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He handed me a card。 It was white and bordered in rich red。 In the center was the seal of the hetaerae guild： the blatantly naked form of Butala； the harvest goddess； with exaggerated breasts and pudenda。 Beneath it； in gold leaf： Melina will dance tonight for her special friends and benefactors。
I knew who she was； as did every other man in Orissa。 Melina was one of perhaps no more than a dozen beautiful women who were at the very top of the pleasure trade。 They were all well…spoken and educated in the refinements of civilization。 Great men； rich men； handsome men； heroes； wooed them as much for the pleasure of their pany as for the pleasures of their flesh。 And in that final hot； rutting goddess of a skill they had no equal。 A man would do much for the love of Melina。 Especially a very young man with little to offer but his youth。
I gaped。 〃How did you e by this？〃 It was not possible that a man like Prevotant would be asked to join such exalted pany； even if he were an Evocator。
Prevotant dismissed my implied insult with another leer。 〃Do you really care？〃
I looked at the card again。 Butala was no longer alone。 Now she reigned over an elaborate orgy。 As I stared the naked figures began to move； coupling and uncoupling in more ways that I had ever imagined。
〃I was going to sell it；〃 the Evocator whispered in my ear。 〃It would bring a fancy price； no doubt。〃
I looked at her name again； heat rising； the letters growing larger until they filled my vision。 〃Melina；〃 came the harsh whisper of the Evocator。 〃For you？〃
I took the card； forcing a casual air。 〃Oh； I suppose it might be of interest。〃 I put it in my jerkin。
〃We have agreement； then？〃 Prevotant asked。
I hesitated but felt the card burn at my breast。 Already I was in her spell。 I had to see this woman for myself。 I nodded。 Prevotant chose to take the nod as a formal seal； shook my hand； and with much babbling； fled the warehouse with his little fiend chattering on his shoulder。 But his leer stayed in my mind after he left； and I felt a little silly for accepting the card。 Instead of taking the recovered gold and going straight home to triumph； I went to a tavern and drank and gamed with my friends until it grew late。 Brandy fumes mixed with youth to blow my first hesitations away。 Why should I let river slime like Prevotant affect me one way or another？ Besides； wasn't he an Evocator？ And weren't the Evocators the bane of the Antero family？ Why； if I went； I'd be snapping my fingers under all their noses in the name of my family。 Wouldn't I？
I slipped away from my panions and went out into the night to hire a litter。 The slaves carried me away through narrow streets。 When they finally set me down； the moon was at her full height。 The building the invitation drew me to had nothing to distinguish itself except general shabbiness。 In fact； the whole street was a neighborhood of tenements； shops； and taverns for the lowest of the free classes。 Lizards and pigs fought in mounded rubbish over scraps of offal。 I entered the tenement； doubt of a different kind nagging。 Inside； the dark was suffocating。 I pulled fire beads from my pocket and whispered an enchantment； they glowed into dim life。 The interior was more forbidding with this small bit of light。 I could see dark forms hunched here and there； and smaller creatures scuttled from my path。 But I plunged on； climbing rickety stairs； stepping with care over broken steps and snoring bodies。
The brandy fumes curling in my brain began to dissipate in this squalor。 I eased my rapier in its sheath。 This was a place of thieves and witches； and I wondered again at my judgment。 Then I heard faint sounds of music wafting down the stairs； and laughter。 On the last landing was an enormous door。 Floral incense floated through； pushing aside the tenement's miasma of poverty and too many failed spells。 I pulled the chain。 Bells chimed。 Then footsteps； and the door swung open； creaking on its hinges。 Light spilled onto the landing； and I flung up a hand to shield my eyes。 〃How may I assist you； gentle sir？〃 came a deep voice。 My stylish costume was a badge of class and wealth。
〃I have 。。。 an invitation；〃 I said； rubbing my eyes to hasten vision。 〃I have it here 。。。 someplace。〃 I was nervous as I groped for the card in my jerkin。
My eyes suddenly adjusted。 My heart lumped into my throat when I saw the enormous black spider perched across my greet…er's face。 It had an obscene； bulbous body； with jagged bands for legs and huge red eyes that stared back at me。 The spider spoke。 〃Wele； gentle sir。〃
I buried panic。 The spider was an elaborate tattoo； a totem。 My greeter was a tall； skeletal man； with a long； narrow face and pale skin that rarely saw sunlight。 He wore rich； brocaded clothing with the red waist sash of a Procurer…a manager licensed by the hetaerae guild。
〃The hour is late；〃 the man said。 〃But you are most fortunate。 Melina has yet to dance。〃 He motioned。 〃This way； if you please。〃 I entered a broad； well…lighted foyer； carpeted with thick； colorful rugs from the western lands。 The music and laughter were louder。 The man looked over his shoulder。 〃My name is Leego； young sir。 If there is any way I can assist you this evening； you have only to mention my name to a slave。〃
I found voice。 〃That is most kind of you； Leego；〃 I said。 〃May Butala always smile upon you。〃
Leego nodded； then flung wide two large doors。 〃Greetings to our new guest；〃 he bellowed。 Feminine shrieks of pleasure and laughter met his announcement。 I was surrounded by a dozen of the most beauteous creatures I had ever seen； all quite naked。 Now； I was not an inexperienced youth。 I'd played tickle and slap…a…belly with many a pert； young household servant and tumbled in the hay with female cousins at my father's farms。 In recent years； I'd disported myself with enough tavern wenches and half…coin hetaerae to worry my father that I was poised for self ruin。 But I had never； ever been confronted with so much lusciously available flesh。 Each women seemed lovelier than the next。 One was tall and shorn of all hair。 She had legs and arms long enough to wrap around any man's girth。 Another had flowing blond hair and was small enough to twirl into any imagined position。 Some were lush； others slender。 And they all giggled and pressed themselves against me； burying me in jiggling flesh and tugging me deeper into the room。
Someone asked my name。 〃Amalric；〃 I croaked。 〃Of the Antero family。〃 I heard a buzzing as my name was whispered around the room； and then I found myself sprawled among thick； perfumed pillows； a goblet in my hand filled with heady spirits and a naked woman to tempt me with candied delicacies from a silver tray。 Fearing any moment someone would shout fraud and drive me out of this paradise； I peered about； trying to behave as if this experience was trifling。
No one was paying me the slightest attention。 There were about twenty other men in attendance。 Rich men； important men； older men； laughing and talking amongst themselves。 Like me； they were lying on thick； richly brocaded pillows and tended by Melina's naked servants。 The room was large； with vaulted ceilings； and was pleasingly lighted。 Soft music stirred the silken curtains that covered an arched entryway to one side。 Beside the entryway was a large； golden statue of Butala。 Her form was more slender than the traditional image； more inviting of caresses。 Rugs from the western lands covered the floor。 I had never seen weavers' art like these。 Erotic figures curled and blended together。 The wails were ablaze with murals depicting wild orgies in every imaginable setting； from forest glens to the pleasure rooms of the gods and goddesses。 A heady incense burned in a copper brazier。 It produced the thick red smoke wealthy hetaerae used to inflame a man's imagination。 For me it was entirely unnecessary。 My imagination was already as white hot as a swordsmith's furnace。 The woman into whose charge I had been given lifted a slice of honeyed peach to my lips。 I obediently opened my mouth。
Then I saw Melina…and my mouth snapped shut。 I have already described her great beauty； her charm； her intelligence； and her skills。 But those are poor； weak words that cannot begin to illuminate the sensuous creature I saw that first time。 She was lounging across a low； gilded couch on the far side of the room。 The couch was raised on a rug…covered pallet。 Unlike her slave girls； she was fully clothed…maddeningly so。 She wore translucent pantaloons the color of hearth coals and a sheer blouse of the same shade； with a form…fitting； equally transparent jerkin over it。
The buttons were of rare； worked stones。 Her feet were bare and quite small； with red painted nails and gold anklets。 Her hands were slender； with long； delicate fingers tipped in red。 Each finger bore a glittering ring。 Expensive bracelets jangled at her wrists。 Long black hair tumbled to the curve of her waist。 She toyed with it as she listened to a plump man sitting on the floor next to the couch。 He was middle…aged and dressed like a wealthy merchant。 A half…dozen other men were also favored enough to sit close to Melina。
I hated every man in that room。 I could see that each only pretended inter