The Devil's Cursed Witch

"Yes, that green-eyed woman reincarnated into you," Draven said as he gently cupped his mate's face. "There is no other explanation. Though your appearances are different and she is not human like you, your eyes and the eyes I always saw in my visions, I know they are the same eyes."

"I'm her reincarnation? So that means I'm remembering her--my past? She's not deliberately haunting me? I...I don't know what to say."

He caressed her hand gently, trying to help ease her turbulent emotions.

"I think you and I, we two know each other from your previous life, only neither of us remember. You reincarnated as a human, starting anew, while I have lost all my memories. I don't know anything about myself, much less of other people. But from time to time, I do get visions from the past, and it was always related to that woman. That was why I believe that the reason why I lost my memories was related to her."

Ember remained quiet as she listened to his words, wrapping her head around the things she never considered before.

"Is the reason you allowed me to stay in Agartha because I have the same eyes as her? You thought I am the key that can connect you to her?"

"You are correct." Draven studied her. "Does that make you upset?"

Ember shook her head. "No. I am in fact glad. If not for that, you wouldn't have bothered with a human girl, and you wouldn't have marked me. Back then, I was worried that I am a useless burden, but it seems like I'm useful to you."

"And you say you're silly? That is quite wise and mature of you." Draven smiled as he continued to caress her hand. "You are right she is the one to make this mark on my wrist, but it did not appear until we had completed our bond. Not only that, both of you have the fire element. There are so many things that point towards the same thing, and..."

"And?"

She looked at him with a calm gaze, as if no matter what he said, she was ready to accept it wholeheartedly.

"That woman has a mark on the back of her neck, the fire rune that should not exist in the mortal world," he said.

"I think I know what you mean. I have seen that in my vision as well," she agreed.

"That fire rune is on the back of your neck as well," he informed, only to see her surprised.

"Huh? Is it? I thought the only mark on my body is the crimson blossom as proof of our mate bond. Neither Reya nor Clio--"

"It's not visible for everyone to see."

"Then, only you can see it?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I can't even see it except when it's triggered. It appeared for the first time the moment I marked you during the council meeting. Cornelia Grimm had seen it then. I saw it once more that time you caused a fire at the rear of the palace when you were angry at Isa."

"What kind of mark is it?"

"According to the ancient records, that mark belongs to the heavenly realm and represents a deity of fire."

Ember blinked a few times, as if she was hearing something strange. "Why would I have a mark that belongs to a deity? I do not have a religion. Is it because I have the fire element as well?"

He shook his head. "None who possesses the fire attribute has such a mark. Only you."

Ember pondered. "If it's a deity, then that deity must have worshipers. Could it be that the past me is a worshiper? Maybe a priest even? Like, am I that deity's last priestess?"

"That is not the case, Ember. The green-eyed woman in my vision is not mortal."

"W-What are you trying to say?"

"That, you are perhaps the reincarnation of that deity of fire."

"What?!" she exclaimed in disbelief.

"So far, that is the only explanation that makes sense. You know Dragons are divine beasts, but what you do not know, divine power is the power of the heavenly realm. All pure-blooded divine beasts originally came from the heavenly realm, the realm of gods and deities, in one form or another. From what I have gathered, a tribulation must have occurred in the past, the past where your past self and I know each other. Since we are connected by fate, when your human reincarnation fell into danger, I was summoned to save you."

"I really don't know what to say," Ember admitted. "I have always wondered about my past. I imagined myself to be an illegitimate daughter of some important man with a commoner woman, or that I am the sole survivor of a fallen family with dangerous enemies, and that was why I have a nanny who raised me out of people's eyes, because I am in some sort of danger if my identity is revealed. But to hear that I'm a reincarnation of a deity..." "

This reminded Draven of something and he said, "You want to know your identity, about your human family?"

"Yes, I do."

"I will bring you to them," he replied.

"You...You know about my past?"

"Yes. Do you want to go back to Valor?" he asked.

Draven had already planned to do this before. When the visions related to the day of mourning came, this urge became stronger as he was not sure what would happen afterwards. This might be the best time for her to face her past.

"I...Can we...go there...? I mean, those people...? Do I still have a family?" she asked, feeling skeptical about it.

"You have a family. You are not an ordinary woman but someone from a good family."

"I...."

"I shall take you there," he said and offered her his hand.

"Like this?" she asked, referring to her borrowed clothes.

"Don't worry," was all he said as he held her hand and pulled her to her feet. The next moment, they disappeared from that grassland and came back to the palace. They were inside Ember's bedchamber.

"Call for your servants. I will get dressed as well."

"Wait, wait, wait...why are we in such a hurry?"

She grabbed his hand before he could teleport away, her nervous-looking eyes staring intently at him.

"We can go to Valor later. I mean, can you give me more time to absorb everything?  The things you've told me, I need time to take it all.Everything is feeling so rushed so..."

Draven didn't find her claim wrong as he was truly rushing things. But, he could not help it. Neither he nor Ember could afford to delay important matters.

The day of mourning was looming close. He could feel the sands of time slipping through his hands.

He caressed her hand. "I know you must feel nervous to face the family you thought you didn't have, but this is the truth you have been searching for all along. You have to face it."

"Yes, I know, but we can go next time..."

"I am with you. Trust me, you will be fine. One day, you will realize there is no right time, only the right mentality."

"Fine, since you're insisting so much." She let go of his hand.

"I will be back in a while," Draven said. He gently kissed her forehead and she watched him disappear in front of her.

Sensing her presence, Reya and Clio soon entered the chamber and they saw their master wearing only a white shirt, one so large it could only belong to her mate.

Both could imagine the two mates having a good time together, but when they observed the serious face of their master, even Reya stopped herself from making small talk.

"Please dress me in comfortable outdoor clothes," Ember said quietly.

"Will you be leaving again, Miss?"

"Yes."

Clio, who was the more perceptive of the two, gestured for her cousin to not speak a word.

The elves simply proceeded to help Ember change into a fresh set of clothes with a sturdy fitted coat. Throughout her changing, Ember didn't say a single word.

Once she was ready, Clio finally asked, "Miss, are you alright? Would you like to snack a bit? Maybe have a drink?"

Ember simply smiled in her direction, but said nothing. When she walked out from the wardrobe room, she found Draven waiting for her in the main chamber.

He walked towards her, and he handed her an exquisite-looking bottle. It was Leeora's elixir.

"Are you ready?" he asked after she regained her strength after drinking elixir.

"I am not," she replied nervously. "I don't think I'll ever be."

Draven held her closer. "We are directly going to Valor. Such a long distance trip would be uncomfortable for you. Your body might not take it well if we teleport straight to our destination, so I will be making short stops in between. I brought the remaining elixirs for you to consume later and  I will do my best to protect you with my powers as well.

"Shall we go?"

Ember nodded once again, and the pair of mates disappeared from Agartha.