"…He told me not to come back," she whispered.
Isaac stayed quiet, and let her continue at her own pace.
"I only… hic… wanted to help. Why is he telling me to leave?"
Her voice cracked.
Her face was twisted between confusion, and sadness, as if she couldn't decide which feeling to hold on to.
"Did he really tell you to leave because of the serpent incident?" Isaac finally asked, careful with his tone.
"I… I don't know."
Her head lowered again. Her hair fell forward like a curtain.
Isaac rubbed his chin.
Vale's actions were inconsistent.
At times, he seemed protective of Celia.
But now, he was pushing her away mercilessly.
'How is this all connected to the serpent…' Isaac muttered in his mind. 'And is this related to the Governor?'
That thought made him frown.
Vale had told him before that if Isaac wanted Celia to join him, he should dig up dirt on the Governor.
That had felt like an odd demand at the time, but maybe it wasn't so random.
