, looking around at the people watching us. "It's, um.... you know..."
"He's worried about rumors," I teased.
Maela blew that off. "Evidently, you and I are the talk of this town, Nari. The gossip rags have been having fun with the stories from the Fresh Start."
"Which explains last night," Anver said.
Maela immediately stepped over to give him a side hug. "The next time Nari is forced to come to Sandrest for the holidays, I'll find a way to make sure you come too, Anver."
The guy hugged her back, but his cheeks turned two shades brighter and he couldn't hide the smile on his face. "Thank you, Maela. I'm not sure it will be possible, since I technically have my own ward..."
"Who isn't here," she reminded him. "I've been filled in on all of this."
But one of the servers stepped up at that moment to let us know that our table was finally ready. We'd just made it to the chairs when Amerlee, Shalsa, Jamik and Irila joined us. Faylie and Quin were only a few minutes later, sitting down before the flurry of greetings was over. Then we all paused long enough to decide what we wanted and ordered.
