Page 46 of The Demon God's Desire

She lets out a soft laugh. “I wouldn’t gothatfar.”

I certainly would. Bridget isn’t one to brag but I hope she recognizes her own accomplishments. Not just anyone could make a salve that potent, especially one that works that quickly too.

Eventually, I shake off the rest of my worries from the dream and stand to help Bridget pack our things away. We share a few rations before pulling our bags over our shoulders and heading out once again.

It’s just after dawn and much cooler than yesterday.

I take Bridget’s hand as we walk side-by-side, not wanting to be separated from her for any moment on the off-chance that the Hearthkeeper really does make good on her promise and come sweeping down from the heavens to snatch her.

We arrive in Jurtil a little after noon.

It’s a bustling city full of travelers and merchants from all over as well as those that live here all year round. I’ve never been a fan of large crowds, but right now I am actually grateful. As we pass by one of the merchant stands, Bridget snags a cloak, balling it up to her chest and walking away quickly. I follow her, keeping my towering form close to her to hide her from view.

She pulls me into an alley, shrugging off her bag and handing it to me.

“I don’t want to be spotted if anyone here recognizes me.”

I throw the strap of the bag over my free shoulder, nodding. “Good idea.”

Even though the weather is getting hotter, she pulls the hood of the cloak down over her face to hide most of it while threading her arms through the sleeves. She pulls it around her and ties it, making sure it’s secure before following me out of the alley.

I keep her bag around my shoulder. It’s hot enough with her wearing something that insulated, I’m not about to give her extra weight and force her to sweat more.

The further we get into Jurtil, the more deserted it becomes.

It seems that most of the traffic has congregated towards the front half of the city, away from the inhabitants and dwellings of those who live here. Though, it does make it easier to walk through the narrow streets, giving us room to duck down another alleyway if someone came around looking for trouble.

Thankfully, it seems that the rest of the city is still fast asleep.

The Hedonist’s temple isn’t hard to miss.

It’s one of the most lavish looking buildings in the entire city. The front of it is painted in gold, reflecting the sun’s rays like a shining beacon, beckoning patrons in. The steps leading up to the giant doors are smooth rock polished with time. It’s quite the presentation at first glance.

As we approach the steps, Bridget’s hand finds mine, stopping me from going any further.

“What about the priests and priestesses? Won’t they see us coming in and ask us what we’re doing? They’ll probably throw us out. We need to figure out a way to sneak in.”

Her words have me snorting softly. “Bridget, the Hedonist is the god of all things carnal. Personal pleasure is paramount, so I doubt any of them are even awake. And if they are, they’re most likely mid-orgy still.”

Her eyes widen, blinking a few times as her cheeks color. “O-Oh…”

I laugh softly. “Just stick close to me and I’ll keep you from seeing anything.”

She coughs into her hand. “O-Okay.”

She’s so adorable.

We head up the steps and into the temple. There’s soft music playing from somewhere far off but it echos too much to tell where exactly it’s coming from. The inside of the temple is set up like a typical pleasure house, plenty of plush cushions and lounge pits to relax in while partaking in drinks and merriment.

It’s massive and ornate looking, the rich carpeting beneath our feet sinks slightly as we walk across it and the spiced aroma in the air is enough to beckon us into one of the rooms it seemed to be coming from.

It’s a show of comfort and indulgence and everything that a Hedonist temple should be.

We pass through the private rooms, some of which are open for viewing pleasure as either priests, priestesses or worshipers gather inside to partake in their carnal desires. I quickly hurry Bridget past them and towards the main part of the temple where the altar is.

Massive double doors greet us, carved in dark wood and coated in a slick stain. I let go of Bridget’s hand just long enough to push the doors open. We step inside together, the room dark and hazy and hard to see far into.

Walking in further, I feel the ground beneath us quake and I quickly pull Bridget to my chest to keep her close to me. I pull my powers to the surface, letting them activate as I get ready to face whatever it is we’ve somehow awakened.