Along with Leeora, the pair of mates went to the part of the palace from where the balcony of Ember's study could be seen. Ember looked up toward the second floor as she stood below and said, "This seems like the right place."
Leeora humd and said, "We have to plant it at a little distance. This tree is gigantic and needs more space. Its trunk will be as big as the largest chamber in the palace."
Ember humd. "You're right, Leeora. I was shocked by those trees in the eagle clan."
"We won't make it grow that big, as it would be inconvenient here—just enough for one nest and so Morpheus feels like it's the sa place he was living in," Leeora added.
She decided on the spot. "We can't plant a seed right now."
"Why?" Ember asked.
"Fisrt I have to prepare this place for the seed to be planted. As it's not an ordinary tree, the place needs to be purified and magical before we plant the seed," Leeora explained.
Ember humd as she understood and heard Leeora, "Step back a little."
With that, she closed her eyes, recited so spells, and used her magic on the chosen place. Soon the soil on that spot began to glow with the magic emitted from Leeora's body.
Ember was in aww to see it. The more magic Leeora used, the more it glowed.
Leeora stopped and said, "It's ready now. Tomorrow I will return and plant a seed here."
The pair of mates humd, and Leeora excused herself.
Ember turned to Morpheus. "It will take a while, but until then, you can live in the palace."
Morpheus shook his head. "That's not a place for to stay. I'll remain in my current nest. Once this tree is ready, I'll build one here."
"Will you allow to enter your nest?" Ember asked.
He simply humd. She was his mate—how could he refuse her?
"Make sure to build it bigger so I can stay there once in a while, too," she added.
"I will," he said, though he thought, 'I'll build the most beautiful nest for my mate.'
"Oh, I rember—you're hungry. How about we have a mid-day al together?" she offered, adding before he could reply, "You can't say no."
Morpheus sighed. "You're turning more like a child instead of acting like an adult."
"I'm always like this with you. Did you forget already?" Ember countered as they walked back to the palace.
Morpheus could not deny it. She was indeed carefree with him, as always.
She held his hand and dragged him along. When they arrived in the dining room, Ember asked the servant, "Is Draven here yet?"
"His Majesty will be here in a while," the servant inford.
Ember humd and looked at Morpheus. She pointed toward one chair at the head of the rectangular dining table. "Draven sits here," she said, then pointed toward the chair on the right of the head chair. "I sit here on Draven's right. Where do you want to sit?"
"Anywhere is fine," he replied.
"That won't do. Now we're a family, so you need to choose your place—the one that's yours alone," Ember insisted. "How about the one next to or the one to Draven's left?"
Morpheus sighed and chose the chair at the opposite end of the table from Draven's seat.
"Won't that be far from the two of us?" Ember asked.
"You're only two chairs away from . It's not far," Morpheus replied and sat down anyway.
Ember pressed her lips into a thin line, clearly disagreeing, but decided not to insist. At least Morpheus had agreed to share the al with them.
Just then, Draven arrived. Ember welcod him with a wide smile. "You're back? We've been waiting for you."
Draven approached her and stood in front of her. "You must be so hungry you couldn't wait for ."
She shook her head. "It's not —it's Morph who's hungry."
Draven looked over at Morpheus, who frowned and said, "Just take your seat already and start eating. I'm in a hurry."
Draven sat in his place, and Ember took hers.
As the servants began serving the al, Ember turned to Morpheus. "Morph, what do you like to eat most often? So I can ask the servants to prepare it for you every day."
Morpheus looked at her. 'Is she planning to have eat here with them every day?'
"No need. I won't be around all the ti, so you don't have to wait for to eat or prepare anything for ," he replied.
Ember looked at Draven for help. Draven spoke up, "You're his mate, and you have the power to control him. Even if you ask him to eat what he hates the most, he'd eat it just because his mate asked him to."
"Really?" Ember asked in surprise. "I didn't know this."
Morpheus gritted his teeth and glared at Draven. He was revealing more than he should.
Draven ignored Morpheus and continued. "The bond he has with you, as your protector, ans he is as good as your slave. The bond compels him to obey every order you give him. He can't go against it even if he wants to…"
"Draven…" Morpheus exclaid. "Don't give her ideas. It's already…" He stopped and finished the rest of his thought in his mind: '…tough for .'
"I'm just telling her the truth. As your mate, she should know everything," Draven replied. "I'm far from revealing everything."
Morpheus swallowed hard. Ember wasn't aware of how much she affected him, but Draven seed intent on telling her everything.
"Draven, don't get ahead of yourself," Morpheus warned. "She is my mate, and I will take care of our matters on my own. You just fulfill your responsibility of being her mate."
"Telling her the truth about everything is my first responsibility," Draven said calmly. "But since you've finally admitted she's your mate, I'll leave the rest for you two to handle."
Puzzled by their argunt, Ember asked, "What truth?"
Draven glanced at Morpheus, who quickly said, "That I am compelled to obey each of your orders. Nothing else."
"So it's true," Ember said, a light smirk appearing on her lips. "Co sit in the chair opposite . That's an order."
Morpheus looked at her with a displeased gaze. But it was her order, so despite his unwillingness, his body moved to obey her.
With a frown, he sat in the chair directly opposite Ember. Now she sat on Draven's right side, and Morpheus sat on Draven's left.
"Now, my next order for you is to tell what you like to eat," Ember said.
Morpheus sighed and began listing. "Roasted fish, at…" He continued naming a few more items.
Ember looked at the servant. "Did you hear that?"
The servant nodded, understanding what she would need to cook for Morpheus from now on.
"There isn't any roasted fish right now, but you can have this at," Ember said, glancing at the dish. "Want to serve you?"
"I can help myself," Morpheus replied, starting to put food on his plate.
Draven and Ember exchanged light smiles, pleased that they had finally gotten Morpheus to eat with them as a family.
"From now on, the three of us will have all our als together—unless sothing important cos up and soone has to leave," Ember declared.
Draven humd in agreent while Morpheus stayed silent.
"Morph," Ember called.
He looked at her, only to hear her say, "That's my order to you."
Morpheus frowned inwardly, but his head nodded in agreent. Ember chuckled playfully, amused that the stubborn eagle was now at her rcy and couldn't disobey her.
"It's good to have my most obedient slave," Ember comnted with a chuckle.
"Wasn't I obedient to you even before?" Morpheus asked.
Ember thought about it and said, "Yes, you were, But this way feels more assuring. There is no way you can say 'No' to now. Now let plan what else I can make you do, even if you don't like it."
Morpheus looked at Draven, as if asking him to keep his mate in control, but in response, Draven offered him a playful smirk as if saying, you learn to control your own mate.
Morpheus gritted his teeth. 'Useless Dragon.'
Smirk on Draven's lips widened. 'Even more useless and helpless Eagle.'
Morpheus felt like strangling this Dragon now, who mocked him for his helplessness, but in front of Ember, he had to keep it himself.
Reviews
All reviews (0)