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"Oh yes." She smiled at me. "Your father and I were friends, back when I was about your age. You look just like your mother, though. Stop flirting with me, Talin. It doesn't have the effect you want."
"Did you sleep with my father?" I couldn't decide if I was impressed or revolted.
She just smiled. "Usually, we discussed the balance between the temple and the baron." And she left it at that.
I noticed her choice of words. Usually. As in not always. And yet, I hadn't met Saval until my Choosing. She'd never been to our house growing up. She made no move to impress the baron - either of them. I also knew that my mother could be a jealous and paranoid woman. Because of that, I wouldn't expect an intimate friend to be welcome in the house.
"Did you?" I asked just before we reached the door.
Saval ignored me, reaching up to knock. "Focus, boy."
"Come!" a voice called on the other side.
Saval turned the knob and pushed the door open for me to go first. I stepped inside and paused, glancing around to see what kind of audience was here as witness - but the room was empty. Except for myself and Saval, the only other body in here was that of the High Priest sitting behind his desk.
"High Priest Kinen," I said, stepping forward. "I was told you wanted to see me?"
"Yes, uh..." He looked down at his notes as if he didn't recognize me. "Priest Talin. Please, have a seat?"
He gestured to one of the two chairs before his desk. I took the one on the far side, leaving the other for Saval. When Kinen nodded, she stepped forward and claimed it, but we said nothing. Kinen simply continued to read the page before him, forcing me to wait in an attempt to make me uncomfortable.
Then, "So, Priest Talin, I see you have requested permission to carry these pistols I've been reading about. Can I ask why?"
"They seem a lot more elegant than some of the rapiers we're allowed," I said. "A bit more modern, as well. I think the look works with the standard attire of most guardians. That it also sets the Temple of Temptation above the others is only a side benefit."
"What do you mean?" he asked, immediately latching onto that last part.
"Sir, when I asked Priest Ghale, my instructor, about them, he said such weapons were simply too expensive to be considered. Quantities are still very limited, so the price is approximately eight hundred gold for one."
"Yet you requested two," he said, tapping the page.
"Yes, Priest Kinen, I did. Experts recommend a pair for the most effective use, since they're slow to reload."
He nodded. "And you believe you can afford not just one of these, but multiples?"
"I believe my family could be persuaded to make the purchase, yes." I knew I had him, and couldn't stop my smile, so decided to use it. "As the primary patrons, they are naturally concerned with the impression our temple gives to our patrons."
"Yes, well..." Kinen pulled in a deep breath and shuffled through his papers, clearly looking for something. "What about obtaining the ammunition? Wouldn't that be prohibitive for regular use, let alone practice to learn the use of this thing?"
"No, sir. The firing powder is surprisingly cheap. It's simply a variant of cannon powder, and used in much smaller quantities. The rounds are lead pellets - easy enough to make on our own. The only true expense is the purchase of a flintlock-style firearm, because the match-lit types are unrealistic to use outside of a military situation."
He was nodding. "Well, that sounds like a suitable explanation. Unfortunately, I cannot allow this weapon until I have the chance to examine one myself. Well, unless you can manage to acquire three. I'm sure a tithe of one would make it much easier to verify that they are actually useful."
"I can certainly try, sir. It would, of course, take some time to make the purchase and have them fabricated. If you'd approve me bringing them into the temple, I would be happy to request three. After all, it makes sense for our High Priest to be properly protected as well."
"Yes, I think that will do. Send your letter to your family. See if it's possible, because unless I have a version of my own to prove that I have knowledge of this thing, I'm afraid I will not be able to allow you to carry them," he said, still looking for something. "Ah, here it is. And to make that easier, I should probably approve this, hm?"
"'This,' High Priest?" I asked, looking at the backside of a page.
"The new Baron Ranndor has requested you and any necessary companions - in other words, your ward - for a week in his home over the holidays. It will mean that you'll miss the Darkest Night celebration here in the temple, but you'll have many of those in your future."
"May I see the request?" I asked, feeling my guts clench.
Because the last thing I wanted to do was spend any time with my brother again. So far as he cared, I was a thorn in his side, the little boy who'd stolen his glory. When my father should've been bragging about him, the old man had instead trotted me out to remind his friends of our family's tie to this temple. What my brother never could figure out was that I hated it just as much as he did.
So when the High Priest handed me the request, I scanned the lines, looking for some clue as to what he wanted. The message was short and simple:
High Priest Kinen,
