Hori waves to me as I approach the courtyard that leads to the peristyle court at the front of the temple. I plaster on a smile and make my way over to him, knowing that there"s nothing that can be done about how apprehensive I feel about the whole situation. Matia trots along beside me, the glittering gold of her collar shining in the early morning sun. She doesn"t seem to mind wearing it nearly as much as I do mine.
"Morning, Ani," he says.
"Morning." I run my finger along the edge of my collar, trying to make it sit more comfortably.
"I thought you might want to meet your fellow Blessed before the ceremony starts," he says.
I frown. "I thought you asked me to do it because I"m the only Blessed around?" If I"d known there was another option, perhaps I"d have turned it down.
"Ah, I"m
