Trace of Arcane - Book 1

Chapter Two

The night is mine, my own time, to do with as I will, as long as I am quiet. If I'm silent enough I could possibly go to the attic to see Lou before the midnight ritual starts, but I am sure there is something for her to eat. The ritual is..... strange. If someone stays awake after the midnight hour, they have to light seven candles and say the prayer to Noctis while drinking wine. If they did not, they would never be able to fall asleep again - a demonic energy would haunt them until death. If they can't fall asleep, they should drink three glasses of wine. It is all a little weird... very weird. How would someone be cursed into not falling asleep if they forgot to light specifically seven candles? What if they fell asleep and the candles started a fire? Who came up with this shit?

I do it for the wine. If I drink enough my head starts feeling funny. I also start laughing at absolutely nothing and if I keep drinking, I get dizzy as well. However it is a sin to drink more than one glass of wine after midnight. Last time I drank five.

It is stupid. Why would Noctis care if I drank more than I was supposed to?

I reach for the wine bottle.

"Why are you awake?"

The deep and sleepy voice surprises me enough to make me jump a little. It did not sound familiar. "Is everything okay Eden?"

I turn around. To my surprise Thales is standing by my door. His tone is different, his words softer and more confident. He rubs his fingers against each other in a self-assured delicate circular motion. A smile as soft as his words.

"I apologize," I say. "I know I am not supposed to be awake during this hour." Sometimes my voice sounds so wimpish when I get nervous.

"No worries," He says. "I was hoping to find you awake."

It does not even bother me that I am sitting like a moron alone in the middle of the night with a bottle of wine. The glow in his eyes is enough proof that he is only happy to see me.

He looks at me, up and down, slowly observing the room. "Drink with me," He says while approaching me and the bottle. He probably does not know about our rituals and how sinful it is to drink for entertainment. In Lux it must be different. They believe in one God, a more free God.

"I don't know if I should. My mother and father would never approve." The disappointment in my voice says it all. The words are forced. I can't risk it if they wake up and see my sinful behavior and Thales voice isn't really quiet. Last time they caught me breaking the rules I was forced to clean the whole house and I could not meet Norah for a week. I never want to do that again or sneak out to train.

"It is okay Eden," My father enters the room with another glass for Thales. "You can drink as much as Thales wants." He is smiling - and so am I.

I grab the glass which is almost completely full. The red liquid dances close to the edges and a few drops fall to the floor. In the glass it looks like dark raspberry juice, on the floor it looks like blood. I have always been so fascinated that something you drink can make your mind feel so ludicrous. Sometimes I believe Ceilis doesn't want us to drink too much because it could make even the most serious person happy. That would cause our society to fall apart completely. I throw a kiss to my father and he gives me one back. He leaves my room and closes the door behind him softly. He does not want to wake up my mother. I understand him, she would never allow this.

After finishing my first glass, Thales looks at me with a more serious look.

"I need to test your abilities." He begins. "I need to know if you are good enough for the Farik Ladakee. Only those who are a good fit are allowed."

"I would do anything to join the Fariq Ladakee." I say.

"Why?" He sounds impressed.

"I want to make a difference in the world." I answer, proudly.