Chapter 37 - The Ninth Promise
Late that evening, Catherine invited Harold into a smaller room hidden behind the gallery.
Only Samuel, Michael, and Elena followed.
On the center table rested a weathered oak box sealed with two brass clasps.
Harold immediately recognized it.
"I buried this."
Catherine nodded.
"I dug it up."
"You ignored our agreement."
"I had to."
Harold slowly opened the box.
Inside lay eight silver emblems.
Each engraved differently.
Beside them rested another object wrapped in faded blue cloth.
Samuel carefully unfolded it.
Everyone stared.
A ninth emblem.
Unlike the others, it had never been polished.
Its surface remained unfinished.
No identifying marks.
No engraved owner.
Elena looked confused.
"I thought there were only eight."
"There were."
"Then whose is this?"
Harold picked up the unfinished emblem.
His expression changed.
"This one..."
"...was never issued."
Michael frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Harold gently placed it back into the box.
"When we formed the Eight Promises, we agreed to create one extra emblem."
"Why?"
"In case one day..."
"...someone proved worthy of continuing our work."
Silence filled the room.
Catherine looked directly at Harold.
"For thirty years..."
"...I've been waiting for the right person."
Before Harold could respond, an emergency phone rang upstairs.
One of Catherine's assistants hurried into the room, breathing heavily.
"They've found Arthur Collins."
Everyone stood immediately.
"Alive?" Elena asked.
The assistant hesitated.
"Yes."
"But he's refusing to speak to anyone..."
May you like
"...except the person he keeps calling 'The Keeper of the Ninth Promise.'"
Every eye slowly turned toward the unfinished silver emblem resting quietly inside the oak box.
