AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Once the waiter was gone, Amerlee leaned over the table to look right at me. "What happened last night?" she demanded.
"That was me," Talin said before I could answer. "It was a session for one, the father showed up, and the moment he saw Nari, he lost it. I was concerned..." He stopped and just sighed. "The man wanted to rip her head off, and I'm done letting patrons treat her like trash."
"Good," Ela said.
Jamik nodded in agreement. "You did right, Talin. Saval talked to us last night."
"He means us," Irila clarified, wagging a finger between herself and Jamik, since both guardians had been there, not their desires.
"But I don't know why he hated me!" I insisted.
"Because he's related to the Baron of Ambition," Amerlee explained. "It seems that knowing there is a woman who talks to gods has been enough to convince the populace to push for more."
"Hence the rumors," Maela added. "Tath has been getting so many letters, and many of them are from noble households. No, he hasn't cared to open them, and he isstillsulking in his room. When I told him - through the door, mind you - that he had responsibilities to attend to, he told me to handle it."
"He's still in his room?" Talin asked.
Maela nodded her head. "The man is moping. Well, the staff has been telling Yamina that the citizens of our barony are refusing to pay taxes because it's not being used anyway. The other barons want to know how Tath managed it, and are hoping he'll tell them how to keep the temple's share of the tax money for their own coffers. They're convinced that this is just some trick to keep the tithe money for ourselves. There's also a lot of complaining about me calling myself the Primary Patron."
All I could do was sigh. "And when Tath talks to Kinen, this is going to get messy."
Maela murmured at that. "Kinen has tried. We received a second letter from him. Thiemo said to burn them, but I've left them alone. They're waiting on the table for when he finally decides he's done with his pity party. Thiemo has also been helping me manage the barony finances."
"And these rumors?" I pressed. "Maela, I don't know what's going on."
She waved that off. "It's the latest scandal. Two women with too much power. Because we refused to back down to the High Priest, some are saying it's a sign. A few workers' groups have insisted that they deserve more pay or better conditions because of it - and it really is a case of them just needing an excuse. Others are saying that they prayed and received a miracle. All normal things that likely just happened because they put in the effort, but paired with the news that you talk to gods..."
"Those might actually be miracles," Jamik said. "Zeal?"
The word was barely out of his mouth before the god in question stepped in behind Maela, reaching down to clasp her shoulders. "Oh, a lunch date," he said, jerking his chin at the chair beside Anver. "May I invite myself?"
"You're always welcome," Maela told him.
At the same time, I said, "Please do."
So Anver pulled out the chair. Zeal immediately sank into it, then smiled at both Faylie and Quin. "I owe you a debt for sharpening Ela into something beautiful." Then his eyes turned on Quin. "And you for reminding him that even his trinkets have someone who loves them. It allowed him to embrace his softer side."
"Nari did that," Faylie countered.
"But so did Quin," Zeal promised. "As for the rumors?" He smiled, making it clear he knew exactly what we'd been talking about before he arrived. "The miracles are real. My siblings have been doing what they can, even if that isn't much. Nudging a person's mind so they see an opportunity, encouraging them to demand more, showing them how to feel where there's a need, inspiring them to great things, and even caring about others enough to take a chance. It isn't much, but all of the temples have seen more patrons this week because of it." Then he turned his eyes on me. "That is called faith."
"So they're doing better?" I asked, meaning the other gods.
Zeal canted his head like that wasn't necessarily right. "It's a start, but unsure faith isn't the same as devotion. It helps, but it doesn't cure the disease."
"So I'm doing the right thing by refusing to pay the tithe?" Maela asked him.
"Definitely," Zeal promised. "You are holding the temple accountable. You see, the system is broken."
"The whole fucking system," Irila grumbled under her breath. "Kinen is so worried about his own issues that he didn't care about security at last night's event. Saval and Roek were the ones who asked for guardians to volunteer. Not be assigned -volunteer!And you, Nari, weren't the only one with a problem! We had two serious injuries. One from a pain session, but the other was in Sensuality!"
"And people there who didn't belong," Jamik went on. "When we suggested setting up guardians at the arch between the temple entrance and the session area, we were told that would appear crass. That patrons were allowed to worship as they wished, and it would be embarrassing for those of status to be asked if they had come for a sexual liaison."
Shalsa huffed in astonishment. "The man is more worried about impressing high society than protecting his priests?"
"He always has been," Amerlee countered. "The only reason this even stands out is because of the number of people who showed up. Otherwise, nothing at all changed, Shalsa. It's no different than when a solo session becomes multiples, and we're encouraged to accommodate."
"But not with the initiates," Shalsa countered. "I mean..." And her words simply died off.
