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"Yeah," Talin assured him, "you are."
The guy stood six and a half feet tall, and he'd filled out into one hunk of a man. Talin wasn't a small guy, but he looked like it beside Wraythe. Me? I looked tiny. Never mind that I was wearing three-inch heels, which made me only an inch shorter than Talin. Wraythe had the bulk to make me feel like a feather beside him.
When we reached the classroom, Wraythe entered first. Talin and I dawdled for almost a minute before following him in. The room was more of an open sparring area. A round, sandy ring had been built into the floor near the door. On the back side, cushioned mats were spread out in a massive rectangle. The room itself was long and somewhat narrow, with windows at the top edge to let in light without blinding any of us when the sun was at the wrong angle.
And there, leaning against the rail around the sand pit, was Priest Ghale. His eyes were on me, and from the scowl on his face, he wasn't pleased. We were early enough that more students were still trickling in through the door, but Ghale didn't seem to care.
"Priestess Nariana," he snapped. "I was assured that you would take this class seriously."
"Then would it help if I assure you that I am?" I asked.
Beside me, Talin groaned. Thankfully, it wasn't loud enough for Ghale to hear. I just ignored it.
"Is that how you expect to perform your duties of protection, Priestess?" Ghale sneered. "In heels and leather so tight I bet it squeaks?"
"It's softer than that, Priest Ghale," I countered. "Supple, if you prefer. And I was under the impression that we should train for how we expect to fight? I can only assume that any situation where I'll be required to use a weapon will be when I'm wearing heels. Unless you think an assailant would kindly wait for me to change shoes?"
"Then don't complain when you break your ankle," he told me.
I just turned back to Talin. "And this is going to make it worse," I whispered, reaching down to pull off my shirt.
Because mornings in a marble building were cold, but training wouldn't be. I'd put on a loose cotton shirt so I'd be covered for my next class, since I probably wouldn't get time to change. The top I was wearing underneath was cut to lay between my shoulder blades in the back, and to keep my chest controlled in front. That was all. In truth, it was little more than a bustier, exposing most of my belly, but made of soft and stretchy material.
It also happened to show off all the lace Zeal had put on my upper body.
Guardians turned to look, but Talin simply held out a hand for my shirt, folding it neatly to lay it in the chair he leaned against. I was pretty sure the man was gloating, but with him, it was hard to see on his face. He had a perpetual smug look at all times. Personally, I thought it was sexy.
"What are you doing?" Ghale asked.
I looked back at him without turning. "Taking off my excess clothing so it won't get in my way."
Then I heard the first whispers. "It has to be fake," a girl said on the other side.
“Heard she was checked before and after Choosing, and then immersed again. They're real."
"Why her?" someone else asked.
"Isn't her guardian the baron's son?"
"Brother, now," someone else corrected. "Their father died last winter. I heard Zeal rode her guardian's body and carried her out of the immersion himself. He didn't want to give her up to her own partner, and he made it clear that he wanted her on a new Path."
"That's a second-year initiate," Talin whispered, his eyes watching the speaker. "This class is open to both years, and there's only a few who look young enough to be from your class."
"As if you're so much older," I teased.
He chuckled. "True, but I seequitea few people from my primary years, although I never got to know most of them. Should be interesting."
"All right," Ghale said, calling the group to attention. "There's a reason this class is two hours long. As soon as you walk in, I expect all of you to start stretching. If you do not know the standard stretches, find someone who does, and figure it out. For our newest initiates, pair up with someone. Grath, can you show Nariana?"
"Yes, Priest Ghale," an older guy said, proving he was Grath.
"Clock starts now," Ghale said, then walked toward the side of the room.
Grath made his way right to us. "Guardian," he said, addressing Talin first and offering his hand. "I know we were never friends, but I'm currently the best in our class with hand-to-hand studies. I give you my word that your ward is safe with me."
"Doesn't mean I'll take my eyes off you," Talin promised.
Grath actually chuckled. "Didn't expect it." Then he looked at me. "Should I call you Nariana?"
