The Devil's Cursed Witch

Seeing the King in a daze, Melion called him again, "Your Majesty? Is something the matter--"

Draven raised his hand to stop him from talking and his red eyes stared towards the door of his study.

Just then, there was a knock and Erlos entered the study. "Sire, Elder Leeora and..." Erlos wondered how he should address Ember now as there was a sudden change in her status from nobody to someone really important. "...and Miss Ember is here to see you."

Erlos sighed inwardly and felt it was the right way to address her.

The moment the door opened, the fragrance assaulted him, and Draven clenched his fists under the desk. He felt angry at how nonsensical he was reacting. She was yet to even enter his study but all his senses had become sensitive to her presence.

It was not good news for him when all he wanted was to stay away from her. He should be strong enough not to get pulled towards her due to her scent, but his body was being honest, and her scent was numbing his thought process.

Leeora and Ember entered the study where Melion turned to look at them. No one knew the human female was awake and it came as a shock to Melion.

"The King's aide greets the High Elder of the Wood Elves and His Majesty's mate."

Malion did not just bow to Leeora but to Ember as well because she was next to the King's status given the situation. There was no way that any resident of Agartha would ever bow to a human before, but now, the day had come when each and every supernatural being in this kingdom would bow to this human girl.

Draven got hold of himself and looked at Melion. "Send the news to every leader that the human survived the marking. Arrange the next council meeting and let me know when it'll be held."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"You are dismissed."

Melion bowed and left as he once again glanced at the human who stood with her head lowered.

Once Melion left, Draven turned his attention to Leeora who bowed to him and she signaled Ember to do the same which she followed.

"Sire, we are here to see you before we leave," Leeora informed him after she raised her head.

Draven nodded and looked at Ember who still didn't dare look at his face even once, as if he would eat her alive if she did so.

"For her needs, have the palace take care of them. You can simply have Erlos inform Yula and Garros," Draven said. Yula was one of Draven's aides who was in charge of domestic duties, while Garros was the one who held finances.

As Ember was his mate, Draven was the one to be responsible for her and all her needs. Leeora found herself inwardly smiling at the King's attitude.

"Thank you for your benevolence, Sire," Leeora bowed once again and looked at Ember, "Do you want to say anything, Ember?"

Ember was smart enough to understand why Leeora brought her here. Even without the elf's encouragement, it was something that she herself wanted to say to the King.

To show him her gratitude.

She raised her head to look at the stern-faced king. It felt like an eternity had passed since the last time his red eyes had seen those emerald green ones, the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. Her scent was already affecting his urges, and now her eyes made him feel breathless. He was barely holding on, maintaining his poker face with difficulty as he met her gaze.

Ember took a deep breath.

"T-Thank you, Your Majesty," Ember said in a small, shy voice.

Draven didn't know what to say to her and briefly closed his eyes. No one could tell what he was thinking.

After a while, he turned to the elderly elf standing beside her. "You can give her the potions Cornelia had sent the last time."

It puzzled Leeora for a moment and then she looked at Ember. "Dear, can you wait for me outside?"

She nodded and Erlos led her way outside, leaving Draven and Leeora alone inside the study.

"Sire, forgive me if this sounds rude, but I didn't give Ember vitality potions even when she needed them as that was your order. Her life isn't in danger now, yet now you are ordering me to give her those potions. May I know the reason for this?" Leeora asked carefully. In the back of her mind, she had a guess and that worried her.

'Is Sire thinking about mating with her?' the thought panicked her inside.

"Think of that as a test she also passed. I see no reason to continue withholding an item Cornelia gave her," Draven replied flatly which showed he meant nothing else.

Leeora cleared her throat awkwardly, not knowing how to put it in words. "Sire...we are not sure about her age yet...I was thinking..." She cleared her throat. "How silly of me. Of course, I can ask her about her age as she talks now..."

Draven's stare made her feel more uncomfortable. Still, he answered her unspoken question.

"You have no need to be overly protective of her. She is an adult woman, based on human standards."

It surprised Leeora to see how the King was so sure. "Adult?"

"She is nineteen years of age. That is enough for humans to be called an adult," he said in a bland tone.

"Oh? I see, I see..." Leeora spoke with a soft awkward chuckle. "She had led a bad life with barely anything to eat, that's why she's probably so small and looks younger than her true age.."

Leeora's mind was surrounded with new concerns that she didn't think to ask how Draven knew about her exact age.

Draven gave her a light nod as he dismissed her. Leeora left after bowing to him.

Once Leeora closed the door behind her, Draven leaned back in his chair. That day when Morpheus came to him using his authority as Commander of the Warriors and lectured him on how to care for his mate to help her survive the bond,  he went to Valor, the human kingdom from where he found Ember.

He went there to learn more about the princess they abandoned, and it was simple for him to find out her exact age. Before, he didn't care about such a trifling matter, but the situation had changed now.

He needed to know...in case his mating instinct took over him.

'No,' he told himself. 'I will never let things go that far.'

That night he returned from Valor, he found himself craving for his mate's presence. He hated the fact that he had to go among the disgusting humans, and he was more disgusted by the things he heard from them.

It was easy to learn things after threatening humans to get information without much effort. The sight of those humans was enough to make him angry, but upon returning to his bed that night, he was somehow pacified after holding her in his arms. A visit to that human kingdom felt worth the moment he held her cold body in his warm embrace.