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"You are," he admitted. "Before you were marked with all of the Paths, the temple was sleepwalking through our duties. Some people still are. But with you, things changed, and the most corrupt are often willing to fight the hardest to keep what they've stolen. Dealing with politics is also not something you're ready for. Let Amerlee handle this. I promise that she will fight for you. She has all of us helping. You worry about Zeal." He reached out to rub my arm. "And maybe some first aid while you're at it. You are good at this, and it lets me tell your parents that at least you could patch yourself up."
I smiled at that because he hadn't called Amerlee my mentor. It felt like he'd just included all four of them as my parents, which they were. In the truest sense of the word, they were, because they had raised me to be the woman I'd become.
"Ok," I agreed. "But I'm still going to send a letter to Maela, so start thinking about how to contract your own supplies, ok?"
"That," Farik told me, "is how you can help. It also will make it clear that Maela isn't keeping the money from us. She's making sure itgetsto us. When anyone talks about the tithe, make that distinction clear, and it will help more than you realize."
"I just hope it helps in time," I told him.
Chapter 47
Talin
Nari was starting to withdraw into herself again. She felt useless. No, that wasn't quite it. The sensation I was getting from her was more like she felt guilty, which meant she was blaming herself for this. Today, she didn't have the normal smile on her face as she told me about what she'd done in class. She still told me, but there was a weight hanging on her, and I just wanted to kiss it away.
The other students from her class hurried up the stairs, excited to be done for the day. Beside me, Nari trudged. I reached over to wrap my arm around her back, and she just leaned in, needing a little comfort. Hugging her against my side, we kept climbing upwards. Just before we reached the top, I snuck in a kiss on the top of her head.
"You love this class," I reminded her. "You like helping people. It's why Zeal gave you so much Action. Or just because we all love your legs."
That earned me a weak smile. "He likes lingerie," she admitted. "But Talin, the infirmary is running out of medicine."
"Ok, which means we need to send a letter to Maela," I decided. "She should have the letters of authorization from the bank by now. We'll just have her send them to us, and we can give them to whoever truly needs them."
"Yeah, but..." She paused as we opened the door and stepped into the main part of the temple. "I accidentally told Farik about the secret admirer wine."
"You sure that wasn't supposed to be brandy?" I asked.
"Honestly, no," she admitted. "But he was worried about someone trying to kill me. He didn't blow it off, and he didn't tell me I was mistaken. He wanted to know who, and wasn't surprised when I told him about the tie to Kinen. Plus!" She groaned in the back of her throat. "Wen is the best student in our class, and she's not going to be allowed to apprentice as a physician. Farik had to fight to get her to be a medic instead of a nurse!"
That made no sense at all. "Why? I think Wen's the only one in there better than you."
"Because she's a she," Nari told me. "He said there have been changes to their rules coming down since last year. Little ones at first, like how Farik shouldn't be wearing a black coat. Now it's that priestesses can't be physicians. I mean, what about the ones who already are?"
"Shit," I breathed. "Amerlee said it's only thePriestessesof the Body who are being pushed so hard."
"But why?" she asked. "What is Kinen hoping to do, except make all the women in this temple turn against him?"
Catching her arm, I pulled her to a halt and leaned in so I could keep my voice down. "Outside the temple, women don't have the same rights. They also can't make decisions, Nari. What if that's what he's doing? Priestesses can't vote to have him reimmersed? Wouldn't that solve his problem?"
"But half the priests can see Zeal too," she countered.
"If we were at Sandrest, just think about how this would go," I countered. "Tath would say that Maela was being hormonal. She was excitable. Oh, and his beatings? They were required to prevent her from hurting herself. Then there's the fact that Maela can't own property, because no bank will lend to her. No one would sell to her without a father or husband signing for it. Take away the women's rights and the women will make a scene. That scene distracts from Kinen and makes the entire temple talk about the immediate issue: if women deserve to be treated as equals. There are enough selfish people - especially in our temple - who would take advantage of that."
"Shit," Nari breathed. "Which means that Kinen isn't stupid."
"He wouldn't have become the High Priest if he was," I agreed. "He's laying the foundation that will eventually make him look like the good guy here. You, as an excitable woman, are the problem. The tears are broken, so it's up to the calm and level-headed men to put the priestesses where they belong, usually in Obligation or Action. Those who want it would get a promotion, which would make them like Kinen even more, and Zeal is the only one who loses out."
"And I'm supposed to sit here and do nothing?" Nari asked, pulling away to turn back towards our suite.
"Nari," I groaned, hurrying to catch up.
She looked back, slowing her feet just as a priestess rounded the corner, coming from a side hall. The women saw each other at the last minute, jerking back to keep from colliding, but the other priestess clearly recognized Nari. Her face changed from surprise to rage, and instead of moving away, she stormed into Nari's face.
"You!" she growled.
"I'm sorry," Nari said. "I didn't see you there."
"You're the little bitch who is ruining my life."
