“Gods, that’s awful,” murmurs Sadrie. “I wonder why.”
“Still feel like you twobelonghere?” I ask, aware of the bitterness in my words. “That things willwork out?”
They glance at each other, falling quiet for the rest of the meal.
The betrothed are equally sedate in Sanctuary Hall. After prayers, they drift like sleepwalkers across the courtyard.
Once inside our residence, my friends and I continue to the Learning Annex while they turn toward their own quarters, moving like automatons.
“There are so many more of them than us,” I say.
“Lady Maida told me that’s typical. During her tenure, she’s seen years with no acolytes. More often, the goddess chooses only one, perhaps two.Threeis a bit unusual.”
“If that’s the case, why were we all required to attend orientation?” asks Sadrie. “What was the point?”
I look at her.Good question.
“Actually,” says Cordelia, “I asked her about that at the celebration last night. She told me it’s the Five who set the orientation curriculum.”
My head snaps back.
“So the Five want to make sure we all know how important they are,” says Sadrie. “Whether we’re drugged into submission or not.”
That sounds about right.
Once in class, we’re told to take out our blue workbooks. My faulty one has been replaced since Morday, and a list of dates and holidays greets me.
“The days of festivity and their rites,” announces Maida. “As acolytes to the temple, you’ll be required to assist with their observance over the coming year.”
She hands the lecture over to Ghisele, who takes great delight in pacing back and forth in front of the blackboard while we work through the list, one holiday at a time.
The Feast of First Night is next, occurring on the first of Thawtide. Aodh will be feasted as we bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new one.
“Since the temple will still be closed to the public, acolytes will only assist with a small ritual—the lighting of candles in the refectory,” says Ghisele. “Otherwise, it’ll be a night of leisure for everyone to eat, drink, and celebrate.” Her face briefly lights up. “Oh, and we all get to wear fancy dresses and masks.”
Cordelia is grinning at her when I look.
“Dresses and masks,” whispers Sadrie. “Simple enough.”
Fire Festival takes place on the twentieth of Seedburst, the spring equinox, and is a different matter entirely.
The dome will go down that evening at sunset, and the temple will reopen to the public. Bhàtair will be feasted. An elaborate fire ritual will take place in Karsyn, to which people will flock from across the realm.
The following month, the Festival of Rìa takes place on the sixteenth of Tidecrest. We’ll assist the priestesses in making an offering to the Kinvarrea River for an ample harvest.
This is followed by Longest Day, the summer solstice on the twenty-first of Sunmote, and the coinciding Festival of Aetinne in Nehel.
It’s odd, but while the rest of the holidays have been at least vaguely familiar,nothingcomes to mind about Longest Day or Aetinne’s festival. When I concentrate on it, the headache threatens to split my head apart.
My focus strays as the lesson goes on. The things Elodie said when she told me about my pheromones…
“Currently, I don’t know if I canrestrainmyself when you’re near.”
My focus strays as the lesson goes on. The things Elodie said when she told me about my pheromones…
“…if I had my way, I’d pick you up right now, throw you on that desk, and get my hands and mouth all over you.”
They repeat and overlap, consuming my thoughts until my mind is raw with the litany.
