Mina walked through the hallway, lost in her thoughts.
"Aren't you too young to be thinking about trivialities?" Sister Marionette's voice entered her ears.
Mina's eyes sparkled. It seed like everything was working for her favour. Dorning a weary smile on her face, she shook her head gently.
"If I don't think, would anyone be willing to help ." She threw her bait.
Sister Marionette smiled, walking closer to Mina, she exuded the aura of a gentle sister, "Tell , maybe I could help."
Mina looked at her, feigning worry, she shook her head. "I was taught not to bother others with my problem."
"Aish, I don't consider it a bother." Sister Marionette said as she patted Mina at her back.
Mina grimaced, a sense of disgust welling up inside her. She didn't like being touched, especially by people she looked down on.
Putting on a face smile to cover the disgust she felt, she looked around. Age couldn't allow herself to be seen by others.
"Are you worried about being seen? Let's go." Sister Marionette turned, leading Mina towards one of the empty rooms in the house.
Sister Marionette opened the door, leading Mina into the room. She sat down, pointing at the chair opposite her, to which Mina sat down.
"You don't need to feel afraid, tell ." She coaxed.
"It's nothing serious. It's just that because of Zosia, my friend and I keep being ostracized because of her.
It's like as if, the guys can't wait to worship her feet....." Mina kept talking with an aggrieved tone. She even made up so stories, twisting so things things that happened recently. She only has to change how Sister Marionette saw Zosia, and Zosia would beco the sacrifice.
While she kept talking, she was unaware of the smile forming on Sister Marionette's face.
Sister Marionette's eyes t with the spider she had sent to pluck a hair of Mina, her smile got wider, but more gentle.
Mina happened to catch her smile, and paused. Her heart thumped for a mont.
"Sister Marionette, is it possible that you are laughing at my situation?" Mina asked. She wasn't really afraid, she believes she could escape if things get awry, but she definitely doesn't want such to start with her.
As for why she was the one that ca to et Sister Marionette instead of using Tanya. One, she is yet to discuss it with Tanya or lure Tanya into it, besides, she t Sister Marionette alone and not sure if she would have such a chance again.
From what she had noticed so far, Tanya wouldn't want to et with any of the household mbers alone, since if she does and Lucian misinterprets it, it would end up making her look bad in front of Lucian, another thing that will make Tanya reject the proposition.
"Not really. I don't laugh at people's problem. It's just that it reminds of when I was still young and here was vibrant, unlike how gloomy it is.
Then, I was the least liked due to how gloomy I was, but now they are all begging ." Sister Marionette smiled, her smile a little eerie.
"Hehe..." Mina faked a laugh.
"Thank you for hearing out. I should get going." Mina said and stood up.
"Wait, before you go." Sister Marionette stood up and left the room. Coming back again with a pouch.
"Inside the pouch is a powder, sprinkle it at your room door." Sister Marionette gently instructed.
Mina glanced at the pouch. It wasn't what she was expecting and her enthusiasm dwindled. But, since she has already been given the pouch, it would be a waste not to use it.
"What would happen if I use it?" Mina asked.
"That would depend on you then." Sister Marionette answered with a smile.
Mina raised her eyebrow and just nodded. "Thank you, Sister Marionette." She thanked her and left.
Sisters Marionette watched as Mina left, before turning to her daughter that just appeared.
"I found soone we could use to get to the rest." Sister Marionette said with a smile.
"Leave no traces." Jasmine warned and left.
Jasmine walked towards the guest rooms, heading for the ladies room. Her footsteps beca slow and deliberate to exhibit signs of her being blind.
Arriving at the ladies room, she sensed two people where inside, so she couldn't drag the girl called Zosia as she wished.
Putting on a fake and innocent look on her face, she gently knocked on the door.
Inside the room, Zosia and finished arranging the room with nothing in view. She decided to shift the cupboard when she is alone.
Hearing the knock behind the door, Tanya and Zosia shared a look. It wouldn't be Mina since, she could easily push open the door and it wouldn't be the guys since their knock is a little heavier.
Tanya stood up, she walked towards the door, hoping for it to be the guys, well, maybe only Lucian.
Opening the door, she was t with the blind girl whom Zosia called Jasmine.
Tanya's smile flattered a little but quickly recovered. She wasn't sure if the guys were close by, since she couldn't check it, she could only fiegn a smile.
"Hi.. How are you doing?"
They had spent a few hours here, so it should be getting to afternoon, aning, the next defect.
"My mom is unavailable, she went to help out with sothing and due to my disability, I am unable to see where the ingredients are placed. Please could you co and help in the kitchen?" She asked
"What about your brother?" Tanya didn't want to help out with such nial work.
"He followed my mother to go get more firewood. We have burned more than the needed firewood as we have you all as guests."
Tanya sighed. Since, the girl has already worded it that way, she decided to go and watched them. Especially how the food is being cooked? Or if anything was or is added during the cooking process.
Zosia glanced at Tanya who was talking with Jasmine. She wondered if she will be willing to go.
Tanya turned to Zosia, "I will follow her to prepare lunch. Make sure you tell Lucian."
"Okay." Zosia responded as she watched Tanya leave.
Tanya had made no effort to hide that she likes Lucian.
After waiting for a while and it seed like they had gone far. She stood up from the bed.
She had checked what was inside the cupboard, so she didn't bother.
Using her strength to push the cupboard to the side gently, she realized that the cupboard was heavier than she thought.
Zosia using her strength, was finally able to shift the cupboard.
As the cupboard slowly shifted, a small, hidden compartnt ca into view—a dusty alcove embedded into the wall. The faint scent of sothing ancient and forgotten wafted out, making Zosia's heart race with anticipation.
Inside the alcove, a small, intricately carved wooden box sat, covered in dust and cobwebs.
Zosia hesitated, her hand hovering over the box, a mix of curiosity and trepidation swirling within her. What could be so important that soone went through the trouble of hiding it here?
With a deep breath, she brushed away the cobwebs and dust, revealing the delicate carvings that adorned the box's surface. They depicted strange symbols and figures, almost like a story frozen in ti.
Zosia's fingers traced the intricate patterns, trying to decipher their aning, but it was beyond her knowledge. The box seed to hum with a faint energy, a whisper of power long forgotten.
Suddenly she heard that clock sound again.
Tick! Tock!
Tick!! Tock!!
Tick!!! Tock!!!
The sound seed to remind her of the ti being lost.
Zosia's fingers froze as the ticking echoed in her mind, each sound reverberating like a warning.
She hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest. Should she open it? The logical part of her mind scread at her to leave it alone, but sothing else—curiosity, perhaps—urged her to continue. It was as if the box was calling to her, compelling her to uncover its secrets.
Taking a deep breath, Zosia gently lifted the lid. The hinges creaked as if they hadn't been moved in centuries, and for a mont, she feared the box might crumble in her hands. But it held firm, revealing its contents.
The inside of the box was covered with red velvet and inside the box laid a book.
Zosia's breath caught as she stared at the small book resting on the red velvet. It was bound in dark leather, worn with age, and the pages were yellowed at the edges. The book was bound by golden strings.
The cover bore no title, only the sa strange symbols she had seen on the box. They seed to pulse with a faint glow, as though imbued with so ancient magic. At the centre of the book is a blue glowing gem that seems to have liquid in it.
The ticking sound grew louder in her mind, urging her to take action. Zosia could feel a pull towards the book, an inexplicable compulsion to open it.
She hesitated for just a mont, then gave in to the allure, carefully lifting the fragile cover.
As she flipped open the first page, she was surprised to find that the text inside was written in the sa mysterious language as the parchnt she had seen earlier.
Yet, just as before, the words seed to blur and shift, rearranging themselves into sentences she could comprehend.
It was as if the book was speaking directly to her, translating itself in real-ti.
The first page read:
"In the hands of the one who seeks truth, this book shall reveal the secrets of the past. But beware, for knowledge cos at a price, and the past is never truly forgotten."
Then the book clamped itself shut. She gently closed back the box. She wondered if she should take the box along with the book.
Biting her lips, she decided to take both of them. She put the two of them in her inventory, to look at it in detail later.
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