The Devil's Cursed Witch-Chapter 486: Our Nest

The next morning, when Ember woke up, she immediately jumped out of bed. Draven, who was next to her, looked at her as he sat up in bed.

Seeing her in such a hurry, he held her hand and stopped her. "Slow down. You have a good history of missing your step and embracing the ground."

She narrowed her eyes at him as she recalled those embarrassing moments when she had fallen again and again in front of him. "I don't know what you are referring to."

He chuckled, seeing her lie straight to his face. "Alright, it was me who tasted the ground a few times just because I was afraid of you, as if you would eat me alive."

She shrugged her hand from his hold and glared at him. "It was all your fault. Why did you have to be so scary back then? Did you forget how you treated me like a plague? My poor heart could barely stand the scary king of this kingdom."

He couldn't refute her claim. "My apologies. I was indeed a bad person to you."

Seeing him admit it, Ember calmed down and went closer to him. She sat in his lap, circled her arms around his neck, and said, "Well, you were not that bad. It's alright. I forgave you long ago."

He smiled. "Thank you."

She hummed and said, "I was going to see if the tree we planted for Morph's nest is there now. Leeora said it would grow overnight."

"Let's go and check, then," he said, and both of them left the bedchamber.

The moment they stepped onto the balcony of Ember's study, Draven heard a huge surprised gasp from his mate, her eyes wide open.

"D-Draven, am I dreaming?" she asked, looking at the impossibly gigantic tree, which was far taller than the highest peak of that huge palace. Its lush green branches were so widely spread that it was impossible to see the entire tree in one glance.

Just yesterday there was nothing at all and now?....It was just mesmerising.

"You are not dreaming," he assured her.

"Let me call Morph here." She put forward her hand, and a whistle appeared in her palm. She blew it gently, remembering that if she did it too harshly, it might hurt Morph's ears.

Even before she could put the whistle back, a divine eagle with beautiful golden wings landed on the balcony.

"Morph," Ember called out and hurried toward him in excitement. "The tree has grown up… Ahh…!"

Before she could reach him, she stumbled in her footsteps. Morpheus and Draven used their powers quickly at the same time and stopped her from falling.

Ember found herself half-leaning toward the ground, saved from falling face-first.

"You little female, always so reckless," Morpheus said as he shook his head helplessly.

"She didn't believe it when I told her she had a knack for embracing the ground," Draven commented as he walked toward her.

Ember steadied herself, feeling embarrassed that Draven's words were true. "It's my nightdress… It's so long and gets entangled in my feet."

Draven and Morpheus looked at her feet, where the nightdress barely reached her ankles, and then looked back at her.

"Only you can make a short dress get entangled in your feet," Morpheus commented.

"Our mate has unique abilities, doesn't she?" Draven added.

She frowned. "Both of you, stop teasing me already. I just have bad judgment while walking. After living on an uneven, stony mountain all my life, I'm just not used to walking on plain ground, alright?"

Draven and Morpheus looked at each other.

"No one can beat her at making logical excuses."

"She is smart."

"You two continue—I'm leaving," Ember said angrily and turned to leave, only to be stopped by the powers used by her mates. She tried to free herself but couldn't.

"Are you two bullying me now?" she spat out angrily.

Draven pulled her back toward him and released her from the grasp of his powers. "We wouldn't dare bully you. Who knows, you might get angry and burn both of us."

"I might truly do it if you two continue like this," she replied, eyeing both of them.

"Alright, you called me here so early in the morning," Morpheus said. "What's the matter?"

Ember looked at him, her anger still there. "You are my mate. Do I need a reason to call you? It's your duty to come to me whenever I ask. Do you dare question me?"

Morpheus was taken aback. She was rightfully showing her anger. So this is what it feels like to have a mate to whom the beast would submit without question. Her words echoed in his mind as he kept quiet.

Draven looked at him as if saying—Have a taste of being scolded by your mate—to which Morpheus looked back at him as if saying—You seem to have a lot of experience with it.

"What are you two looking at each other for?" they heard Ember again.

Both looked back at her as if they meant nothing.

"I have work to do. You two continue," Draven said, ready to leave.

"So early? What work do you have?" Ember asked.

He looked back at her. "I am a king, and I am always busy—unlike your other mate, who lost his title as a commander and is nothing but an idler now."

As Draven said it, Ember looked at Morpheus, who stood there unaffected, but she felt bad for him. She looked back at Draven and said, "Don't call him an idler."

"I speak the truth," Draven said and approached her. He pecked her forehead and added, "Don't be angry. You can spend some time with him. I have work."

Ember understood his intentions and nodded.

Draven left, while Ember turned to Morpheus. "The tree is ready. We need to plan how and where to build your nest… I mean, our nest."

Our nest?

The words struck a chord in his heart. He hadn't expected her to say that.

"Suddenly, I feel like I'm a bird as well," Ember chuckled. "I'll be living in a nest soon."

Morpheus snapped back to his senses. "You won't be comfortable living in a treehouse. You—"

"That's up to me to decide," she interrupted him, knowing all too well his efforts to push her away. She had decided to treat him like her true mate, just as she treated Draven. "I am your mate. I will be the one to make that decision. Now, help me climb this tree so we can decide where to build our home."

Morpheus sighed inwardly. He was well aware of her stubbornness and went to her. "Where do you want to go?"

Ember looked at the wide branches ahead that leveled with the balcony of her study. "There."

Morpheus almost held his breath before lifting her in his arms. He carried her to the majestic tree and landed on one of the thickest and widest branches.

He set her down and only then did he breathe. Ember was aware of all his reactions but acted as if she hadn't noticed.

"Alright. This place seems perfect to build the nest, as I can see it from my gallery, and it won't take too long for me to come here whenever I want," she said, looking around nonchalantly. Then she turned back to him. "What do you think?"

Morpheus maintained his composure and hummed lightly.

"But your kind is used to living at great heights, so…" she looked up toward the crown of the tree, which was impossible to see as so many branches blocked the view at that height. "You can build one nest at the top of the tree so you can stay there as well when I'm not with you, and sometimes I can join you there too."

He hummed once more, listening to all her plans quietly. When she finished, she asked, "How long will it take for you to build the nest?"

"It will take a while, a few days to a month even," he replied.

She could see he was lying. "A month? Doesn't it usually take hardly a day to build it for someone as powerful as you? Don't tell me you're still hurt and haven't recovered entirely. Let me check," she said and approached him.

He stepped back to increase the distance between them. "I… am fine…"

"I don't believe you," she said and hurried to him, grabbing his hand. "Let me check your body."

"Ember—"

"Shh! Let me check." She placed her hands on his shoulder, which was covered by his usual feathery hide. She started moving it around, searching for any wounds. Finding nothing, she looked lower, scanning his chest and further down to his stomach.

Morpheus found her touch unbearable. Doesn't she know she's seducing me like this? She already knows I'm holding back. Is she asking for trouble?

Before he could lose control, he grabbed both of her hands in his. "That's enough. I'm fine. I can build the nest in a day."

Ember smiled at him. "That's good. I know my mate is one of the strongest males. Now start working quickly so I can move into our nest soon."

Morpheus looked at her with a doubtful gaze. Did she just trick me into agreeing to build the nest in a day? What is she planning?

"Take me to the top of the tree," she demanded.

Morpheus did as she asked. Once they reached the top, Ember couldn't help but feel thrilled at such a height. "The wind here is perfect. It would make the nest a pleasant place to live."

Once more, he hummed and waited for her to finish her morning adventure while torturing him like this.

"Shall we head back?" he asked, his voice slightly restrained.

She turned to look at him. "Do you want to?"

He hummed.

Seems like it's time for me to take a step back, Ember thought and agreed. "Let's head back then."

He lifted her into his arms and flew as fast as the wind, setting her down on the balcony. "I need to go." He looked in a hurry to leave.

"Come back to have a morning meal with me. I'll wait for you," she said before he flew away without even responding.

She stared in the direction he had disappeared. "I never knew he was suffering this way. So it was true. I just failed to notice it. Such an ignorant mate I am."

Ember returned to her chamber, where Reya and Clio were waiting to attend to her. As Ember sat in the water pool, she heard Reya speak.

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"Lady Ember, we saw the tree. You must be excited to see your mate building a home for you in it."

Ember hummed. "I think it would be nice to live in a treehouse once in a while."

"You are so fortunate to have two mates, Lady Ember," Clio said. "I am sure all the females in this kingdom envy you for having mates who love you like this."

Ember could only hum and wonder if she could ever return what she received from her mates. They were always the ones to sacrifice for her sake.

"Lady Ember, on the coming full moon night, will you be attending the Full Moon Festival with the commander? It will be your first Full Moon Festival with him."

Ember had lost track of the days with everything that had been happening in her life. The Full Moon Festival… and then the night? she thought. Maybe it's the right time to take my relationship further with Morph. I can accept him as my mate entirely. But will he be willing to? He keeps running away…

"Lady Ember, what are you thinking?" Reya asked.

"Nothing. Thank you for reminding me about the full moon night," Ember replied as she thought, I have to talk to Draven about it. I hope it won't hurt him, even if he says he's fine with it. She felt her heart tighten at the thought.