CHAPTER 315: USEFULL

By the time Uva returned to the mansion, her legs felt like iron and her thoughts were swarming like angry wasps. All she wanted was to disappear into the dark safety of her room, to collapse in silence and solitude without having to speak to a single soul.

Her entire body ached with tension, her knees sore from kneeling too long, her neck stiff from keeping her head down in submission. The last thing she wanted was a conversation—especially not one that required patience.

Not only had Cain burdened her with the impossible task of finding a grand solution to the humongous, life-altering problem in his body, but now she had been saddled with an order from one of the supreme leaders of the Witch Coven. Lady June.

An order she didn’t dare to disobey.

She had to take Violet to her. Not offer a suggestion. Not recommend. Take. And worse, she had no idea what Lady June’s true intentions were with the girl. She hadn’t dared to ask—not while her face was pressed to the floor, not while her magic was sealed and her life balanced on the edge of Lady June’s whim.

"Arghhh!" Uva groaned through clenched teeth, her voice low but furious as she marched through the stone corridor. She didn’t care who heard.

Her boots echoed sharply on the polished floors, the heels slightly uneven from wear, making her gait uneven as she approached her office. She shoved a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, her eyes dark with exhaustion. Her hands were still slightly trembling from the sheer pressure of being in Lady June’s presence.

But her scowl deepened the moment she looked up and saw who was standing in front of her door, arms crossed and expression unreadable.

A minuscule frown appeared on her face, small but sharp. "Violet."

Violet stood just a little too stiffly, her brows raised in what might’ve been concern—or annoyance.

"I thought we agreed that our lessons would only be on weekends," Uva said, her voice tight, a brittle edge creeping into her tone as she approached, hoping—pleading—that Violet would nod, agree, and take herself elsewhere.

"Yes, Uva, I’m aware," Violet replied quickly, already anticipating the resistance. "But once a week is too small! Moreover, I also had a couple more things I wanted to speak with you about."

She gestured vaguely to the door. "Can we go in?"

Uva stared at her for a moment, her face impassive but her mind racing. If she refused, there was no doubt Violet would run straight to Cain, and the last thing she needed was a repeat of the last time he’d lost his temper—her jaw had been nearly shattered, her cheeks bruised into paste. She didn’t want to be on his bad side again.

She inhaled sharply through her nose, turned the handle, and stepped into her office.

The room was dim, the heavy curtains drawn shut, casting shadows over the walls lined with dusty bookshelves. Herbs hung from the rafters, half-dried and filling the space with a complex aroma of bitterness and something sweet. Her worktable was cluttered with vials, parchments, and a few blood-stained cloths she hadn’t yet disposed of. Behind her, Violet entered quietly and closed the door with a soft click.

Uva didn’t offer her a seat.

"Let’s get to the point," she said, not turning to face her fully. "You’re here to ask about my progress. I’m not there yet. I need more time—and even the time I have isn’t enough."

"I can help though," Violet said, stepping forward slightly. Her voice was gentle but firm. "I can also learn—"

"You can’t even use magic," Uva interrupted, turning now with a sharp look in her eyes. "What exactly are you going to do? You’ll just be in the way."

She regretted the words the moment they left her mouth, but she didn’t take them back. The weight of everything she was dealing with made it impossible to soften the truth.

But Violet’s response was immediate, her tone laced with frustration.

"Even you are going to tell me I’m useless?" she snapped, her voice rising slightly. "Then at least tell me something I don’t already know!"

She stepped forward again, her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

"Is there no other way to fully awaken my magic? Does it have to be done by a High Coven witch? Can’t someone stronger than you do it?"

Her voice, now desperate, carried more emotion than Uva had ever heard from her before. But the way she framed the question stung deeply.

Uva’s frown deepened.

"The only witches stronger than me are High Coven witches," she said coldly, crossing her arms tightly. "Only a High Coven witch will do it. They’re the only ones authorized. If anyone else tries and it’s ever found out—both of us will be killed."

Her voice lowered ominously.

"...And trust me, the last thing you want to do is get on their bad side."

Violet didn’t back down. Her jaw clenched, her eyes blazing now with fierce determination as she looked up at Uva.

"Then what do I have to do to get one of them to—" She didn’t finish the sentence.

Uva’s hand shot up, fingers covering Violet’s lips as she stared at her in shock, eyes wide.

"Do you know where we are?" she hissed, whispering now as if the walls had ears. "It’s already a miracle you’re still living in one piece. The Count Lord hates witches. There’s no way he’ll willingly allow your magic to be unlocked by one."

Her voice grew more urgent.

"Are you not worried? You saw the one we met... and what she put in that potion. She could’ve killed Cain! Do you really trust that she won’t do anything to you?"

Violet hesitated, her posture softening just a little.

"You’re good," she murmured. "I know for sure that not all witches are bad."

Her voice cracked just slightly.

"I wouldn’t even be having this conversation if my mother was alive..."

The words were spoken quietly, as if to herself, but Uva heard them clearly. She felt a flicker of guilt, then quickly buried it beneath the mountain of things already weighing her down.

"We’ll discuss this later," Uva said, already moving toward the door. Her hands trembled slightly as she grasped the handle. "Right now... I have things to do. And I can’t—"

"This is more important!" Violet said, her voice rising again, urgency thick in her tone. "I need to awaken my magic, and I need to awaken it now!"

Uva didn’t respond. She simply pulled the door open, her message loud and clear. She didn’t want Violet here. Not now.

"I understand," Uva said finally, her tone clipped. "And I will keep it in mind and help you find someone. But right now, I need my room to myself."

Her voice left no room for argument.

Violet hesitated, her lips parting as if to say more—but the moment passed. Slowly, she turned and stepped out.

"Fine. I’ll come back another time," she muttered as she left, the words heavy with disappointment.

Uva nodded so hard it was nearly aggressive, then slammed the door shut behind her.

On the other side, Violet didn’t even feel angry.

She remembered Cain’s face—how easily he’d humiliated her. The way his eyes had bored into her like she was a stray dog. If their positions had been reversed, she would’ve been just as desperate to prove her worth.

I am useful, she whispered to herself, eyes narrowing.

She wouldn’t accept that she wasn’t. Not when she knew what she could become. What she would become.

In her heart, she believed that once her magic awakened, even Cain would have no choice but to acknowledge her. He wouldn’t be able to look down on her again—not when she was strong.

That single thought pulsed like a promise through her veins.

It made her want to leave the mansion right that moment and search for a witch—any witch—willing to take the risk and show her something, anything. She might’ve done it too but the only thing stopping her was the thought of being kidnapped by a witch who thought that her eyes would be good material for her potion.