The Devil's Cursed Witch

Once Ember had somehow regained her composure, she let go of Draven, moving to dry her tears, but her mate beat her to it and his glove-covered fingers wiped her cheeks.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

She nodded and Draven fixed the random hair strands that were stuck to her moist cheeks. Just then, his sensitive ears caught something and he knew that there were people approaching but he ignored them, preferring to pay his full attention to his mate.

Seconds later, Morpheus landed in the garden with Isa. He put the young lady down and asked, "Little fox, I do know you still miss your brother but I believe you are not feeling down anymore, right? Or do you want to go play somewhere else?"

"Umm, thank you, Morph. I feel much better now," Isa replied with a grateful smile. "You really care for me the most."

Ember heard their exchange and looked at their direction. Isa was like a thorn in her heel as she could not stand seeing her and especially with the ones who she cherished. Morpheus was her friend and she didn't like how that cunning fox had him caring for her.

Morpheus had already noticed Draven and Ember and then turned to look at them. He purposely ignored Draven and took steps towards the human.

"Ember, are you not feeling well?" he asked, as he saw her visibly reddened eyes and nose. He could tell she had just cried because her delicately pale skin showed clear signs of it.

"I am fine," Ember replied, while she didn't bat an eye at Isa as if she didn't exist.

Draven didn't stop his mate from talking to Morpheus as he knew she considered him as her good friend. Still, he stayed by her side, simply focusing on her voice.

At that moment, Ember's eyes widened.

"What happened to you? Those scars…How were you injured?" Ember asked worriedly as she saw the  marks on his arms and chest that she swore she had never seen a few days ago.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it," Morpheus replied as his gaze passed her neck.

He could clearly see the changes on the mate mark on her neck and he knew the meaning of it. He looked at Draven who offered him a flat stare in return.

"I hope he is not troubling you like before and treating you well," Morpheus commented.

Ember simply smiled at it which showed she was fine with Draven.

"I will take a leave now. When you want to fly somewhere, you call me," the eagle offered.

"No need. I can take her with me," Draven replied instead of Ember.

Morpheus threw a mocking smile his way. "Here we are talking about flying. You can but you know…I believe you would not want to scare her."

Draven stayed quiet at that remark. He could not help but wonder how she would react, if she would be more scared of him once she witnessed him transform into his beast form.

Would his little mate be able to accept his visibly intimidating dragon form, a sight that could even make the most experienced war veteran tremble, when she was already scared of him when he was in his human form?

Seeing Draven's lack of response, the smile on Morpheus' lips widened. He let his majestic wings open behind him with majestic flair, causing a gust of wind to surround him.

"See you, little female," he said to Ember with a wink before flying away.

With him gone, Isa bowed to the King and left as well. She didn't want to remain in the garden to get glares from Ember. This human female sometimes looked like a lunatic to her whenever she went on her angry mode and she didn't wish to deal with her, today of all days.

Just then, Erlos came to Drayce. "Sire, there is an important message for you."

Draven could guess what it could be and looked at Ember. "I have to go."

Ember did not insist he stay since she understood  he had to go. After all, he was a king and a busy person.

Draven left with Erlos to go to his study.

Just as the King left, Ember's servants approached her. "Miss, would you like to go back to your chamber?"

Ember nodded as her gaze was fixed at the direction Draven had gone. As she walked with her servants towards the central stairs leading to the upper floors, she could not help but glance towards the hallway leading to the study. Ember noticed a few people walking towards the King's study under the escort of one of the King's aides.

'Seems like he has guests.'

She recognized Wind Fae Melion leading the group while the other three were unfamiliar to her. Two of the men were dressed similarly to Morpheus, their upper bodies naked, white tattoos marking their skin with a feathered cloak that were brown in color over their shoulders. It was safe to say they were from the same clan as Morpheus, the Divine Eagle Clan.

The third one caught her attention as that person was covered in a long black hooded robe. He was covered from top to bottom with his clothes that nothing about him was visible. Even the hood was pulled down so low, it almost covered half of his face.

But, aside from his strange appearance, something else about him caught her attention.

It was as if some mysterious aura was surrounding him. She couldn't point out what it was but her eyes remained stuck on him till he disappeared behind the door of the King's study.

'Hmm…?'

Ember blinked, doubting her eyes since she managed to see something more—the hairstands that happened to peek out from the low hood.

'Strings of gold?'

As Ember climbed the stairs, she could not help but think if that seemingly golden thread she saw were hair strands. She had never seen anything quite like it, but it was as if those hair strands were giving off a glow on their own. They were abnormally shiny, it made her wonder what kind of race that person belongs in.

'Hair as shiny as the sun…I wonder which supernatural being that person is.'

Her brows creased.

'But why do I feel like he was trying to hide his identity? I see no one covering themself like that  here. Why does he have to hide himself? Is he some spy or what?'

"Miss, what are you thinking about?" Reya asked.

It pulled Ember out of her thoughts and she asked, "Who are those people that entered King's study? Do you know anything?"

"Since they are His Majesty's guests, they must be really important people since if they do not have a high status, I doubt they will be allowed in the palace," Reya tried to answer as she turned towards her cousin.

Clio shrugged. "As maidservants, we are not allowed to pry on other affairs in the palace other than our work. Dame Yula especially advised us to stay away from anything related to His Majesty and his work. Also, we are not allowed to say anything happening inside the palace to outsiders if someone tries to ask us when we go out."

Ember understood and didn't ask anything further. But hearing Yula's name, Ember asked, "Is Yula coming to the palace by chance for anything?"

Yula was on leave so Ember had to ask.

"Dame Yula might be here as the new goods she had ordered for the palace are here and she is the one who needs to check them," Clio answered.

"If she is here, let me know. I have something to talk to her about."

"Yes, Miss."

Ember had something in her mind and she knew only Yula could answer her.

Draven's words 'I can smell you are in your fertile days' were stuck in her mind. She wanted to talk about it with Yula.

She found it proper to ask her only as they had talked about private stuff before.

====

A/N- Dear readers, keep voting the golden tickets as it's the start of the new month. Last month we were #8, I hope this month we can be #5.

<3<3