3 CHAPTER 2

Rolling to my side, I stare around the dimly lit room with a sigh of annoyance. The darkness which can be seen outside thanks to the open window across the room gave a beautiful view of the stars that lit up the sky, while within the hut we have to make do with the jars of captured fireflies used to illuminate the room a little in a sea of green.

Letting out a groan, I wish I could sleep for a century and not wake up until everyone who knows me is dead, my humiliation growing to new heights thanks to that dreadful old witch. Rising from a bed of hay and wool colts I spot a wooden table in the middle of the room set up with steaming bowls of food for dinner and feel my stomach rumble in hunger, hand-sewn feather pillows are placed around the table to cushion one's ass since the table is like 4ft from the ground.

Decorated on the walls are carcasses of little forest animals, beaded jewellery, and weird tribal markings drawn with white chalk. The red curtain hung to act as a make-shift door is pushed aside and a five-foot, hunched figure slowly crawls in.

Dark red curls were the first thing to catch my eye as they hung limply on her head before my interest was taken away by the large bowl of steaming rice held in one wrinkled hand. She raises her head and lets out a grunt when she realizes I sat upright, now awake, and limps to the table. "Well, get your ass up and get eating."

Rolling my eyes in response, I do as I was barked at and crawl on my hands and knees without care for my image. "I cannot believe you made me walk back to the village in nothing but a thin cotton material, all those disgusting males whistled my entire way home!" I grumble in irritation and settle in a cross-leg position.

Picking up a wooden spoon when the bowl full of rice was carelessly dropped in front of me, I easily evaded the small rock tossed at my head and looked up to find a pair of emerald green gems glaring at me.

Despite her wrinkled skin, the old lady still managed to maintain a small glimpse of her past beauty on her face. Her skin clear and smooth though it was all shrivelled up with lines, lips naturally pouted and coloured a perfect shade of pink is as chapped as one can imagine, and her former voluptuous figure has been laid to waste by sagginess and old age.

Once considered the belle of Nayok Tribe, can now only be described as the wrinkled old grump of our small, inconspicuous village. A respected elder and one of the last surviving ancients of the past order.

"I can't believe you were stupid enough to use your powers in the village, how many times must I warn you that–"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I roll my eyes, digging my spoon into the bowl of rice and stuffing it into my mouth. Speaking through a mouthful, I ignore the glare of irritation on her face over my lack of manners as she took a sip of her stew. "Haven't I heard the same fucking sermon a thousand times before, you know one cannot easily suppress the overwhelming powers of a fire elemental?"

Sighing, she shakes her head at my nonchalance and falls silent for a pondering minute, not thinking much of it I continue stuffing my face until the sight of a sealed envelope was pushed into my line of vision.

The sealed wax with the cravings of the royal emblem pressed over the mouth of the envelope made every muscle beneath my flesh tense, my heart racing as the bitter taste of dread settled in my mouth. "This arrived a week ago after your 20th birthday," The old lady grumbled, head bent so her hair could obscure her face from my view. "I didn't dare to give it to you until now."

"You told them about my mark?" I ask in anger, the stench of betrayal filling my nostrils as my hand's clench.

"I didn't, Amora San did." She replies, and I could only feel my anger rise even more.

"Why, I have stayed away from his damned family as he had instructed. I didn't even react when those weasels he calls sons had tagged along with their friends to antagonize me today!" I snap in rage, a clenched fist banging on the table and causing the wooden plates of food to clatter noisily.

As a young fire elemental witch, it has always been a factor that my magic is tied to my emotions. For my blood and magic are linked and connected to my soul. Which is one of the reasons why the village chief has seen me as nothing but a burden he has to tolerate in respect of the old lady, the potency of my magic had always been seen as a threat to him and a big ass reminder of his inferiority and weakness.

I flinch, startled, when I felt a calloused hand rest over my skin. Glancing down, I fought the urge to retreat immediately knowing the one who touched me was simply the old lady, not an enemy. "We both knew this day was coming, we just simply believed we had more time."

Biting down on my lower lip, I fought off the tears threatening to spill down my face and slowly let go of my anger. Though, it was the hardest thing to do. For the rest of dinner, we ate in silence until it was time to slumber. The whole night I stayed up, simply staring into space as I thought about my dreadful journey which will begin come the next day.