Giselle thinned her lips, ducking her head over her work. “It’s only for emergencies, milady,” she said. She flashed a smile, though it seemed false. “Thankfully I do have a naturally calming presence.”
I exchanged a look with Misty. Would thingsescalate, as Giselle called it?
Of course, Misty meowed.People are rioting over fabric. Think of what they’ll do when they find out their future queen is a witch.
Giselle looked at me suddenly. Her pale gold irises were unnerving. “Say, you and the crown prince aren’t exactly the lovebirds you need to be, are you?”
“Pardon?” I said, affronted.
She shrugged and began stitching. “He made it public enough that he didn’t want to be in this carriage.”
I bristled.
“No need to get your knickers in a twist...not that you’re wearing any, I presume.” Giselle shifted closer so that our knees bumped. “Listen, I want to help.”
“What are you saying?”
She darted her eyes around the carriage before pulling something out of her bodice. Two decorative charms made of knotted twine and colorful ceramic beads dangled from her hand.
“Love charms,” Giselle whispered from the side of her mouth. “Keep one on you and the other on the crown prince. Anywhere will do, as long as it’s on his person.”
I am positive that is treason, Misty drawled.
“No,” I said.
Giselle raised her eyebrows. “You’re not even going to consider it? Think of how much more effective this tour will be if you two are actually in love. Besides, how long will it take for that to happen organically? After what you did last summer—”
“No,” I repeated.
“Are you sure?”
I turned to the window. “I’m here to atone my wrongdoings, not commit more.” My lip curled as I looked back at Giselle. “It seems that Crown Prince Bennett made a mistake bringing you onto the witch committee.”
My sneers intimidated the haughtiest of courtiers, but Giselle didn’t shrink back. Instead, she shrugged, unconcerned, and shoved the charms back into her bodice. “Alright. I’ll hold on to these if you change your mind,” she said, returning to her sewing.
“I won’t,” I said stiffly.
I sincerely hoped the rest of the witch committee weren’t as lawless as her.
Giselle sighed loudly. “The crown prince is about as difficult to woo as a brick wall. Just you wait. After the wedding, you’ll be spending the rest of your life alone.”
I saw it fit to not respond. As insane as she was, Giselle made something very clear: making the crown prince fall in love with me was impossible. I had tried under Mother’s orders but to no avail. And from our interaction this morning, it didn’t seem like I would have any more luck on my own.
What mattered now was winning his trust.
I recalled what the crown prince said to me in the king’s study.
My duty is to my kingdom, Lady Narcissa. Whether yours is remains to be seen.
Of course. I would have to show him that Olderea matters to me as much as it does to him.
And what does that entail?Misty asked from my side.
It means, I thought to her,that I will be the best crown princess this kingdom has ever seen.
