CHAPTER 144: CONTROL

• ELOISE •

There was a knock on the door, three knocks to be precise.

Osha!

I hurried and unlocked the door, but my smile quickly faded when I saw Dia.

"D-Dia?"

My heart pounded at the thought of her being here. I looked at Osha, who had an apologetic expression on her face.

She brought her here?

"I heard you confined yourself. It seems true."

"It’s nice to see you, Dia, but—"

She invited herself into my chambers, and I panicked, but it was already too late.

"Dia!"

Dia stopped, eyes wide as she took in the room, mouth agape. She stepped closer to the candelabra covered in ice and poked it, flinching when it made a soft crack sound.

"It’s like icy crystals."

"Osha, what did you do?" I demanded angrily.

Osha shut the door and hung her head down. I never thought I would ever be furious at her until now. I felt like I wanted to kick her out and never see her again.

"This is incredible..."

I froze at Dia’s words, stunned by the look of amazement she gave me.

"You’re incredible!"

"What?"

"Tch! Now I’m jealous you have such wonderful powers."

"Wonderful powers?" I deadpanned. "You think this is wonderful?"

"Do not be hard on Osha; she came to me personally because she was worried about you. She did right by you."

"I’m not sure why she involved you in this." I pinned Osha with a deep frown. "She shouldn’t have."

"Apologies, Your Grace."

"Come on now—"

"You’re not needed here, Diana."

Her smile slowly fell. "How did you..."

"Osha, please ask the princess to leave."

Osha seemed to be in shock. "The princess?" she mumbled.

"I’m not leaving!" Diana interjected. "I’m not going anyway.

"I want you to," I said through clenched teeth, not in the mood to tolerate her.

"No, I’ll not!" She folded her arms just to prove her point.

"Then I’ll drag you out myself!"

She smirked like the devil. "I’d like to see you try."

"You—"

"Your Grace, Your Highness, please calm down! This is not the time for this. We have a much pressing issue to deal with."

"Listen to your handmaid, and believe me when I say you’re going to need all the support you can get from now on, whether you want it or not."

"I think both of you should leave," I declared. "You’re both excused."

I walked back to the couch.

"Is that what you had to deal with?"

"Forgive her, she’s not dealing with this well."

"She is far worse now, colder even."

"I can hear you!" I sat down and pulled my knees to my chest, hoping they could just go away and leave me be.

"Osha, add fire to the hearth, make this place as warm as possible."

"Yes, your highness."

Diana came closer and sat on the couch in front of me. She smirked, grabbing the jug and pouring tea into the cup.

"How long have you known I was the princess?"

"You slipped."

"Hmm... I should have been more careful."

"Your thick makeup was a good game, though."

"Oh, you think so?" She sipped her tea. "So cold!" She coughed.

I blinked. "You should be older than me, and yet you look so..."

"Young, small..." She cleared her throat. "You’re not the only one having a difficult time regulating the abnormalities."

"I know... Sloane told me. I couldn’t understand completely, but I do now. Your moonblood didn’t activate, and in return, your body didn’t adjust."

"That bitch!" she blurted. "How dare she?"

I snorted. "You and me both."

Wait... I told them to leave, didn’t I? Then why was I entertaining her?

"I’m not leaving if that is what you’re thinking. The Fates will be coming, and by tomorrow, the preparations for the ball to welcome them must begin, and the Balthar ladies are obligated to do everything to make the arrangements, it’s traditional."

Great. A charming time with my mother-in-law. Not happening!

"I can’t do it."

"You’re in no position to disagree."

I looked to the ice and back at Diana. "I think I am."

"About the ice, you’ll have to control it."

"I can’t do that."

"Will you stop with the can’t? You’re supernatural, deal with it!"

At her abrupt yell, it was like a slap on my face.

She placed a hand on her chest. "I grew up being the defect of this family, even though I’m beastless, I didn’t stop trying for things to get better."

"Maybe you should stop, at the end, nothing will get better. It’s the universal law for imperfections like us."

"Then why haven’t you stopped, huh?"

I flinched at her words.

"You may have locked yourself in your chambers for days, but I do know your soul is screaming for clarity. You pushed Drevon away, even though you need him more than ever now."

My mind went numb. Drevon.

I heard cracks as the ice reversed.

"Oh, would you look at that... you have little control."

"I don’t, it just happens."

The ice came back and encased the table in front of us.

Diana reached for the cup now made of ice; it wasn’t like the usual thick frost. I had noticed it made everything in icy crystals. It was beautiful, and I could see now why Diana admired it, but it was also scary.

"We have so much work to do. What do you think of when your ice reverses?"

"I don’t know."

"You’re not helping."

"I don’t need your help."

"Of course you do, why else would Drevon have sent me to you?"

"H-He did that?"

My ice reversed, and Diana looked at the unfrosted cup she held before smirking. "Marvelous."

"What?"

She cleared her throat. "You’re right, I wasted my time coming here." She rose to her feet, fixing her skirt. "Since you don’t want my help, then enjoy your last few moments of peace before the entire castle figures out you’re a snowblood."

"Your highness, please, we need you!" Osha implored.

"Go on then, I don’t need you!"

The window froze this time.

"Drevon must be worried sick, right now..." she sighed. "Poor thing." She peeked at me as if waiting for something. "Look!" She pointed.

The ice on the window had reversed.

"That’s your control."

"What are you talking about?"

"Drevon is your control, silly! Each time you think of him, your ice becomes stable."