“Subterfuge will be unnecessary,” Thrace said. “They will let me in, knowing exactly who I am.”
“And how exactly do you think you’re going to manage that?” Stavros asked, frowning.
Thrace raised his chin.
“By telling them the truth—that I wish to take Trin’s place for the sacrifice.”
There was silence in the ship for a moment. Then Far spoke.
“Actually, I believe the Daughters of Zetta have a law that pertains to such a custom. But, brother…you do realize what you will be sacrificing.”
“I’ll be giving up a part of my body for Trin.” Thrace shrugged. “So? She already owns my fucking heart—what do I care about losing anything else?”
Truth made a sound of approval deep in his throat.
“You may not be Kindred but you act it—we feel the same way about our females. We would give anything to keep them safe and happy.”
“Truly the Goddess chose well when she put you and Trin together,” Stavros said softly. “And I know from personal experience that she rewards sacrifice. I think you’re doing the right thing.”
“I know I am.” Thrace felt a kind of peace now—a calmness had fallen over him like a cool hand soothing a fevered brow. He looked at Far. “Tell me more about this law and how I can use it to my advantage. I don’t care what it takes, I’m getting Trin out of here when this is all over.”
Chapter Thirty-six
“Stand here, Defiled One and do not move.”
Trin stood as she was told, directly in front of the statue of the Goddess of Judgment. As before, she was naked and the cold breeze swirling around the cavernous stone room made her shiver.
This time her shame was not private—apparently Betina wanted the lesser priestesses to see what would happen to them if they dared to commit the heinous crime Trin was guilty of. They stood in rows, waiting for the ceremony to begin like guests at a life-bond celebration. Only instead of two females waiting to pledge their love and lives to each other, there was only one lone female who had allowed herself to fall into forbidden love. One who had committed the ultimate sin and was now about to pay for it.
Far in the back, flanked by two burly priestesses who were armed with destroyers, she could see Becca and Charlie standing. Their gray robes had been taken and they had been given the white robes of visitors instead. Though they were being guarded, Trin was glad to see they appeared unhurt. They were both staring at her with worried faces and for a moment she wished she had gone with them while she had a chance. Wished she could have had the life with Thrace that they offered.
Then her eyes flicked to the other side of the room where her mother was standing near the back. She was also wearing a white visitor’s robe and her dark eyes were hard and unyielding—full of pain and shame. When Trin looked at her, she stared back coldly for a moment and then looked away, as if she couldn’t bear to see her only child so publicly disgraced.
Trin knew, from what her guards had told her that morning, that the recording of herself and Thrace, sent from Lady Tam-tam, had made its way to the temple. Everyone from the high priestess down the lesser priestesses had seen it. Which meant that her secret was officially out and her reputation was ruined.
Mother probably hates me now, she thought sadly. I’ve disgraced her—ruined her reputation as well as my own. Her eyes flicked to Charlie and Becca again, who were holding hands and staring at her anxiously. I don’t deserve the life they offered me. Don’t deserve Thrace’s love or a life of happiness. Not after what I did.
“Now…” Betina stepped forward, wearing rich black robes and the ugly, ruby encrusted headdress that made her look like a huge bird of prey. “We are called together today for a Ceremony of Sacrifice. Let the Defiled One come forward.”
Trin stepped towards her, head bowed, her arms clasped nervously over her breasts. She felt as if every eye in the temple was boring into her, as though everyone, with the exception of Becca and Charlie, was thinking what a horrible person she was, what a disgrace, what a shameful, disgusting embarrassment to all of Zetta Prime.
“I am here, High Priestess,” she said in a low voice. “I am…am ready to make my sacrifice to the Goddess.”
“Very good.” Betina gave her a cold look. “Attendants, bring forth the sacrificial implements.”
Two lesser priestesses brought forward a small stone pedestal and set it before Trin. On it were a short, sharp knife, a heavy cleaver and a long silver needle.
“Choose,” Betina told her. “What will you give to the Goddess to show your remorse?”
“I…” Trin’s mouth was suddenly dry, her heart pounding. Though she had been trying to reconcile herself to the sacrifice all night, now that the moment was at hand, she felt sick and faint.
I can do this, she thought and forced herself to take a step forward, closer to the instruments of pain and sacrifice. I have to do this. I have to.
Her hand hovered over the three instruments, pausing first over the needle…then the knife…and at last settling on the cleaver.
A finger, she thought, hefting it in one sweaty palm. My little finger on my left hand. It shouldn’t be too hard to chop off. The blade looks really sharp…
“Stop!” The voice from the back of the cavernous sanctuary startled everyone—even the high priestess.
“Who dares interrupt the sacred Ceremony of Sacrifice?” She looked up, her black eyes narrowing in anger.
“One has come who offers to take the Defiled One’s punishment.” It was a greater priestess speaking—one who was ranked only a step below Betina herself, Trin saw. She wore the deep purple robe of her station and behind her came another hooded figure—a huge, silent shape cloaked in scarlet.
All around her Trin heard the priestesses whispering among themselves.
“A scarlet robe—a scarlet robe!”
“It can’t be! They wouldn’t dare to bring one here—not here to the inner sanctum!”
“It must be—no other may wear the scarlet robe.”
“But here? Before the statue of the Goddess?”
Trin had no idea what the scarlet robe symbolized but she could tell from the size of the figure and the sheer breath of the shoulders beneath the robe that it could not be female. Not a female from any planet or species she knew, at least.
“Renish, what is the meaning of this?” Betina demanded, addressing the greater priestess. “How dare you interrupt? How dare you bring a scarlet robed one into the inner sanctum of the Goddess?”
“I could not help it, Your Holiness.” The greater priestess shrugged. “He invoked the Law of Transference, saying he wished to take the blame of the Defiled One upon himself.”
“He—she said he!” ran the whispers through the ranks of the wide-eyed lesser priestesses. “The greater priestess has actually brought a male into the inner sanctum!”
Betina’s eyes narrowed further, her nostrils flared and her lips became a thin red line. When she spoke, it was with barely controlled rage.
“And who is this male who knows so much about our laws?”
The person beneath the scarlet robe threw back his hood and Trin saw him clearly. Thrace.
“It’s me,” he said simply, looking at Trin. “It’s me, Trin—I came for you.”
Trin felt as though her heart had somehow lodged itself in her throat and it wouldn’t go down no matter how hard she swallowed. Thrace…here in the temple…how could it be? He was wearing his black leather pants and the red cloak but something else caught her eye as well. The slave collar Lady Tam-tam had given them—the one with the silvery-blue gems in it—was still visible around his strong throat. He had never taken it off.
“I…I told you not to follow me,” she croaked.
He shrugged, his broad shoulder rolling.
“Forgive me for disobeying, Mistress, but I had to come.”
“Enough speech!” the high priestess declared. “Male, you say you wish to take the Defiled One’s shame upon yourself?”