After that brush with death, I became determined to never be caught out again.

I may have been an infant, but I was no ordinary infant.

I had the mind of a pharmacist and an otaku.

All I had to do was use my knowledge to my advantage. I knew that magic obviously existed in this world.

Now the real question was did I have the potential to utilise it?

In the novel, Edythe first appears as the antagonist at the Royal Magic Academy. Meaning, she obviously had magic. Aside from a few villainous tricks the antagonist performed in order to undermine Eleanor, the novel never really delved into what her powers were. Of course, Eleanor wielded light magic. It was a rarer form of magic seen in these times, and even rarer for a commoner to be blessed with such gifts. Naturally, being the antagonist, Edythe's powers had always been portrayed as dark and mischievous. Edythe's magical background was a complete mystery to me aside from the few occasions when she used it against Eleanor, or when it was briefly mentioned in scenes about Edythe being a dark arts user.

But what did that really mean?

Annoyingly, I had no idea whatsoever how to harness and utilise magic. In the book, it had mentioned about Eleanor having a natural talent for harnessing her energy, therefore it never elaborated on how she actually harnessed it. Meaning, I had no guide or real resources.

Great.

I was stuck.

Just how much was the universe trying to stop me from going against my destiny?

Really - all it ever mentioned in the novel, was when Eleanor would attend her spell classes, and the teacher would make them close their eyes and even their breathing, until they were able to 'feel' the energy within. And naturally, with Eleanor being the protagonist, all she had to do was directly recite the spell without closing her eyes and waiting, because her magic was pretty much already on the tips of her fingers.

I had no spells on me whatsoever.

That meant, all I could do was close my eyes and focus while in my cot.

At first, it was only darkness.

Every night, I would try and focus my thoughts, but ended up with zero results. I had no idea what I was doing wrong.

So, I decided to cunningly strike a conversation, putting my full infant charm on one hundred percent.

"Lettie!" I exclaimed, after watching her clean a stain on the table. At first, when she cleaned, I never paid attention. But after accidentally tipping ink off the table a few months ago, right onto the pristine white carpet, I had fears of being beheaded before I even turned three.

Yet, after all my devastation, the ink stain had disappeared the next day. It was so white, it was as if nothing had spilled there in the first place.

Since then, I watched her closely. That was when I began to notice strange things that defied the earthly laws of nature. Sometimes, when she would start the fire at night, she frowned in concentration while gathering up fine, dried-out twigs and sticks. And before I could even hear what she whispered under her breath, there was a spark-then suddenly a flame.

Throughout the weeks, she would use these small spells quietly and in a conserved fashion.

Finally, I decided to ask her.

"Yes Miss Edythe?" She pretended to wipe a bench that was already clean. I knew because I had just seen her quickly whisper something while holding the cloth to the table.

"Can I do magic?"

It was a simple question. Surely, all children asked this when they were young? Given, I couldn't remember anything from before I was twelve back on earth, but I felt like I definitely would have considering my bibliophile personality.

Lettie suddenly stopped wiping.

Had I stepped on a land mine?

"Miss Lettie you are a De Villanova." Her face showed a warm smile, almost like a mother would give her child. I felt relief wash over me at the fact that I hadn't breached some unknown taboo topic. "The blood which runs through your veins is filled with more ancient magic than some of the great mages of our past."

Well. That was comforting.

Then her face became serious. "But magic is special, Miss Edythe. When you are writing laws you are testing words to find their utmost power. Like spells, they have to make things happen in the real world, and like spells, they only work if people believe in them."

I paused.

Lettie reached out and stroked my cheek, her eyes becoming forlorn. "But you are much too young for that now. Come, let us go outside."

After we were outside, however, I noticed a commotion amongst some of the maids as Lettie approached them.

Trying to appear innocent, I slowly made my way within earshot.

"...is what I'm saying." One of them said, her face pale.

"Calm down Jill." Lettie reassured, "It will be okay. It's always only for a few days, then he'll be gone again."

It seemed someone new was in the mansion.

A visitor.

"He is too carefree, what if he runs in to-"

She suddenly stopped when she made eye contact with me. The other maids began to whisper quieter to the point I could no longer hear them.

Annoyed, I turned around and decided to walk off. They could chat, while I would take this opportunity to explore without someone tailing me.

What did I care if they didn't want me to hear?

I now had the opportunity to scope out the place for myself, without someone telling me I had "gone too far" or had to "come back".

I was free.

At least as far as my little legs would take me. Yet as I walked, I found it strange to wander through a garden with everything towering over me. It gave me an eerie feeling of vertigo. Rather than a garden, it was more like a forest to me and this body. A forest of roses and other flowers I did not know the name of. Some even sparkled strangely, giving off a strange yet beautiful iridescent light. Everything was just so big and beautiful.

Therefore, it only made sense that after walking around for a while, I would end up lost. After all, there was no where I could look back to-or around-to see where I had come from. I was too short.

After a brief moment of panic, I quickly surmised that the maids would find me in no time at all. In fact, I should savour this opportunity of being alone.

It gave me time to properly take in the greenery around me. The irises, the roses, and a few more of the other worldly ones that I could not name.

It was quiet. Peaceful.

"And here we find a rose amongst thorns."

I froze in place as the male voice caught me off guard. There were only a select few men I knew, but all of the male servants' voices I knew by heart.

I did not recognise this voice.

Slowly, I turned around to find a man standing a few feet away, with silver hair that gleaned in the sun. I hadn't even heard him approach.

He looked me in the eyes and I was startled by the almost bioluminescent look that his white ash eyes seemed to portray.

"And a beautiful red rose at that."

Was he talking to me?

Yet, I highly doubted there was another red rose around, especially if he was referring to my eyes. Considering the slight curve of his lips, I knew that he was.

Who was this man?

No matter how much I wracked my brain for answers within the novel, it yielded zero results.

"And where did you come from, little rose?"

What was I meant to say? I had no idea who he was. What if I slipped up? Said the wrong thing? So I did the only thing I could.

I said nothing.

Instead, I stared at him directly in the eyes. It was a battle of the mind.

What did he want? What was he after?

After a few seconds, the side of his lip tipped upwards, almost as if he was holding back a chuckle. "I am merely curious. You do not need to be so wary, though wariness such as yours is a good thing."

For a second, I thought I had voiced my questions aloud. Surely not.

Then suddenly, a thought occurred to me.

Can he read minds?

Another smile. "Correct. You are keener than you look for one so young."

Young. Ha.

He raised an eyebrow at my sarcasm, before I suddenly realised he was answering my thoughts.

My face paled before I quickly tried to regain my composure. Although the novel never mentioned telepathy, I should not have been surprised in a world of magic. Anything could happen.

For a moment, I was lost in my thoughts. While I was thinking, I failed to realise him walk up to me, lean down and scoop me up off the ground. I felt the two hands around my body and suddenly I felt very, very small.

Being caught off guard, I gasped as I was suddenly eye to eye with the man and his silver eyes.

"Forgive me." He said, while I did my best to calm my heart from the scare. "I would have asked your permission, but I have a feeling you and I are very similar."

That was no reason to suddenly hoist me into his arms.

"Your eyes," he said, ignoring my thoughts. "Are entrancing. I wonder why they have a treasure such as you hidden away?"

Probably to keep me away from people like you.

He chuckled this time. "That is true. Kael can be very possessive when it suits him."

Possessive? I hardly doubt that was the reason for my imprisonment. Sadism seemed a more accurate fit.

And he was calling Kael by his first name. How exactly did they know each other?

Glancing away, I was put off over how high up I was. Although the maids did pick me up every now and then, none of them were as tall as this man.

"Castiel." He said, making me glance back at his amused silver eyes.

I was confused.

"You may call me," he repeated. "Castiel."

Oh.

"And will you do me the honour of gracing me with yours, little rose?"

You may call me "Edythe." I finished aloud.

"Ah." He mused. "The little rose also has a voice as beautiful as her eyes. I am honoured."

You're welcome. I suddenly became too shy to speak aloud again.

"Well, little rose, it seems-"

"Miss Edythe!" A voice suddenly called from somewhere in the garden. It was Lettie.

Castiel clicked his tongue.

Was he annoyed?

"It seems our time together has been cut short." Castiel mused, his arms tightening around me momentarily before placing me back down on the ground.

Before I could respond, Castiel leaned down, took my hand and gently kissed the back of it. "Till next time, little rose."

If there is one.

His lips twitched before straightening and his eyes were luminous, like a cat in the night. Just as I heard Lettie getting closer, he walked off.

Once he was gone, I heard a noise off to my left, then I saw Lettie rushing over to me.

"Miss Edythe! Her face was pale. As soon as she saw me relief flooded her face. She rushed over and embraced me. I could fee her heart pounding. "Are you ok?! Are you hurt?"

She checked me all over, her face beginning to return to a normal colour.

Meanwhile, I was left to wonder over what just happened.

What exactly had just happened, and importantly...

Who was Castiel?