Isolde

My eyes flickered through the pages of the book as I cradled the tea mug in my hands. I was so lost in the words I was reading and the world I had created in my head that I didn’t realize I was leaning forward until I spilled a drop of tea on the old, yellowing page.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” I muttered under my breath and shot up from my seat instantly. I pushed the mug to the side and began dabbing at the page with the hem of my dress.

My fingers were covered in bruises from having to work at the mill all day. The library...