141 Evil Lurking

AUTHOR'S POV

"Pardon me, are you lost?", Syria extended her hand to the shaken priest who looked pale as the moon.

Taken aback, Bertram refused to accept the helping hand of the what he knew is a Wiccan. "I-I… fine! I am fine!", Bertram stuttered in utmost fear. He flattened his palm on the walls, as he lift himself up.

"Are you a priest? I see you are new around here, have we met before?", Syria asked worriedly at the staggering priest.

"No, no!!", Bertram couldn't gather his thoughts. His mind was too distraught to think. All he knew, the palace is plagued with jeopardies.

"Calm down, I won't hurt you.", Syria stood at a distance giving Bertram some space. "What is your name?", she asked. The amulets and charms on her wrists jiggled as she place her arms on her sides.

"I.. I am..", Betram couldn catch his tongue. Wiccans and priests do not share same beliefs that they argue from the simple issues to the most complicated matters. But right at this moment, Bertram felt shielded in the presence of the Wiccan. With understanding, he knew that Wiccans wear protective amulets all the time, and this priestess could be someone he could trust. "I need help, but I am not sure how you could help me", he said as he grab Syria by her arms.

"You don't seem alright. What happened?", Syria winced at the strong grip of the priest.

"What's the scuffle here?", a familiar voice thundered in the hallway.

"There's no scuffle, Lady Vesta", Syria let go of the priest's grip and faced the paladin crusader. "This priest simply lost his way", Syria felt her choker warm up from the moment Vesta appeared.

"Priest?", Vesta glanced at the man behind the high priestess. The paladin crusader's eyes suddenly shimmered in delight. "You! Come with me", the paladin pointed her finger at the priest.

"Ye-yes, Lady Vesta", the priest kept his head down as he step forward.

"Hey, will you be alright?", Syria mouthed at Bertram as she grab his arm. Thus, Bertram didn't replied. He wasn't sure what to say anyway. Instead, he just nodded and walked with Lady Vesta.

"Go on, High Priestess. I'll take it from here", Vesta said. Half-hearted, Syria left the two as she led herself back to her chambers. She gave Lady Vesta a side-eye as she sense a dark energy from the paladin crusader through her choker.

"It is not allowed for anyone to just wander off in the palace, without my permission. I'm sure you were to wait at the antechamber", Vesta said as she fancy the trembling priest. Hanging with the idea that this priest holds the location of the sought after traveler's stone, she was giggling inside to finally deliver to the queen what she's been itching for. "It amazed me how a priest could sneak in the heavily guarded palace unnoticed. I guess I should add more guards", she said.

"Maybe, I am a little bit less suspiscious because I'm a priest. I apologize Lady Vesta. I should have known better. My curiosity failed my sense of obedience", Bertram answered as he clasp his hands together. He took a glance at the leaving Wiccan who made trusting possible despite the known gap between the witches and the priests. But still, he didn't managed to leap his faith due that nonsense gap. So, he just watched her walk away while he savor the bitterness of being alone in the dark again. Bertram looked at Vesta and felt mixed emotions with her proud smirks and excessive smugs. He have met the paladin crusader many times before, however this is the first time to meet her up close.

"True enough, I'm glad that you have arrived. We've been waiting for you", Vesta said. "I understand that there's two of you?", she searched around looking for the other priest.

Looking intently at the lady paladin, Betram thought that if there's anyone he could trust, it's the paladins. Stellan secured their safety to Beorg Mountains, and Alesso have brought them safely to the palace. So, what could go wrong with Vesta, he thought. "Ye-yes, my lady. I am not currently aware of his whereabouts, but I believe he is in danger", Bertram entailed.

"In the palace? Heh. Have you looked around, Father? If there's any safer place in the kingdom, it's the imperial palace. Though I wouldn't be much surprised if he gets in trouble for trespassing. There are new rules now", Lady Vesta replied.

"I understand", Bertram considered Lady Vesta's claim. They surely did wandered the palace without permission, thinking that Father Elijah was caught breaking the palace's new rules. He started to worry for himself. "Lady Vesta, can I trust you?", Bertram have decided to do what he had to do for a while now.

"Is that a joke?", the lines on Vesta's forehead visibly piqued her inquisitiveness.

"There's so many people around, yet so little to trust.", Bertram said with a lowly voice.

"Well, I am the paladin crusader, am I not? Am I not too trustworthy according to your holy scriptures?", Lady Vesta's arrogance immersed in the empty hall, but Bertram didn't mind.

"Right.. Just what I thought", Bertram took out the iron coffer, and handed it to Vesta. "Can you take this for me?", he asked.

"What is this?", Vesta took the iron coffer from the priest's cold hands.

"It's the traveler's stone. With you being the paladin crusader of this kingdom, I know you have better judgment with whom it can be entrusted to. And most of all, you are much stronger than I am to protect it", Bertram is certain that paladins like Vesta herself can keep such relic safe with her strenght and magic, compared to a priest like him who had nothing but his strong faith. He should've given it to Alesso or Stellan in the first place, if only he knew that the King and Queen were both unusually chary.

"I'm flattered. But I must ask, is there anyone you do not trust in the palace? Is there some sort of evil lurking around?", Vesta tilted her head to the side towards the cautious priest. He knows something, she thought.