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"Deal." I grabbed the box for Anver's gift and tucked it into the same pocket as my money. "Sounds like the perfect way to spend the day before the Darkest Night."
Chapter 44
Nariana
Isurvived my first full day with Talin's family because we were gone for more than half of it. The second day, I woke before the manservant made his rounds. It was the morning of the Darkest Night, all of the Ranndor family had arrived, and the building was humming with the sounds of it. Half of that came from someone yelling in the hall outside the room.
That was enough to convince Talin and me to get up, get dressed, and head downstairs for breakfast. We arrived before most of the Ranndor pack, but somehow, Pia still beat us. She sat at the foot of the table with a piece of toast before her, sipping her tea, and reading the paper. The moment we walked into the room, she set down her news and smiled at us.
"I didn't expect you two to be the first up," she said.
Talin gestured to the servant at the side, requesting tea for both of us. "I think the maid broke a vase. The lecture was impossible to sleep through."
"Ah." Pia turned her eyes to me. "You look lovely this morning, dear."
"Thank you, Madam Ranndor," I said, pausing as the servant handed me a cup.
"It's still Pia to you, Priestess. Is black really the color for today, though?" she continued.
I took a sip before answering. "Black is Zeal's color. Today is Zeal's day. I am Zeal's priestess, so yes, it is traditional for us to all wear black on the Darkest Night. Among the entirety of the priesthood, Temptation is given a lot more leniency on our attire, and our robes are reserved for official functions, but we are still expected to represent the faith on our most sacred day."
"Did I hear sacred?" Tath asked as he walked into the room. "Mother," he said, pausing to kiss Pia's cheek before claiming the chair at the head of the table. "Coffee, please. And a full breakfast."
"Yes, Lord Ranndor," the servant said softly.
Talin just turned to look at his brother. "Today is the Darkest Night, brother. That's what Nariana called sacred."
"Ah, yes." The Baron leaned back in his chair. "Well, I think we will drop by Baron Leodin's luncheon dance around noon, and make a pass over to Maela's family for the afternoon. That should get the family back to Sandrest by sundown for an exchange of gifts."
"And then to the Temple of Temptation?" Talin asked.
Tath licked at his lips, but there was a warning in the way he looked at Talin. "No, not this year."
"Nor last, it seems," Talin reminded him.
Tath surged forward to slam his fist down on the table. "Father was dying last year!"
"I know!" Talin snapped back. "I washere, remember? I'm saying that ignoring your temple two years in a row is a bad precedent."
"It must be done." Tath paused, letting the servant place a plate of eggs and breakfast meats before him. The moment the man was out of the way, he continued, "Maela has no interest in going to that temple."
"She doesn't?" Talin asked, "or you don't want her to realize that she has the exact same privileges at the temple as you do?"
"Talin," Pia snapped. "That is not proper discussion at the table."
"Isn't it?" he asked. "Mother, how can you condone Zeal's baron skipping Zeal's holidayagain?Or the new Lady Ranndor being scared of the patron god of this family? What sort of example is that setting to the peers?"
"She was raised with Compassion," Tath said. "Her family was extremely devoted to their god, and she deserves time to adjust."
"Two years?" Talin asked. "Because isn't that the anniversary you just celebrated? Your son is almost seven months old, Tath. Are you going to keep him from the temple too, because his mother might be shocked that temptation is a natural part of human nature?"
"Talin!" Pia barked one more time.
"No," he said. "This family does not get to brag about pawning me off to the temple and then avoid your own responsibilities to it. That is how this works! The Ranndor family serves as Zeal's representatives to the governance of the people. If we ignore our god, then how long will it be before the High Priest petitions to have another baron named in your place, Tath? He can do that, you know."
"He wouldn't," Tath replied.
"If he thought it would get him more power," Talin countered, "I promise that man would. Kinen is placating you into submission, don't you see that? He's giving you enough rope to hang not just yourself, but your entire family, and you're taking it because you do not want your wife to know that she can walk into that temple at any time and - "
