Warning: Mentions of Abuse, Violence

For once, the castle didn’t feel so empty. Ember was like a ray of sunshine, although I don’t know how she was so calm about everything.

And that kiss...had I ever been kissed like that? Was she attracted to me? Or was she just used to people expecting sex from her?

I led her to the ice room, where I used a knife to slice off a decent portion of deer meat for her. She took it from me and dug through the cabinets for a pot as I lit the woodstove so she could cook her meat.

She didn’t speak, but I could almost feel peace coming off of her in waves. Ember seemed completely at ease around me, even though she knew I was a vampire and a dragon.

It was baffling. Not to mention that she hadn’t said a single word about the earthquake she caused or the vortex she made. Maybe she already knew? But then, why would she be a slave?

“How long have you known you were an elemental witch?” I asked, the words falling out of my mouth before I had a chance to stop them.

“What?” she asked, looking at me with her brows furrowed.

“You’re an elemental witch, aren’t you?” I questioned. Maybe she didn’t know. But the earthquake and vortex easily proved that she was, without a doubt, an elemental witch.

“What do you mean?” Ember asked, tilting her head to one side. “I have no idea what that is.”

“An elemental witch is a very rare kind of witch that can control the four elements: water, earth, air, and fire. There are very few that exist, and all are female,” I explained, watching her expression.

It stayed the same.

And she stayed frozen like that for longer than expected. Long enough for me to become worried.

“Ember?” I asked hesitantly.

“Huh?” she said, shaking her head. “Did I zone out?”

“Yeah, are you okay?” I asked, carefully taking the cooking utensil she was using to evenly cook the meat. She didn’t resist.

She furrowed her brows, and opened her mouth a couple of times, making like she was going to speak. Then she let out a large sigh and ran her hand through her hair.

“I’ve always had magic. My mom taught me some, but nothing...she didn’t say… honestly, this is all pretty new... I never had any idea...” Ember trailed off, looking off into the distance.

I continued cooking the meat, looking at her worriedly.

“I don’t know what it means, so I guess I...I don’t know what I feel about it,” she continued, turning her gaze back to me.

Nodding, I glanced down at the pan, then back to her. “I understand. I can tell you what it means, at the very least, if you would like to know.”

She sat there silently for a few moments, then nodded.

I took a deep breath. “To understand why elemental witches are so important, you have to understand their origins. So I’ll begin there.

“Long ago, when the world was born, four races were created to live upon it. Humans, vampires, werewolves, and witches. They were each tasked with a sacred duty to take care of the earth. Humans took over the farmland, growing crops for the races to eat. Vampires were the artists, meant to bring joy and beauty to the masses. Werewolves were tasked with taking care of the wild places. And witches protected and healed everyone with magic. They were the peacemakers.

“Elemental witches were women born into the witch race with the unique ability to control the four elements: they were highly revered and sought after as wives, though many chose to never marry. They brought rain for the farmlands and forests; created places to live by carving the earth; cleared the skies when the vampires had a festival. They helped all of the communities with their gifts.

“Then, an elemental witch fell in love with a human. He wooed her, romanced her, and was the kindest man she had ever met. She agreed to marry him, but within days of being married, he began to beat her every time she used magic.

“He did his best to force her into a role where she wasn’t better than him, where he ruled over her. After years of enduring the torment, the elemental witch let loose her rage, which swallowed the man in a pit of burning lava beneath the earth’s surface, and called tornados and tsunamis to wreck the surrounding village. People were terrified of her powers, especially humans.

“Then the humans began to kill witches out of fear. Fear of their power, that they would use it to control them.

“The witches went into hiding to save themselves. Many lived with vampire families or were accepted into werewolf packs. Some never made it and were killed in cold blood.

“Over the years, the numbers of witches dwindled. Humans started hunting not only the witches, but the werewolves and vampires as well, seeing threats where none existed. And then the rest of us became dying breeds, while humans mated and spread everywhere.

“All that remains of us are a mere handful of people, myths and bedtime stories for children,” I finished. Taking the pan off the stove, I set it on the counter and took out a plate.

Telling that story brought my family back to my mind. I could picture my mother and father, dancing with each other in the great hall. My younger brother and sister learning how to shapeshift, laughing with glee at the feeling of air in their wings. And all of their dead bodies, pierced by spears and cut by swords.

I shook my head. I couldn’t think about that now, or I would start to cry.