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Inside the doors was a large entrance hall. To the right was a solid wall with a single wood door in it. The cloak room, if I had to guess. To the left was an open archway that led into a room filled with leather couches and chairs. A receiving room, and clearly one designed for male guests. Straight ahead was an ornate archway that showed another large room beyond.
Servants arrived as soon as the main doors were closed. A younger man - closer to a boy - moved before me with his arm out. As if that was some cue, Talin stepped behind me to help me get my coat off. I shrugged my arms from the fur-lined sleeves, and he folded it before passing both it and his own coat to the young man.
"Thank you, Danis," he told the kid.
"A pleasure, sir."
"Priest," Talin corrected.
The young man grinned. "Sorry, Priest. It's a hard habit to break." Then he dipped his head to me. "Priestess."
"Oh, your gloves," a young woman breathed, moving to inspect my arms. "They're beauti - " She paused. "Oh, those aren't gloves!"
"God-lace," I assured her. "I've become so used to it that I forget it's even there."
"And your dress," another woman said, reaching out to touch the fabric of my full skirt. "What an amazing color."
"Ladies," Talin chided. "Are you trying to smother her?" Then he pointed at the one who'd noticed my arms. "This is my youngest sister, Yamina. The other is my oldest, Lina."
"I've heard about both of you," I told them. "I'm so excited to finally have a face to put with the names."
"Good things, I hope?" Yamina teased.
"Horrid," I mock-whispered, glancing back at Talin. "But always in a loving tone."
"Well," Lina said, taking over. "You've met two of my brothers. Let me introduce you to the rest of the Ranndor brood." And she led me through the group, aiming for the far side. "You will not remember everyone's name, so do not try. But this..." she gestured to an older woman at the back, "is Madam Ranndor, my mother."
"Madam Ranndor," I breathed, bowing my head.
"Pia," she told me, catching both of my hands before looking me over. "Aren't you a beautiful thing. He has quite the taste in partners, does he not?"
"Desire," Lina whispered.
Pia's eyes widened in surprise. "You're his ward?"
"I am, Madam Ranndor, and honored to be matched with such a wonderful guardian."
Slowly, the woman nodded. "Excuse me, I'm a bit surprised, to be honest. I was not aware the collar was worn by that Path."
"Oh, my Path is Temptation," I explained. "My title is the Chosen of Zeal. I am not like other priestesses."
"Are you from a noble family?" she asked.
"No, farmers - and not good ones."
Yamina was behind me, and reached up to trace something on my back where the neckline dipped low enough. "It's so pretty," she said. "Did you all see this? She has lace on her back too."
"Yamina!" Pia corrected. "You're old enough to have manners."
But I honestly liked Talin's youngest sister, so I turned to face her. "When we won't distract the men, I'll show you the marks on my legs. Zeal makes the most beautiful patterns, and my tailor tries to replicate them."
"Has Talin seen?" she asked, a devious light in her eyes.
I chuckled. "You should ask him that. I'm willing to bet he might even blush."
She grinned and hurried off, probably to do just that. Pia and Lina both sighed in unison. "I'm sorry about her," Pia told me. "As the baby, she's been terribly spoiled."
"She's wonderful," I assured the woman. "And I'm sure the responsibilities of a priestess are mysterious and amazing to her. I promise I'm not offended at her curiosity. I'm also respectful of her innocence."
