Midnight Quest by Honor Raconteur Page B

breakfast they went directly to the second hill of Denzbane, where the temple lay.
    Jewel had known on an intellectual level that each Temple of Elahandra in the different clans would, of course, vary from the one in Thornock. After all, the priestesses and guards for each temple came from that individual clan. Not all of them were run by Jordians, despite the fact that Elahandra was in charge of that clan.
    But apparently knowing things on an intellectual level and experiencing the difference in reality were two different things. Rialt kept an eye on her as they walked in, and he could tell when the first sounds of training reached her ears, as her eyebrows drew together in a puzzled frown. Training itself was expected, but with the grunts and shouts of male voices, feminine tones were mixed in. No other Order had priestesses fight.
    “Rialt. Are…are the priestesses training too?”
    “Eh, lass,” he answered simply and waited for her reaction.
    For a long moment Jewel’s expression flickered between confusion and disbelief, but she nodded, as if she should have expected such a thing, and kept walking forward.
    Amused, he focused back on guiding her up the worn steps. He had no idea what it was like in other clans, but in Ramath, Elahandra was liked and her Order respected. Herself was the only one at all who had ever acted to protect Ramath. Many a man and woman came here to offer a prayer or two of thanks and hopes for the barrier to be restored again.
    The compound for the temple was no a large one. Built with grey stone and rough timbers, it had stood as long as living memory could tell, as the cracks in the mortar could attest. This temple had only two priestesses and a handful of guards, so barely half of the building’s space was used by them. The other half of it housed the few orphans that were no taken in by cennan adoption, for one reason or the other.
    Rialt took two ground-eating strides forward and pushed open a door that barely made any sound as it opened. The sounds from afore abruptly became louder and crisper, no longer just vibrating against the walls. He stopped barely a foot inside and looked around cautiously. The yard was no so big that six people could train without running into innocent bystanders. He did no want an accidental swing hitting his lass. But his fears were unfounded, as everyone had left a clear space around the door.
    As soon as she stepped inside, the temple priestess called out, “Stop!”
    All training abruptly ceased.
    Rialt watched silently as she made quick tracks to them. Ella had no changed much since he had last laid eyes on her. Still with that fuzzy black hair that no braid could tame, with a man’s leathers on and a rough-hewn shirt stretched tight over a muscled torso that any man would envy. He and she had been playmates as children, and looking back on it, it was a miracle he had survived his childhood with her as a friend.
    He could see the surprise in Ella’s dark eyes as she took in the dainty woman standing in front of her. No doubt she had heard some version or another of their arrival, but whatever she had heard, it had no been much on details. Afore she could begin spluttering, Rialt decided he had best do the introductions. “Ella, be you known to Jewel Jomadd, Guardian of the Barrier and High Priestess of Thornock. Jewel, this be Ella Crossbear, Priestess of Elahandra and the mistress of this temple.”
    Jewel gave that blinding smile of hers and stuck out a hand in greeting. “I’m glad to meet you, sister.”
    “Eh, likewise,” Ella managed while gently grasping that small hand. Her eyes darted to Rialt, as if she half-thought he was putting her on, but then she really looked at Jewel and a genuine smile stole over her face. “It glad we be that you came to see us,” she continued more naturally and at her general ear-splitting volume. “Oi, you lot! Come meet her!”
    Obviously curious, the rest of them all put down their weapons and came