Mystic - EN version

Chapter 22 : Warning

– Noah, could you ask Clave to join me in the sitting room on the ground floor? asked Griselda of her nephew.

– Of course, he replied.

He went to look for the princess in her room, but she wasn't there. He searched the corridors of the mansion for several minutes before finally finding her on the roof.

– Hi, Clave, smiled the young man.

– Hi..., sighed Clave.

Noah tilted his head to one side, worried by his friend's tone.

– Is everything all right?

– Yes, yes, don't worry, replied the young girl.

– Griselda told me to ask you to come downstairs. She wants to talk to you about something, but I don't know what.

– I'll go down. I'll be off. I'll see you later.

Noah watched worriedly as his friend took off down the stairs.

Clave counted over a hundred and fifty steps before reaching the ground floor of the mansion. She went into the sitting room where the mistress of the house had welcomed Catherine a few days ago. When she entered the room, she noticed Griselda waiting, comfortably seated in an armchair.

– Sorry if I've kept you waiting, apologised the princess

– Don't worry about it. I'm more sorry to have bothered you like this. However, I wanted to talk to you about something that's been bothering me ever since that Catherine woman arrived here.

The false smile that Clave was trying to keep straight on her face faded. She kept stopping herself from thinking about it, about the thing Griselda wanted to talk to her about, because she had understood what it was, and now the young woman was reminding her.

– Go on Clave, take a seat.

The princess came over and sat down in an armchair, right opposite Noah's aunt. She folded her legs against her chest, forgetting the good manners Griselda had taught her over the last few days.

– So, what did you want to talk to me about, Griselda? asked Clave.

– From your face and expression, you already know, don't you?

The princess nodded slowly. Duke Arthur's sister smiled ruefully.

– I wanted to talk to you about Catherine. The problem is, I don't know if she can be trusted...

Catherine had finally finished cleaning the unoccupied rooms in the mansion. She couldn't understand why Griselda was asking her to do this when she never had guests. Three-quarters of the mansion was always empty and useless. The ginger couldn't understand the point of living in such a big place...

She left the room she had just finished cleaning and went downstairs to tell Griselda that she had finished all her chores. When she arrived downstairs, she heard the young woman talking to Clave. As she approached to listen to what they were saying, she heard her name in the conversation.

– I know that Catherine is your friend, but remember that it was Arthur who sent her here in the first place. No one can know what he might have asked her to do...

– Yes, I know... And I hate myself for not being able to trust her.

Catherine let herself slide against the wall, just beside the living room door. At that moment, she was fully aware of the choice Arthur had imposed on her.

She had to choose between the trust of her only friend and the life of her little brother. And she knew in advance that this choice was going to be impossible for her.