Mystic - EN version

PART 3: Quest - Chapter 27: Destination

Clave shyly approached Griselda, not really knowing what to say.

– Thank you so much for saving me from Arthur and for letting me stay here these past few weeks, she said at last.

She would have liked to say more, but she had to leave and couldn't find the words.

Griselda took her by the shoulders and held her gently, then released her and smiled at her as a mother would smile at her child. Or so it seemed to Clave.

– You're not saved yet, Clave... You still have a mission to complete, an enemy to stop and a destiny to accept. But I have faith in you. I know you can do it.

Clave thought that Griselda was overestimating her, but she was going to try.

The time had finally come to leave for good, not just the two of us as originally planned, but the three of us.

Clave hoped to see Griselda again soon. She was going to miss her.

Now they were on the move. The young girl didn't know where to go or what to do, but she trusted Noah. First they followed a small cobbled path, then a dirt track leading into the forest and then into the mountains. They had only made a small deviation to retrieve Corentin's belongings, a rucksack and a sword hidden near the Eternal Tree. Clave wondered how she had managed to get past them without seeing them.

She didn't want to look back, she wanted to be determined to move forward, but she had doubts. She didn't want to find the Crown, she didn't want to become the Queen of Sirine, but she had to. And she hated that.

Clave took one last look around the mansion, hoping to catch a glimpse of Griselda in one of the many windows, but she didn't see her. Instead, she saw something she had never seen before: a huge translucent silver dome enveloping the mansion.

Noah approached her.

– This is the barrier my aunt talked about. Its purpose was to protect us all and prevent Arthur from reaching this place, the young man explained with a smile.

Clave was speechless. Griselda's magic was truly incredible. The young girl smiled gratefully at Griselda for protecting her in this way.

Clave and Noah were standing side by side in front, and they could feel Corentin's heavy gaze on them.

– I don't trust him, Noah said suddenly.

– Is it because he came to the mansion as a cat? his friend laughed.

– Don't make fun of me! That's got nothing to do with it, he exclaimed. Just because he said your real name and knows things about the Princess Mystic, you trust him?

– I can't trust someone I only met an hour ago... Of course I'm suspicious! Besides... I don't even know myself, so for him to know me? You bet he doesn't. He only knows Mystic, not Clave. And I haven't been Mystic since I woke up with no memory, said Clave.

Noah seemed impressed by this tirade. The young girl smiled with satisfaction.

– Did you remember anything? asked Griselda's nephew.

– No... But I had a sort of vision recently. I dreamt of a woman in a dark room. She had a great presence and a warm smile, but a bit forced, I think... On the other hand, I can't remember what her voice sounded like.

Noah listened attentively. Clave continued quickly, feeling that the memories of his dream were beginning to escape him.

– Then Arthur came along, and that's when I opened my eyes. This woman looked familiar... It was like a mixture of the past and the future... It disturbed me, but it was only a dream.

Noah said nothing. He just stared at Corentin, unable to wipe the look of concern from his face. Clave put a hand on his shoulder to soothe him.

– I'll be careful, I promise.

The young man smiled.

– I'll be there to protect you, Princess.

This sentence lit a small flame of joy inside Clave.

– Such silly things you're saying, she laughed.

– So where are we going? Corentin finally asked, breaking the silence.

Noah took his map out of his belt pocket and unfolded it in front of his mates. Clave studied the map closely. It was much more detailed than the one in the book, with lots of names that meant nothing to her. Nothing looked familiar.

– Right now, we're here, in this forest, said Noah.

He pointed to a big green spot at the top of the map.

– And we're going this way,' he continued, tracing the path with his index finger.

– The Blueraven domain?

Corentin was surprised.

– What do you want to do there?

Clave shrugged. She didn't know who the Blueravens were or why Noah wanted to go in that direction, but she trusted him. She no longer knew this country, these places, these roads. She didn't know where to go; she had no choice but to be guided.

– Our final destination will be the capital, of course, but Griselda advised me to go well round the Silverwood domain, even if it meant walking for several days.

Corentin, silent again, didn't ask who Griselda was. No doubt he had already understood when they left.

Clave looked at the map. The capital was approximately in the middle, while the Silverwood domain was the furthest north and the Blueraven domain the furthest east. So, logically, they should be heading south-east.

- Well, let's go, concluded the young girl.

And they set off in search of the Crown.