Cirice Forge doesn't know who she is. Other than a piece of paper with her name on it, she knows nothing about her time before she was dispersed into the foster system. Now, she bartends at a popular gentleman's club with plenty of ogling and still...
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"Argh!" Cirice cried, dropping the book she had just lifted. The large black spider skittered across the table and morphed to a cat. The cat then slinked across the room, giving a satisfied meow as Cirice gripped her chest.
"Dammit Mason, it wasn't funny the first three times!" she cried, slamming the book down as the cat disappeared and Mason stood in its place. He smirked at her, his unkempt blonde hair falling into his eyes.
"On the contrary, I find it quite amusing." Mason countered, flopping into one of the many armchairs around the library. Cirice glared at him, holding up the book in her hand.
"Next time I'm going to drop a book on you," she warned, pointing at him. Mason laughed, reclining in the chair in mock relaxation.
"It won't kill me, or hurt for that matter. By all means, if it makes you feel better." Cirice hurtled the nearest book straight at his head. It thumped and bounced off and Mason playfully hurtled himself off the chair and into the plush settee.
"Has the war started?" Cirice and Mason jumped, looking to see Alex enter the room. Cirice's face flushed red as Mason scooped the book off the floor. She dropped her eyes and rearranged a stack of books as her stomach pitted. She hadn't spoken to him since the night of the ball.
"Alex, I was beginning to think you had been completely barred from the castle," Mason commented, watching him. Cirice rolled her eyes and shut the book in front of her and glared at him, knowing very well Mason knew what happened and was toying with them.
"As if. What are you two doing in here anyway?" Alex asked, popping something into his mouth as he strolled over. Cirice pushed the books she had been examining over to him from her place behind the large, ornate desk. She eyed him from the leather chair.
"I've been looking for three days and I have found nothing in this library about the Dark Ritual," Cirice said, annoyed.
"Dark Rite." Mason corrected, popping up and eyeing them. Alex pursed his lips as he chewed and Cirice had to force herself not to look at his jawline. She was still heavily stressed from the night of the ball and had been quite relieved that Alex had made himself scarce.
"Well, of course, you won't find it in here," Alex said, gesturing to the room around him. Cirice narrowed her eyes and gave him an expectant look.
"All of these books are from--at earliest--fifty years ago." Alex started, leaning against the desk and meeting Cirice's eyes. "The fire that consumed Immortals Rest took all of the ancient texts with it." Alex finished.
"So?" Cirice asked. Alex chuckled and tossed a book to the side.
"The Dark Rite hasn't been performed since the beginning of the Vale. Back when Father Nihil first came into power." Alex explained, flipping open a book and shuffling the mountains of loose paper inside.
"See here is a map of the original Vale. Back in those days, sacrifices were required to appease the Dark Lord." Alex said, flipping to another page in the book where a dark creature stared back at Cirice. Its eyes seemed to bore into her as her stomach began to turn. A frozen breeze rushed past them and Cirice looked to see where the window had flown open.
She rushed to it, pushing the creaking glass-paned frame back. She paused for a moment before latching it, sighing as she took in the gorgeous landscape before her. Snow fell softly on New Vale. People below were tiny from her vantage point, and the mountains in the distance stood destitute. She sighed heavily, shutting the window.
"I wish I could go outside." she lamented, leaning against the window frame. The stone was cold against her cheek as she flipped the latch. Alex and Mason shared a look and Alex cleared this throat.
"Do you know how heavily guarded this place is right now?" he prodded as Cirice sighed in annoyance and turned to him.
"No, I didn't notice the constant guards and absence of cheer. I can only remember attempting to sneak out once and it didn't go well." Cirice shot back, giving Mason a look as he chuckled.
"Well, there is one way. If you are really set on going." Alex said in a matter-of-fact tone. Cirice approached him.
"Alex Idris breaking the rules? Who would have thought?" she whispered, meeting his eyes. She held them for a moment before Mason cleared his throat.
"We going?" he asked, standing. Cirice looked back at Alex who smiled.
