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"Yep," Ela said. "She was the oldest girl in our class, so became popular early. Nari was the youngest, and Ciella loved the attention she got from picking on her. Well, until Nari grew up prettier."
"Much," Talin said.
That wasn't supposed to be a compliment, at least not the way he said it. Somehow, Talin made it sound like that was nothing but the blatant truth. And yet, I found myself smiling at the table because he hadn't even paused to weigh the choices. He acted like anyone who disagreed was clearly an idiot.
I glanced up to find him smiling at me across the table. "Are you blushing?" he teased.
"No," I mumbled, but I probably was.
That one little phrase made me feel like a schoolgirl again, hoping to be picked as the best. Talin just had. Eladehl and Wraythe had, but I knew their opinion was based on more than just how I looked. They knew me. They liked me because we'd been friends for so long. It was different with Talin, and it seemed that I still had a stupid and foolish crush on my own guardian.
"I think you're pretty too," Wraythe said.
Ela grunted at him. "Little late, man. Besides, she knows we think she's hot."
"You sure?" Wraythe asked. "Or maybe she'd still like hearing it, because I know you do."
"Oh, you think I'm hot?" Ela teased his best friend.
The answer came from the other side of Wraythe as Anver squatted down to peer over the table. "I think you're hot." Then he looked at the rest of us. "Those two..." He grunted in annoyance. "Look, the four of you need to know that Tishlie is spreading rumors that Nari's having an affair with the baron's wife - "
"Why?" I asked, because I couldn't see how that would help them at all.
He leaned back to see me. "Because Oryll's little comment in class the other day about partners? Yeah, everyone started asking what that was about, and those who knew Eladehl's doing private lessons now know that he's into some pretty heavy stuff. Pain play is the story."
"They're right," Ela said.
Anver jiggled his head to show he heard. "And you, Nari, don't have any signs of being his sub. No bruises, marks on your throat, hints of whipping. Nothing. That means he's fucking someone else instead of you. Not much of a jump to say that the two of you are splitting. You partnered up too young. Your sexual desires don't match up, so he's seeking it elsewhere. Means you're not good enough to be impressive, and you're not really doing so good with grades in your Body classes."
"Because Oryll keeps failing her for no reason," Ela snapped.
Anver shrugged that off. "All I'm saying is that this is a play to make your lives miserable. Ciella knows how to be a bully. Tish is learning a little too well. Since everyone knows that Nari was with the baron, they're jealous. These rumors are designed to give them a reason to hate her. To frame her as taking advantage of you, Ela, or you two guardians. They want everyone to think Nari's marks are a screwup, not a sign that she's something impressive."
"And what are you doing about it?" Wraythe asked.
"Nothing," Anver told him. "Zeal said to stay out of it, but I can't, so I'm telling you, at least."
"Hey," I said, reaching over to trail my fingers down Anver's arm. "Thanks. I know it may not seem like much, but knowing they're on the warpath again?"
"They're looking for a reason to kick you out," he told me. "Don't give them one, Nari. Oryll wants to fail you, Ghale wants to hurt you, and those two? They can't help but hate you because they can't compete. All they care about is how much better this life is than what they would've had with their own families."
"That's sad," Wraythe muttered.
Anver nodded. "Yeah. Also kinda explains why they hate her. Nari's not even out of her first year and being invited to the baron's place?" He glanced at Talin. "I know it was you, but the way everyone else sees it, she's starting out early. She's getting noticed, and the priestesses who shine brightest do best. Look at Amerlee. Her beauty made her welcome anywhere she wanted, got her tithes that let her and Jamik live comfortably, and allowed her to pick and choose her assignments. Not every priest can say that."
Ela leaned over the table and scrubbed at his mouth. "The rumors are supposed to tear her down because they think they're competing. They think that if Nari fails, then they'll have the chance to be the baron's chosen favorite. Fuck!"
Anver nodded. "Yeah. Let me know if I can help." Then he pushed to his feet and walked away casually, as if he hadn't been talking to us at all.
I glanced over to where Ciella had gone to find her sitting beside Tishlie. At the next table over, Ciella's guardian, Ryshie, was pushing his food around his plate. Anver eventually claimed the seat across from him, but neither man spoke. They weren't friends. They also both looked miserable. That, more than anything else, made me hate those two women even more.
Chapter 11
Nariana
Iwas livid - mad enough that I couldn't even finish my dinner. When the guys were done, we headed back to our rooms, but I wasn't in the mood to talk. Wraythe and Ela were grumbling about the whole ordeal, but Talin had his hand pressed to the middle of my back as if he could tell I was seething. Thankfully, he didn't try to talk me down.
As soon as Wraythe closed the door to our room, I spun to face them. "I'm going to have a nice and relaxing shower and pretend those two have drowned in their own self-importance."
