The Devil’s Cursed Witch

When Leeora and Cornelia returned to the King’s chamber, the silver-haired elf was still guarding the door, though he did look bored, leaning against the wall. Seeing the two women, he understood the King had permitted them to see the human girl.

He greeted them with a light nod and opened the door for them to enter the King’s chamber.

Cornelia and Leeora were welcomed by darkness as soon as they stepped inside the chamber as all the windows were closed and the thick dark-colored curtains were drawn close, stopping the sunlight from entering the chamber.  Their eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness even after the door behind them shut close.

Cornelia used a simple light spell, and the lamps inside the chamber lit up, allowing the two women to comfortably see their surroundings.

Meanwhile, Erlos stood outside with a yawn, continuing his duty as a guard.

‘I wonder till when do I have to stay here and guard the chamber?’

Leeora and Cornelia entered the luxurious chamber in silence, and they saw Ember’s tiny body lying unconscious in the middle of the large canopy bed. She looked out of place in her simple cotton clothes and body covered in bandages.

When the two women approached the bed, Leeora could not help but hold the girl’s hand and caressed it gently. “Human or not, she is just a pitiful child to me.”

Cornelia could somehow understand Leeora’s feelings for Ember. “My feelings tell me she won’t die, Elder. That power I sensed inside her, I believe that will keep her safe through this ordeal.”

“I believe so,” Leeora replied.

“But after she survives this stage of the bond, they…” Cornelia stopped as the two knew what was next.

“They need to complete this bond,” Leeora completed the witch’s statement.

“Her body is so weak and…for her mate to be a Dragon…” Cornelia felt heavy in her chest as she didn’t know how to express herself. She could only shake her head. “Do you think His Majesty will truly complete their bond and make her his true mate?”

Leeora continued to caress Ember’s hand, hesitating to answer. “If she survives, even if Sire does not want to fulfil their bond, he will be compelled to do so.”

Cornelia was surprised. “Is this mating similar to the ones between the pure-blooded divine beasts?”

Leeora nodded. “More powerful, even. It is a matter of the magic held within one’s bloodline. Since her survival meant she’s compatible with the King, then he will be pulled toward her even if he does not want to and it will get stronger and stronger the longer he delays the completion of the bond. That pull is impossible to resist for long, and with the King’s true form being a dragon, I believe his urge to possess her will be fiercer.”

“That means they have to complete the bond,” Cornelia concluded. She eyed the frail-looking girl and her worry reflected the same worry Leeora was feeling.

“Can she bear it?”

Cornelia wasn’t exactly a kind person, but still, she was a woman. She couldn’t help but be bothered by the fact that after everything Ember went through, she would wake up to such a fate.

“Elder, will this be alright?” she could not help but question. “If I am to think of this from Ember’s perspective, won’t she feel tormented with all this? Her situation is already not so good, and she is scared of His Majesty. Dear spirits, what was His Majesty even thinking when he marked her? Doesn’t he hate humans?”

“What’s the point of asking this?” Leeora sighed. “We cannot do anything since it has already happened. Destiny works in ways we cannot fathom. We can only hope that Sire will treat Ember better…but then again, dragons are temperamental creatures known for their possessiveness. Perhaps Sire will treat her better than we can ever wish for.”

Cornelia caressed Ember’s head gently. “I wish you to survive but I don’t want you to be tormented later. I will pray for you to stay strong.”

The mating bond was a sacred vow between a male and female choosing to spend their lifetime together, and it was the most intimate form of union for those possessing powerful bloodlines. For a bond to be completed, the mating pair had to go through three stages.

First was for the male to mark the female, showing his intention of choosing her as his partner. What came next was for the female to survive the test of power, to check whether she’s strong enough to carry on the male’s bloodline. The last one was for both of them to consummate that bond.

As long as the first two stages are fulfilled, then the third one is bound to happen because marking has shown the male’s willingness to make that female his mate and survival is the female’s determination to accept that bond.

The third stage could not be avoided as it was the result of both of their agreement to become each other’s mates. That sacred bond was meant to be fulfilled and avoiding it was not an option, especially for someone like Draven who carried the dragon bloodline.

Cornelia placed her hand on Ember’s forehead and closed her eyes to check on how her body was coping with the marking. After a while, she opened her eyes. “As expected, her body is not strong enough to bear His Majesty’s mark. We can only rely that the mysterious divine power in her body will make her go through this safely.”

“It’s up to her destiny now,” Leeora said with a nod.

Cornelia noticed that though Leeora was unhappy with the situation, she still chose to believe the King’s actions and decisions. It was nothing new for those who knew the elderly elf as Leeora had always supported whatever the King decided for as long as they remembered. Rather than mere trust, what she had was  blind faith in him.

After checking on Ember, the two women left.