The Devil's Cursed Witch novel Chapter 287

While Draven had become busy due to the consequences of Aureus' arrival, Ember spent the rest of her day in an equally serious albeit more leisurely task than her mate--reading scrolls and books. The human girl decided to spend her time in her study, reading the materials kept in the palace library about using one's elemental powers.

Fire.

As an element, fire represented destructive energy, which could be helpful when controlled, but volatile if left unchecked. It was the type of attribute that reacted most sensitively to its owner's negative emotions, such as anger and hatred.

'But I am not my anger.'

She wanted to take control over her elemental power and not let it be ruled solely by her anger. She didn't like that feeling whenever she got angry and her powers would go out of control. That strong urge of burning and destroying everything overpowered her rational mind, and it was a feeling she didn't want to feel again. No matter how much she might hate the person in front of her, she would never want to hurt them, even if it was by mistake, with the dangerous power she owned.

'It's scary...to get overtaken by my emotions and see everything burn to ash...'

Even up till now, the image of the beautiful butterflies being burnt to death on the balcony haunted her. It was her first-ever attempt at elemental magic, and with every passing day since then, she had started to feel the presence of that strong power growing more and more powerful and she was worried it would rule over her instead of her ruling over it.

As Ember continued reading the book laid open in front of her, she could not help but linger on the pages where runes symbolizing 'Fire' and images of raging flames were drawn. Another image was overlapping with them. The dream she had about that chained woman who made a pledge to take her revenge continued to trouble her mind. That dream scared her, but that woman scared her more.

'I wonder who that woman is? She was terrifying...Her anger felt as if she would destroy everything. I wonder why she was chained, why she vowed to take revenge...How much pain and suffering could one receive to turn a person into something so filled with rage and hatred? What did others even do to her...? Wait, it was just a bad dream. How can I be so sure that it happened for real? What if it was a product of my imagination, something my mind had constructed on its own, after exposing myself to the magic and supernatural beings of this kingdom?'

Just as she was convincing herself that it cannot be real, Ember felt a sudden weight on her chest, and for reasons unknown to her, she felt emotional. Her eyes turned moist, and gradually, tears rolled down from them without their owner registering this fact.

'What...what's happening to me?'

Ember tried to stop her tears but she simply could not.

'Why do I feel in pain thinking about her? Is she someone whose identity I should know? But I don't know her.'

At this point, all she wanted was to cry her heart out, but why? Wouldn't she look like a lunatic if she cried without any reason?

Her servants entered the study to check on her in case she needed something but ended up finding their master silently weeping, her shoulders even heaving as if she was in great distress. This made the two young elves panic.

"Miss! What happened?"

"Why are you crying? Are you hurt?"

Ember had no answer to their questions as she continued to wipe those tears with the back of her hands.

"Miss, please tell us. Are you hurt somewhere? S-Should we call a healer?" _{fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓}

"Did someone say something to upset you?" As Reya asked that line, she mumbled as if she was cursing, "But I haven't seen Young Lady Isa in the palace lately."

"...Nothing... happened..." Ember replied but even her attempt at smiling was painful to look at.

"Then, why are you crying, Miss?"

"I-I don't know either.... I just can't stop crying?" Ember replied in between faint sobs.

"Are you perhaps reading an emotional story?" Reya looked at the book but it was a magic-related book and not a novel.

"What shall we do?" Clio helplessly looked at Reya as Ember continued weeping as if her heart was broken. Both could only attempt to comfort her. Yula was not in the palace and neither was the King. Was there anyone they could ask for help?

"Miss, please have some water," Reya offered while Clio was ready to go out.

"I will check if His Majesty has returned."

Before Ember could stop her, the younger elf had already left. As she hurried down the central stairs, Clio reached the main hall, she came across Erlos who was on his way to make preparations for the guest from Megaris.

"Erlos! Wait!" Clio called out to him, her voice echoing loudly enough to cause everyone within earshot to turn towards her direction.

The young silver-haired elf looked at the panicking soul and even before she could say anything more, he asked, "Yes? What happened? Why do you--"

,m Erlos disappeared in place like the wind, and a few seconds later, he ran so fast his form seemingly materialized out of thin air in front of Ember's study on the highest floor. Clio was yet to arrive, and onlyReya was waiting for him. Just as Erlos entered the study, he found Ember seated in front of her desk, her crying face causing anyone who saw her to feel her misery.