Camelot's Crow | ✓ [BOOK 3]

~ 9 ~

SUNLIGHT POOLED ONTO THE marble floor from where it hit Giselle's tall window, fragmented from the designs in the glass. It was evening now, filling her room with a warm golden glow. Giselle yawned again, the fifth yawn in an hour. Her eyes burned from all the words she had to look at, and her hand ached from the piles of signatures she had to write. She was bored, she was lonely, and her head ached with the stress. It was hard to get used to not having Selene around, and it ached to think about her.

She eyed her empty tea cup, sitting at the corner of her desk. She'd finished off the pot of tea already, at least it would be an excuse enough to get away from this horribly tedious job she'd been tasked with. With everything going on in her kingdom, the protests and disarray and the desperate need for aid, Giselle was eager to help somehow. But all her mother let her do was sign papers and read letters, most of which all said the same thing. Giselle picked up the pot and left her room.

A maid saw her and stopped in front of her, outstretching her hand. "Allow me, Your Highness."

"No," Giselle said, in a voice more stern than she wanted it to be. "Sorry. I'd like to do it myself, I need to get up and move around a bit."

The maid looked taken aback, but she nodded eventually, knowing better than to disobey the Princess, and disappeared down the hall. Giselle went the other way, finding her way into the large kitchens. Bustling servants were too busy to notice her, and whenever one did, she waved them away.

"Your Highness!" a woman exclaimed. "Is something wrong?"

Giselle filled the pot with water. "I'm alright," she told her, irritation increasing. "I just need more tea and I want to get it myself."

The maid wrung her hands together. "Well, we're preparing dinner, so the stoves are all occupied."

Giselle sighed, trying not to let her frustration show. "No worries," she said, setting the teapot on a nearby counter. The magic she was proficient in was healing, but she tried her hand at something else. She placed both palms on the porcelain, letting her eyes fall shut, and she thought carefully of heat, of making the water hot.

A victorious grin spread over her face when she heard the water boiling at her touch. She opened her eyes and looked down to find it steaming.

"It worked!" she exclaimed, turning to the maid. "What's your name?"

"Er... Delphi."

"Delphi," Giselle repeated. "Will you go fetch me the rose tea?"

The maid disappeared for a moment before returning with a jar of tea bags. She handed them to Giselle, who gingerly prepared her tea in the water she'd warmed up herself. There was an odd buzz that shot through her body, though she brushed it off as excitement. She didn't often explore the little things her magic could do, but when she did, it made her smile.

"Thank you for your help, Delphi," said Giselle. "I'll be off, then."

Giselle picked up the tea from the counter, making her way back to her room with the hot pot in her hands. It didn't bother her, it was her own magic that created the heat, after all.

When she returned to her room, she felt dizzy again. It wasn't bad, but it was strong enough to catch her attention. It felt like a high, almost, but she hadn't taken anything to give her such a feeling. She set the teapot on the desk and steadied herself with her chair.

She wanted to do it again, something small, but she didn't know what. It was like her magic was getting stronger, larger, like it wanted to break out of her and be free. She had to be careful, her magic was limited, but she didn't want to deny the call.