Page 6 of Somnium

“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.

It was just as well; without the expectation to participate in the conversation, she was free to take advantage of the spectacular people watching that the growing crowd had to offer. She scanned the colorful mass of congregants, fascinated by the diverse gathering.

There was at least one kelpie, the seaweed that made up its mane and tail leaving a sopping trail along the stone floor, forcing an unlucky temple attendant to trail after it with a mop. Countless demons trickled in, a cluster of golems gathered together against the far wall, and even a griffin had arrived with a group of centaurs. Cadi couldn’t help but stare as the griffin shimmied its massive wings through the door, unfortunately losing a few feathers in the process.

A flash of shimmering light caught her attention, drawing her gaze to the far side of the hall, where she found herself transfixed by what had to be the most stunning woman she had ever seen. Gold beads accented the delicate braids flowing smoothly over the copper skin of her shoulders, and her regal posture was nothing short of statuesque. Something about her presence felt almost otherworldly, strong, and fiercely feminine. Cadi breathed a soft laugh meant only for herself. If she had been into women, that one would definitely be her type.

The lights began to dim, and an insistent pull at her sleeve brought her back to the group, where she found Zoe bouncing with excitement in front of her. She tossed her thumb over her shoulder, and Cadi followed the gesture, realizing that while she had been mesmerized by the crowd, a small aisle had formed a few feet away, cutting a path from the dark corridor to the steps of the dais.

Leaning to the side, Cadi peered around the other worshippers, squinting into the darkness, but all she could see were shifting shadows—until a gilded hem drifted into the light.