Renato poured another cup of water and handed it to the young cleric beside him.
For some reason, Tristana had been restless ever since they came upstairs, her leg bouncing nonstop.
Her mouth had not stopped moving either. She kept dragging Renato into conversations about all sorts of pointless subjects.
He had not even eaten anything at the banquet. How would he know whether the rothé ribs had been cooked properly?
But she had dragged him back in such a hurry that she must have had something to tell him. So Renato remained patient, leaning against the opposite wall with his arms folded and listening quietly.
The young cleric tipped her head back and drained the cup. Water trickled from the corner of her mouth, ran down her chin, and dripped onto her spider-silk gown.
She would never normally behave so "inelegantly." The female drow before him was flushed bright red from her collarbones all the way up to her ears.
Renato had never liked unnecessary probing or riddles, so he asked her outright:
"Tristana, are you feeling unwell?"
"Unwell? Of course not!" The young cleric's voice suddenly rose. "I just received the Goddess's blessing. I'm full of energy..."
Under the gaze of Renato's calm eyes, her voice gradually faded.
Tristana swallowed and pressed her lips together, looking conflicted.
Then, as though she had suddenly made up her mind, she took a deep breath and said solemnly:
"Renato, do you know what a coming-of-age ceremony means?"
Without waiting for his answer, Tristana continued, speaking much faster than usual.
"For a noble drow woman, the coming-of-age ceremony marks the point when society officially stops considering her a minor. She gains the right to hold office in the Ruling Council or the religious academy."
"But it also means entering the struggle for