Both Kelly and Saffron stared, though admittedly for different reasons. This was the first time anyone had said outright exactly what Saffron had come from, once upon a time. True, Kelly had suspected the answer, but to hear it outright like that, knowing the effect it had had on Saffron, was something else. It made Kelly stop mid-yawn.
Temples were the kinds of places meant to help people. Temples were not meant to need people to run from them and take shelter elsewhere.
That, and who exactly was Quiver and why would they think Saffron has a photograph of his office?
Saffron was a little more shocked. "Why would you think I have pictures of Cleric Quiver's office?" she asked uncertainly. "I've barely been in there and he's never had any interest in sex, except when it was required for breeding purposes."
Now Kelly was staring at her. Breeding purposes. Breeding purposes. Like the faithful, of whatever faith this was, needed to be kept pure. Kelly sank down in her chair and covered her eyes, feeling sick. "Saffron--"
Did she really want to ask that question? Did she really want to know? She didn't, Kelly decided, but she probably should if only so they had a better handle on how to treat Saffron, so she sat up again and looked at the cultist ... cleric ... whatever. She kept her voice as gentle as she could manage, trying to emulate Janet's tones whenever she had to ask similar questions. "Saffron, were you a part of this, um, breeding program?"
The worst part, the very worst part, was the way Saffron blinked at her as if Kelly's reaction was the one that was unusual. "Of course. Most of us were."
Kelly swallowed hard. "Do you have children in the ... in the Temple?"
"One," Saffron said with a blessed crinkle in her brow which at least said she wasn't indifferent to the idea. "But I don't know who they are, or their gender. Only the High Priest and possibly Cleric Quiver would know that. Parents aren't allowed to raise their children; that's all done by the Temple creches. Do you have some paper and pens?"
"What?" Kelly was fairly sure she looked green. She'd seen a lot of things, working at the shelter, but every now and then someone would bring in a story that would throw anyone for a loop. "Oh. Paper. Right."
With shaking hands she opened Janet's drawers until she found some paper, and then got up and offered Saffron the chair so she could actually use the desk. The woman only sat down hesitantly, as if not sure she was allowed, but then picked up the pencil and put to the paper. Kelly sank down in what had been Saffron's chair, covering her face in her hands and taking a few deep breaths.
Gabby had mentioned that Dillon's brother used to be a member of this ... Temple, hadn't she? Right now, Kelly was hoping fervently they managed to take the whole thing down.
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Temples were the kinds of places meant to help people. Temples were not meant to need people to run from them and take shelter elsewhere.
That, and who exactly was Quiver and why would they think Saffron has a photograph of his office?
Saffron was a little more shocked. "Why would you think I have pictures of Cleric Quiver's office?" she asked uncertainly. "I've barely been in there and he's never had any interest in sex, except when it was required for breeding purposes."
Now Kelly was staring at her. Breeding purposes. Breeding purposes. Like the faithful, of whatever faith this was, needed to be kept pure. Kelly sank down in her chair and covered her eyes, feeling sick. "Saffron--"
Did she really want to ask that question? Did she really want to know? She didn't, Kelly decided, but she probably should if only so they had a better handle on how to treat Saffron, so she sat up again and looked at the cultist ... cleric ... whatever. She kept her voice as gentle as she could manage, trying to emulate Janet's tones whenever she had to ask similar questions. "Saffron, were you a part of this, um, breeding program?"
The worst part, the very worst part, was the way Saffron blinked at her as if Kelly's reaction was the one that was unusual. "Of course. Most of us were."
Kelly swallowed hard. "Do you have children in the ... in the Temple?"
"One," Saffron said with a blessed crinkle in her brow which at least said she wasn't indifferent to the idea. "But I don't know who they are, or their gender. Only the High Priest and possibly Cleric Quiver would know that. Parents aren't allowed to raise their children; that's all done by the Temple creches. Do you have some paper and pens?"
"What?" Kelly was fairly sure she looked green. She'd seen a lot of things, working at the shelter, but every now and then someone would bring in a story that would throw anyone for a loop. "Oh. Paper. Right."
With shaking hands she opened Janet's drawers until she found some paper, and then got up and offered Saffron the chair so she could actually use the desk. The woman only sat down hesitantly, as if not sure she was allowed, but then picked up the pencil and put to the paper. Kelly sank down in what had been Saffron's chair, covering her face in her hands and taking a few deep breaths.
Gabby had mentioned that Dillon's brother used to be a member of this ... Temple, hadn't she? Right now, Kelly was hoping fervently they managed to take the whole thing down.