Tangled By Fate

Chapter 118 - MEETING AN OLD FRIEND

Veronica was bewildered when she saw Catherine who was supposed to be at the temple. She was even more astonished when she heard Catherine left the temple, saying her future dream was only to find her childhood friend who seemed to be in danger. She was in awe hearing her friend managed to get help from a spy, or that's what Catherine said.

"All right, I believe you. But if he is a spy, how did you end up with him? Didn't he suspect you for having an ulterior motive?" Veronica curiously inquired.

Catherine seemed proud as she answered, "Oh, that was easy. I told him that I needed to meet my family who seemed to be traveling from Riverhill to Utahill. And you know, anyone has to cross the desert to visit Utahill from Riverhill. He believed in me and gave me a ride."

"…" Veronica's jaw dropped. Although she would easily believe someone who would say the same thing to her, she was surprised that a spy would do the same. 'He had seen more of the real world than I did, right?' she wondered.

Arthur's cold gaze swept over his subordinate. "She could be an assassin in disguise," he uttered in a low tone.

Sebastian flinched. He lowered his head and muttered, "She looked so beautiful and pitiful… I couldn't help it. I'm sorry, Master." He looked like a puppy who did something wrong and made his master mad at him.

Arthur instructed in a low tone, "We still don't know if the temple sent her to us to keep an eye on Veronica or not. So, don't let her get out of your sight."

Sebastian scratched his head. "What if… she had to bathe or use toi…let…" His face reddened visibly when he mentioned 'toilet'.

Arthur demanded, "Guard her surroundings. Don't let any bird or animal approach her. If they do, kill them all."

"Okay, Master." Sebastian sighed in relief. He didn't want to spy on a woman while she was bathing or responding to nature calls. He was glad his master didn't make him do that.

"After coming to the forest, I told him the truth, but he couldn't leave me behind. I think he is too much of an idiot for a spy," Catherine commented.

"I can hear you, you know? How could you speak ill of me when I brought you here?" Sebastian retorted. He seemed to be hurt by her comment.

Catherine denied shamelessly, throwing an excuse at him, "I'm not speaking ill of you. I'm just expressing my opinion."

"No one asked you!" Sebastian refuted.

Catherine put her hands on the waist. She was ready to fight. "What did you say?"

Veronica saw those two arguing and tried to stop them, "Please stop…"

"He started it!"

"She started it!"

Catherine and Sebastian spoke in unison.

"…" Veronica was speechless. 'They are even talking at the same time, amazing!' she thought.

"Enough," Arthur bellowed in a commanding voice. Then, he held Veronica's arm and said, "Let's depart. We will meet some people from the desert tribe soon if we go faster. This way, we can leave the camels to them and be on our way without anything lagging us behind."

"Sure, let's head out," Veronica readily agreed. Though she began to love these animals, they were too slow. She couldn't sleep well with anxiety gripping her heart either. She wanted to move somewhere safe soon.

"Let's go together," Catherine held Veronica's hand and grinned in excitement. "But who are you?" She glared at Arthur. Her expression immediately changed when she saw him.

Arthur slightly bowed to show some respect to the lady in front of him. "The name is Arthur. May I have your name, please?"

Catherine gave him a suspicious glance and replied, "Catherine. I'm Ver's childhood friend. I grew up with her in the temple."

"We… Arthur and I are a couple," Veronica bashfully announced.

"…Huh?!" Catherine was so stunned that she couldn't process the information properly. It took her some time to realize what her friend said. "What are you saying? You just got to know him, right? What is a stranger doing with you? He isn't playing with you since you are inexperienced in that field, is he?"

Arthur's eyebrow twitched. 'I don't like this woman,' that was his first thought about Catherine.

Veronica denied her claims, "It's nothing like that. We have known each other since I started going to town. I'm sorry I forgot to introduce him to you. He is from Utahill. He is the owner of the library in our town."

Arthur was content with her supporting him. He smiled in satisfaction.

Now everyone had one horse each. Veronica was nervous at first to ride on her own. However, she had a strange connection with animals. The horse was quite friendly toward her and she managed to ride without a problem.

The only person who didn't like it was Arthur. He wanted to be with her. He wished she could ride with him. But she was too busy enjoying her new ride. Her face was glowing radiantly in excitement.

He couldn't say anything to her.? 'As long as she is not scared anymore. It's for the best,' he thought. He was at the front. The girls were behind him and Sebastian was behind them.

"So, tell me, how did you end up reviving the whole desert?" Catherine questioned her friend. "I knew you were a healer, but you never mentioned that you had magical powers as well."

Veronica was riding by her side. She replied, "I don't have any magical powers. Arthur was injured and I meant to heal his injury. I lost consciousness after that. Later, Arthur told me that I healed the desert while healing him. At first, I didn't want to believe his words but when I saw with my own eyes and everyone started to call me a blessed child, I realized I did something big."

Sebastian perked his ears up. He was surprised to hear his master was injured. 'How did my invincible master get injured? He can fight against ten men all at once.'

"Trying to heal a human but ended up healing nature," Catherine mumbled. She looked at her friend and said, "Ver, I think you did something marvelous. No healer could ever do it. That's why they call you the blessed child. No wonder all countries are coming after you. So, what is your plan now?"