The Devil's Cursed Witch

By evening, Ember stirred in her sleep, waking much sooner than she had after Draven marked her. Draven and Evanthe weren't surprised; it was a proof to how much stronger she had become over the past few months. Her powers were gradually coming under her control.

She opened her drowsy eyes, feeling disoriented, unsure of where she was or what was happening. Draven, who had been sitting nearby, unwilling to leave her side in case she woke up, quickly moved to her. Evanthe remained seated, understanding that only Draven was needed at this moment. Her gaze shifted to the still-unconscious Morpheus, uncertain of when he would wake.

"Are you awake?" Draven asked, sitting at the edge of the bed.

At the sound of Draven's voice, Ember turned to him as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Draven?" she murmured.

He took her hand gently. "How are you feeling?"

She looked around, confused, taking a moment to recognize her surroundings. "What happened?"

When she tried to move, a sharp pain made her groan, her hand instinctively clutching her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes as the memory of what caused the pain resurfaced.

Draven helped her sit up, concern etched on his face. "Are you still in pain?"

Resting her head against his chest, she nodded. "Morph?"

"He's right here, next to you," Draven replied, and she turned her head weakly to see the unconscious man lying beside her on the bed. "Is he alright?" she asked, her voice weak but filled with worry.
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"He is, but he was already weak, so it might take some time for him to wake up," Draven reassured her.

She nodded, closing her eyes again, trying to endure the lingering pain.

"It will stop hurting soon," Draven whispered softly, trying to comfort her.

"Is this how the eagle clan marks their mates?" Ember's pained voice was muffled against Draven's chest. "I thought he was going to bite me on the neck like you did, but this… this is so terrible…"

"They don't. They mark their mates just like I did," Draven explained softly.

"Then why did he mark me this way?" she asked, a groan of pain escaping her throat.

"It's a different kind of bond you share with him, not the same as the one we share," he added.

Despite the pain, Ember's curiosity stirred, and she looked up at him, her eyes searching his. "Different? How?"

"I'll explain, but first, we need to do something about the pain you're feeling," Draven said, gently wiping the tears from her eyes, his heart aching at how much she was suffering.

Ember nodded in agreement, and Draven turned to Evanthe. "What can we do?"

"There's nothing we can do. She has to bear it until it passes on its own," Evanthe replied solemnly. "There's a reason why this kind of bond is forbidden."

Draven nodded, then hugged Ember closer. "You should rest. Once the pain passes, we'll talk about it."

He carefully helped her lie back on the bed. Ember turned her gaze to Morpheus, reaching out to hold his hand. The warmth of his skin reassured her that he was still there, alive and breathing. Holding his hand somehow managed to ease her pain a little and she didn't let it go.

Draven didn't mind her holding Morpheus's hand and gently covered her with the blanket as she closed her eyes again.

Draven returned to his seat, where he heard Evanthe speak quietly. "Can you feel the bond her core has with Morpheus now?"

Draven nodded. "Yes, the bond has been established, and her core seems more stable than it's ever been."

"That's a good thing," Evanthe remarked. "Now she won't struggle with an unstable core or fear of harming others."

Draven agreed, only for Evanthe to add, "With the bond between them, your beast won't be jealous of Morpheus anymore. Soon, you'll find yourself accepting him without any reluctance."

Through his connection with Ember, Draven could already feel the effects of the new bond Ember's core now had. He didn't mind when Ember held Morpheus's hand. Both he and Morpheus were connected to Ember which meant they were somewhere connected to each other as well.

"But then, Morpheus doesn't intend to form an intimate connection with your mate, so everything will be fine between the three of you," Evanthe added.

Draven's expression grew conflicted, instead of relieved.

"Are you feeling bad for your friend now?" Evanthe asked, understanding the thoughts likely running through Draven's mind. "Would you have preferred he marked her in the usual way, forming a bond like yours?"

"This bond… it's going to be nothing but torture for him," Draven remarked, his voice heavy with concern.

"But it won't be as bad as dying and his soul suffering in hell," Evanthe explained. "Though, I do find it somewhat unfair to him, at the same time, his decision makes sense. Without forcing Ember to go through the difficulty of accepting two mates, he's forever bound to her and can stay by her side. The three of you can continue as before, living a life without conflicts. He did his part to make things right for you three; now it's your turn. You need to find a way to spare him from punishment at the next council meeting."

Draven nodded, his resolve hardening. "I won't let him suffer anymore."

"When she wakes up, let me know," Evanthe said, preparing to leave. "I'll check on what's happening around the kingdom. The council members must be conflicted too. Not long ago, they wanted to protect him, and now they might be forced to follow the rules. I also need to check on Aureus—I believe he's not in good shape."

Draven agreed and watched her disappear. He then looked at Ember and Morpheus, finally finding himself accepting the current situation—another beast by his mate's side.

Evanthe appeared at the mountain cave where she found Aureus unconscious. She hurried to him, quickly infusing him with some of her divine power and administering a potion, but he remained unresponsive.

"This child," Evanthe sighed, realizing the extent to which Aureus had drained himself to help his uncle. "He's exhausted every ounce of his divine power." She gently picked him up and disappeared, reappearing in the healing chamber of the witch clan, placing him in the same room where his uncle was being kept.

"What happened to him?" Cornelia asked, concern evident in her voice.

"He's the reason Morpheus could reach Ember," Evanthe explained. "We need to help him recover quickly."

Cornelia examined Aureus and sighed as well. "This uncle and nephew pair are relentless when it comes to protecting those they care about. They have no regard for their own well-being." She looked at Evanthe and added, "It will take him at least a week to regain consciousness."

Evanthe nodded and began to fill the healing chamber with her divine power. Once she finished, Cornelia spoke again. "When he wakes up, you need to warn him about being so reckless, Your Eminence. I don't want him to end up like his uncle."

"I'm certainly going to give him an earful. Rest assured," Evanthe replied.

"I see him following in his uncle's footsteps," Cornelia noted, a hint of worry in her voice. "But I pray he doesn't put his heart on a woman he can't have and end up like Morpheus."

Evanthe glanced at the unconscious Aureus, a sudden worry gripping her heart, though she wasn't sure why. Aureus was soft-hearted and obedient, which made her concerned. Cornelia's voice broke through her thoughts.

"Your Eminence, instead of waiting for him to find a mate on his own, perhaps we should consider the chosen mate approach before it's too late? We could find the strongest female who can survive his marking, ensuring he has a mate. but once he find someone he can't have, it would be difficult to get him a chosen mate."

"He's a golden divine eagle, and his marking can be as lethal as Draven's. Do we even have such a strong female in existence?" Evanthe asked. "If we choose a mate for him, she must be as strong as Ember; otherwise, she won't survive. That's why we avoid choosing mates for powerful beasts and let them find their fated mates, who have a better chance of surviving."

"I just don't want him to end up hurt like Morpheus," Cornelia said, her worry evident.

"Once he wakes up, I'll talk to him," Evanthe assured her.