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"Yes, Chosen," she said, dipping her head deferentially. "Right this way."
"Huh, he sent Soira." The voice wasn't one I immediately recognized.
I glanced back to see Bode with us, wearing a stylish grey suit with a sharp white and yellow cravat. His vest matched, but in the reverse, being more yellow than white. The colors complemented his skin nicely, but the cut of the suit made his broad frame even more apparent, and his short hair really made his kaleidoscope eyes hard to ignore.
"Bode," I greeted him.
He smiled. "Well, it seems thatyouhave no problem talking to me in public."
Wraythe just grumbled under his breath, "Is this what you meant?"
"Mhm," Anver agreed. "He doesn't care if we look like we're insane and talking to nothing."
"He's lonely," Ela pointed out.
"Bored," Bode corrected. "I promise that my brothers have told all the jokes they know, and my sisters have fretted about every issue you could imagine. Well, or the other way around. Both, if I'm honest." Then he offered his arm. "Priestess?"
I took it, but the god had placed himself so it would look more like I was holding my hands beside my ribs. I was honestly impressed with how easy he made this. And while the priestess escorting us was clearly doing her best to listen in, I also didn't care. By now, all of Calseth knew that I spoke with gods. They could either convince themselves that I was insane or divine. Neither was right, but it also wasn't my problem anymore.
"Thank you for trying to help me," Bode said. "I believe that Arion is a good man. He listens when the High Priestess of Perception tells him about us, and he's envious that he can't find his faith that easily. The problem is that he's trying too hard, looking for the reasons why he can't believe instead of simply accepting that we're real."
"It's not as easy as you think," I explained. "You see, doubt is part of human nature. I doubt myself all the time, but it's easier to know what to do about that when I have others telling me it's ok. Maybe that's all Arion needs?"
"What about the other priests here?" Wraythe asked. "Is Arion the only one?"
"I don't know," Bode admitted, "but if my High Priest can see me, the others will follow. Nari - may I use the shortened form?"
"Please," I told him.
That earned me a smile that was nearly as beautiful and mesmerizing as Zeal's. "Nari, we have learned a lot from you. When my brother decided to take a chance on you, we thought he was making a mistake. Not you, per se. It was more how he wanted to do this. By giving you all five Paths and allowing you to make your own place in his temple, it set a precedent that our temples should also follow."
"But is it really that bad of an idea?" I asked. "You see, I've found that my responsibility is to be the link between my god and the priests who serve him. Not all can believe, and some will need to be led to their faith. The priests also need someone to speak up for them, and because Zeal knows me, I believe he listens more."
"Mm, that is a good point," Bode admitted. "I also know that you are, shall we say close, with Savi's chosen priest?"
"We are," I agreed. "It makes it easy to want to see him." But my feet stuttered, pulling Bode and my guys to a halt.
Because there, standing at the side of the hall, staring at me, was a priest I recognized. For a moment, my blood ran cold. The man's name was Lavin, and he had been my instructor in my ninth year of primary training. His job had been to teach me about Bode and the Priests of Intuition, but the man's only interest had been to look at my childish body.
"He is on the Path of Obligation," Bode assured me. "That was Zeal's price for my marks on Talin's skin. That man will never rise above Obligation, and if he does so much as speak to another child, I will remove the last of his pattern, casting him from my temple."
"He's the guy?" Wraythe asked.
"Yeah," I breathed.
Talin growled, taking a step towards Lavin, but Anver held him back. "Let his god handle it, Talin."
"He tried to - "
"Silence!" Bode roared, turning to Talin. "This is my home, Blade, not yours. Do not overstep your place, because this is the one place that my brother cannot touch you. My priests, even in their flaws, are still mine. Do you understand me?!"
"It's ok," I told Talin.
But Soira had stopped, her head jumping between us. "Priests? Is there a problem?"
I just looked at Lavin and smiled. "No, Priestess Soira. Not anymore."
Surprise crossed her face. "I..." She paused to swallow. "I didn't think I'd given you my name, Chosen."
