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"Wait," I said, lifting a finger. "So you still have the tithe set aside, right?"
"I do," Maela agreed. "It's the temple's money, so I don't want it to be spent when so many will need it."
I glanced down at the table while my mind spun. "Is there a reason that the ones who'd need it couldn't have purchases charged directly to you? I don't even know if that's possible, or how it would work, though."
"Oh," Amerlee breathed. "That's actually a great idea, Nari!" Then she looked at Maela. "Each Path has people in charge of specific sections. The head cook, as an example, or the head of construction. Both are Priests of Obligation, but they would be responsible for ordering things."
"But how many are there?" Anver asked.
"A lot," Amerlee admitted. "Still, the temple requires a few things and simply enjoys the rest. Food, as an example. Firewood in the winter. If we can arrange for those people to continue making their purchases, then the general priesthood wouldn't suffer more than minor inconveniences."
"The question is how," Shalsa countered. "No merchant would accept a priest walking in and telling them to bill the Baron of Temptation."
"The Primary Patron," Amerlee corrected. "All of Calseth knows that each temple has one."
"Same problem," Shalsa told her. "It isn't Maela's position. It's the buyer's authorization. Otherwise, what's to stop Kinen from ordering all of his luxuries the same way?"
"A letter of approval," Talin mumbled, rubbing one finger under his mouth.
"What?" I asked him.
He blinked as if coming out of his thoughts. "A letter of approval," he said again. "When I was a boy, shopping for the Darkest Night, my father handed me a letter of approval. It was sealed with the baron's signet, making it official. With that, my purchases were billed to my father, and no one questioned it. I'm sure there is a way to do the same thing with the priests and priestesses who'd be making the purchases."
"I'll ask Thiemo," Maela decided. "I never learned those nuances, because I never would've dreamed I'd be running half the barony!"
"But you know how to keep track of the numbers," Zeal assured her. "You, Maela, aren't daunted by the large figures and massive number of items to consider in all of this."
"Thiemo has been helping," she admitted. "Mostly, he's taking over the civilian aspects of the baron's duties. Still, when people refuse to deal with me because I'm a woman - like the head of Temptation Police - Thiemo is happy to handle it."
"Encourage Yamina to help him," Zeal said. "That is a large job, and I don't think Tath will be interested in helping any time soon."
Talin's head whipped over to look at him. "Are you tempting my brother?"
Zeal simply met his eyes. "I am a god. I'm looking after an entire sixth of the nation, and each soul who resides in it. You have given me the power to reach far beyond my temple again because you wanted your god back. Have you changed your mind, Blade?"
"Are you tempting my brother?" Talin demanded this time, completely ignoring Zeal's questions.
The god smiled in a way that was a little terrifying. "I always tempt. It is the nature of my being! Of course I am tempting him, and you, and Faylie, and every single person at this table. It. Is. What. I. Do!"
"Are you tempting Tath to stay in his room?" Talin snapped.
Zeal's smile slipped, fading away much too quickly. "Do not ask me questions you do not want answers to. Don't, Talin, because you can never unhear the answer."
The pair stared at each other for just a little longer, and then Talin simply pushed out a breath. "Then that means Tath won't suddenly decide he's going to take over. Maela, I think Lena would be happy to help you as well. My oldest sister has always been there for me. I can't imagine she'd be worse for you."
"Yamina will help more," Zeal insisted. "It will also distract Pia from her unmarried status."
Maela paused to lift her teacup, sipping politely, but her posture had just turned tense. After taking one more sip, she lowered her cup. "I'm having an affair," she told us all. "With Yamina Ranndor. That's why she doesn't want to get married, because she wants to stay with me. The problem is that I don't know what to do about this."
"Do nothing," Faylie suggested. "How old is this girl?"
"She turns eighteen soon, actually," Maela admitted. "We want to have a party for her next month. Pia is adamant that it will be a great chance for her to meet someone, but I'm simply hoping to celebrate her birthday. Needless to say, it will be a formal affair, filled with every baron and member of the peerage we can convince to come."
"Which should be a lot," Shalsa pointed out.
"I'm not actually sure yet," Maela admitted. "With the current gossip about Nari and me being out of control, I'm worried that most of society will decide to avoid us."
"Or," Talin suggested, "make this so scandalous that they want to come and see if it is all true. You know they won't be able to help themselves."
