The Tangled Web

This is a fantastic continuation to a fabulous fantasy novel, A Priest's Tale. Although the segment is short, it stands on it's own very well. The ambiance and the characters are wonderfully drawn, and the story is engaging and moving. We watch this fun and nuanced, self assured character deal with the ultimate challenge of her identity in the midst of a dire situation.
Excellent work.
I will post a more detailed comment soon.

The Tangled Web
Once again, a really good read...I did find an awkward phrase to read, however....as a normal reader, it took me a minute to decipher, but as I read it, edit wise, It was correct, just awkward for the casual reader:

"Her life depended not only on her courage - Ranyl's instructions were to kill her if she failed - but on her captor."

I once again enjoyed the read, as you weave a well written tale, catching the reader and sweeping them into the story seemingly effortlessly.
CADreilling - The Line - Beginnings

If anything this story shows a maturing of your style to match the maturing of your central character 'The Saahni' Kay'tan. I am just as envious as I was with Priest's tale over your ability to write first person prose. A skill I have never mastered.
The prologue was excellent and led well in to the first chapter. The first chapter created a recap of Priest Tale and a lead in to the new adventure seemlessly while retaining that lovely quirky humour of yours.
What does all that mean?
I simple terms it means I like what I have read and honestly believe it should be on the editors desk just as 'Priest's Tale' should.
I will back this book till it gets there I am that taken by it.
Were there gramatical errors, missing words and spelling mistakes. I am sure there were but I was so take in by the story I must have missed them.
Goodluck
Owen

The Tangled Web
A Priest's Tale Book two
What a wonderful, wonderful read!

Ch7 Naturally I was ...though 't'
Ch 8 silence answered.... by = buy ?
Ch 10 I could barely breath 'e'
Ch13 sahnithi = Saahni or can't he say it?
Cas
The Wind Maker

This book flows and skips more to my pace.
Your writing has evolved.

Lindsay,

As you know, I am a huge fan of A Priest's Tale and so am delighted that you are working on a sequel. What you have posted so far delivers beautifully, and I am really looking forwards to reading more. You have managed to extend the intrigue and ambiance from your first book well, and kept all the things I love about your characters, while giving the story a very different bent.
I have been thinking a lot about whether it stands on its own. It is hard to say for anyone who has read book one, but my instinct is to say yes. This is a great success, and I happily give it six stars. 
Hook and Plot-I love how you start chapter one, bringing Aamre's self-righteousness to the forefront. Even without knowing Aamre as well as I do from book one, the insult represented by denying a priest her vocation because her town has been destroyed makes me furious. This alone would be a good hook, but you add the trip to the Princess and the fact that all her work from book one may be undone by the Princess' pig-headedness. If nothing else, the section is a really great hook for the book. 
I found the plot very well constructed and paced in this short section. Again, you take us through Aamre's being rejected by her brethren, to being dragged, yet again, into a mission that could alter the fate of the kingdom, through her pigheaded rejection of that mission. You never lagged or rushed. 
Character development- you develop Aamre, in her flawed, pig headed, endearing self, wonderfully well. This is independently of what I saw in book one. You are very clever to show her twice with the priests of the city, where her self-righteousness is knocked down, before the Princess, where she is awkward, and with her family, where she is loved. This last moment was special for me, because I had not seen Aamre among those who love her before. This is a really fabulous character, Lindsay, and I think you can build a long series on her back. 
Ambiance and descriptions- I felt that your descriptions of interiors were much richer than those of the exteriors. This was an issue for me in the city, where I felt that her walk through this city, which, even after a "ten-night" should still be a bit overwhelming for a country priest, was not described very enthusiastically; while the interior of the cathedral, the courtyard, and even the hut where she sees her mother, are elaborately described. 
Stand-aloness - (By which I mean whether it can be read without reading book one.) Mentioning characters from book one by name may make the read confusing for new readers. Other than this, I think you fill in the reader very well, particularly the background having to do with the plot and the princess. 

I sent a different comment about mechanics. 

All in all, I think this is a great start to book two.
Best,
Maeve

Lindsay,
Here are my comments as I read:

1
"Ranyl's second instruction, should the priest succeed in her task, was to rescue her if he could, or kill her if he couldn't."
I stumbled over this sentence a bit. Since it is in a prominent place, I wanted tom suggest you consider rephrasing. Perhaps put " should the priest succeed in her task" at the top of the sentence. But I waver. 

2
'A deep sigh, Saahni.' I nearly swallowed my tongue. 'Can a priest of Re'a be unhappy in her temple?'
I think you want a question markmafter "Saahni"

'You're beginning to sound like Haydon.'
Hayden

Unsure who is speaking in the short exchange. Suggest younhave the first one be attributed. 

"Ranyl was a thief, a man who - according to the bandit Axyl - had the moral framework of a mink. He was a good man to have on your side. The problem was that you would get no warning if his side changed."
I was concerned that for a new reader who did not know book 1 the line "according to the bandit Axyl " adds an extra character to an already crowded set of names. But that may just be me. 

Heyden, not Heydon

"The answer had been, not entirely, but enough"

Punctuation, or meaning, not clear to me. 

"... of the corridor out into a beautiful courtyard, dominated by a ancient occaris tree.Its branches we're so twisted and bent with age that someone had formed a shaded bench out of the living wood of the tree."
Should be "an ancient. Space after "tree", "were, not "we're"
3
"As has become my want, "
Wont

I bit my tongue before I spoke too quick. 
Quickly? Soon?

"but that same priesthood that I needed recognising by my peers, demanded I at least attempt to help this woman."
?

"It was a vile, horribly infectious disease that travelled through the body like burning river," 
Like a burning river.

"I had not failed to see see the hurt and anger in the uncertainty of her mouth, before it thinned."
See see.

"To say it was bigger than anything I had seen before is to say little. For
But she has been here a week. 

Good twist. 
I would want a bit more description of the city during the walk. 
The meeting with the princess is a bit strange,

3
'You know, I worry when you're not angry with me.'
:)

Really like this. 

"bathos tripped up ire and ran into the lead again, 'so I'm going home to find someone to look after me.'"
Pathos?

'And don't go expecting me light a fire, neither. I'm a busy woman.'

To?
4
I love Aamre!

"I beginning to sound a little whiny, but I couldn't help it, really. A strange look took the little spy's face"
I was...

"I picked up my half-flagon of beer and threw it in his face. Then I left. I would have slammed the door, but it was too heavy. I kicked it instead."
love it. 
5
"Every year the words of sorrow are repainted the temple tree and the priest spends the night in holy vigil there."
On the temple tree. 

"and the priest opens her arm and wipes out the signatures with the blood"
Opens her arms?

The first time Amtil sent me home I refused to go back with her after.
Afterwards? The next day?

"I nearly new the people here. There was a widow, somewhere - Daeny? "
Nearly knew. 

Best,
Maeve

This is a fantastic continuation to a fabulous fantasy novel, A Priest's Tale. Although the segment is short, it stands on it's own very well. The ambiance and the characters are wonderfully drawn, and the story is engaging and moving. We watch this fun and nuanced, self assured character deal with the ultimate challenge of her identity in the midst of a dire situation.
Excellent work.
I will post a more detailed comment soon.