CHAPTER TWO #2
They cut a path up the stone steps toward a blonde woman leaning against the wall with her tan arms folded across her chest, a mask of bored disinterest clouding her otherwise beautiful features.
Full lashes framed her deep brown eyes, and her golden hair fell gently across her shoulders in an effortless way that sparked a pang of envy in Cadi’s chest. Her wild curls could never hope to achieve that level of control.
A cool smile spread across the woman’s lips when she spotted their approach, pushing off the wall to descend the steps toward them. Zoe’s arm shot into the air, waving excitedly as she let out a piercing squeal. The woman glided forward to pull Zoe into a hug before her gaze shifted to Cadi.
“Celine, this is Cadi. We work together.”
Celine’s eyes traveled the length of Cadi’s body as her plush lips shifted into a practiced smile before she extended her hand. “Nice to meet you,” she said in a voice that was soft and feminine, her perfectly manicured fingers wrapping around Cadi’s hand.
Cadi returned her smile. “You too. Thanks for letting me crash, though I’m not fully convinced Zoe was actually giving me a choice when she invited me.”
Celine let out a delicate laugh. “You’re probably right.”
Cadi felt herself relax as the tension that had crept into her shoulders on the train ride began to dissolve.
Celine’s eyes shifted over Cadi’s shoulder, a new brightness overtaking her features at whatever she saw there.
Cadi turned, squinting against the sun to find a man striding toward them, a confident grin plastered across his boyishly handsome face.
A single brown wave tumbled over his forehead as he sauntered up to the group and eased his broad form between Cadi and Celine.
“Ladies,” he said, clapping his hands together. “Lovely night for Somnium, wouldn’t you agree?” His gaze locked on Cadi, and somehow his dazzling smile grew impossibly wider. “And who do we have here?” he asked, extending his hand. “Damon.”
Cadi took his hand, his strong fingers nearly engulfing hers in a single, smooth movement. “Cadi,” she replied, smiling up at him.
“This is Cadi’s first Somnium,” Zoe added, clapping her hands together with barely contained excitement.
Damon’s sparkling blue eyes lit up, self-assuredness radiating from him. “Fresh blood, eh? Don’t worry, Newbie, we’ll take good care of you in there. First time tends to leave a bit of a mark.” He punctuated his promise with a wink and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
Her brows shot up at the obvious flirtation. So far, the Somnium crowd was nothing like what she had envisioned.
“So, Cadi,” Celine chimed in, angling her body so her shoulder brushed against Damon’s arm, “are you thinking about joining the Order?”
Celine smiled, but something flashed beneath the surface of her expression, something laced with what Cadi thought almost looked like a challenge.
Celine glanced between them, her smile growing when her eyes lingered on Damon’s profile, and Cadi began to understand the subtle posturing.
It was safe to say that her question was rooted in more than just friendly curiosity.
“Oh, probably not,” she replied, noting the way Celine’s shoulders instantly softened at the confirmation. “I just promised Zoe I would come tonight, see what all the fuss was about.”
Damon smirked, leaning in to nudge her shoulder with his own. “It’s more than fuss, Newbie. We’re about to change your life.”
Celine rolled her eyes, shoving him in a move that Cadi suspected was intended to both tease and draw his attention. “Damon, don’t be dramatic. She just said she probably won’t be back after tonight.”
A low tone sounded from somewhere overhead, and the crowd around them shifted as attendees began moving toward the doors that Cadi saw were now standing wide open in welcome.
“Oh, she’ll be back,” Damon replied, extending his arm out in a signal for Celine to lead the way.
Cadi caught her eye as she strode past and offered a small smile to try and apologize for interfering with her attempts at flirtation.
Celine’s answering grin was tight and fleeting, sending a sinking feeling through Cadi’s stomach.
Perfect, she hadn’t even been there five minutes and she was already stuck in the middle of a love triangle that she wanted absolutely nothing to do with.
At least it was just one night.
Hundreds of footsteps and voices echoed against the polished stone, the jumbled sounds threatening to overwhelm her as she took her first steps into the temple.
Earthy notes of incense hung in the air, biting at her nose as she wove through the brightly lit narthex.
The crowd in front of them parted and flowed around a massive table in the center of the room, carved from the same stone as the building itself.
Across the narthex stood four inner doors leading into what Cadi assumed was the main Somnium hall.
Standing at each entrance was an Order member dressed in an immaculate white robe, shepherding followers through.
As they approached, a young woman whose brown robe was significantly less pristine appeared next to the man at their door.
The group came to a stop when the man held up a hand and leaned down so the girl could whisper something in his ear.
Cadi watched them with rapt curiosity. It was clear they were operating in some official Order capacity, and to her shock, she found herself wanting to know more.
Leaning down, Cadi gently tapped Zoe on the shoulder, but quickly pulled her hand back at the way the nymph shivered when Cadi’s finger brushed against her scales.
Apparently, the beautiful signs of her aquatic heritage were rather sensitive.
“Who are they?”
Zoe looked at her in question before following her gaze to the robed figures.
“Oh, those are temple workers,” she explained, “He’s an acolyte, they are in charge of handling logistics and crowd control for Somnium and the Rite of Dedication, and the girl in brown is a temple attendant. Basically assistants for the acolytes.”
“So what does she do? Just run errands?”
Zoe chuckled. “During rites, yes. But we do other things, too, like cleaning the temple, making sure supplies are stocked, keeping the priest’s preparation chambers tidy. That sort of thing.”
Cadi’s brows shot up at the way Zoe seemed to associate herself with the other temple workers. “We?”
Zoe beamed, gesturing proudly to Damon and Celine.
“Yep! We all do it. It’s extra work, but it’s wonderful to be a part of everything before we’re dedicated.”
She fished into her shirt, pulling out a necklace that Cadi had never noticed before, its silver chain looping through a small metal circle. Zoe slipped it over her head and handed it to Cadi.
The metal was light in her hand, still warm from Zoe’s body, and at first glance it appeared simple, but as Cadi traced her thumb over the design, she noticed the intricacy of its details: a crescent moon held between mirrored lines.
The angled marks brushed the sides of an outer circle from the top point of the lines, and around the edge were five tiny letters: S-O-M-N-I.
The sigil glinted in the light. Something about the way the lines flowed together to form the shapes and letters held her attention, feeding the growing curiosity she never thought she would have about this world.
“Still trying to recruit her, Zoe?” Celine said, pulling Cadi’s attention from the object.
Zoe rolled her eyes before taking the necklace from Cadi’s palm and stepping forward when the acolyte finally gestured them in.
They passed through the doors into a massive circular hall, the red stone extending high above them in a cavernous domed ceiling. A mosaic of stained glass formed the entirety of the far wall, wrapping behind a decorated dais and casting colorful patterns of dappled light across Cadi’s skin.
She couldn’t tear her eyes from the ornate details of the hall, entranced by the hand-carved lines and geometric shapes embedded into nearly every inch of masonry.
As the group crossed in front of the dais to the opposite side of the sanctuary, her eyes lingered on the wooden altar and its colorful embellishments of flowers and candles.
She squinted through the fragrant smoke wafting from the stone brazier in the center of the platform, her pulse jumping at what she was pretty sure were piles of small bones stacked against the smooth wood.
Strong hands gripped her shoulders, yanking her to a stop. Her head snapped forward, and with a flash of adrenaline she realized she’d been one misstep away from colliding with Zoe.
“Careful, Newbie,” Damon whispered in her ear. “Knock one of us down and this entire place is gonna fall like dominoes.”
His breath pricked against her skin, her spine going stiff at his unexpected proximity.
She fought the urge to shrug out of his grip, not wanting to appear defensive or make waves with the group she had just met.
After all, she was Zoe’s guest. Turning to look back over her shoulder, she forced a polite smile to her face, painfully aware of the way Celine was glaring at the place where Damon still held her. So much for the warm welcome.
“It’s easy to get distracted in here,” she replied.
Damon grinned down at her, his hands flexing once before finally releasing her and turning back to the group.
Cadi rolled her shoulders, trying not to be obvious as she brushed off the lingering feeling of his skin against hers.
He was definitely smooth, she would give him that much, but as far as she was concerned, Celine could have him.
The others quickly fell into an easy rhythm of conversation, leaving her hovering on the edge. She listened for any opportunity to chime in, but let out a low sigh when the topic shifted to temple duty, further reducing her chances of making a meaningful contribution.