Chapter 6 A Hunk In The Forest

• [Amara’s POV]
• We arrived at the coven at 3:00 p.m. to find Mimi, Mimi Haze, and Mimi El sitting in the garden. They don’t look surprised that I am back so soon, so I stole a glance at Mom. She was sporting her usual serene expression. I wonder what important topic they need to discuss with Mimis that they had to come with me for a long drive. They could have just video-called them; that would have been faster.
• I kissed Mimi on her cheek and hugged Mimi Haze and Mimi El before slumping on the bench opposite them.
• “Amara, go to your room. We have something to discuss with your parents. It’s a grown-up talk,” Mimi ordered me with her gentlest tone.
• I nodded and went inside the coven with a bag slung over my shoulder. I am the least interested in their so-called grown-up talk. Every time they have a grown-up conversation, I am only drifting into deep sleep. It’s boring. I’d rather scroll through my social media accounts or watch the latest videos than get myself involved. I spend so much time practicing magic when I’m not in school; if I don’t give my brain some rest, I’d lose it, for sure.
• I slumped on my bed with my arms stretched on the side after entering my room. My eyes were fixed on the ceiling. I have no idea how to pass my time now. I overslept, so sleeping is not an option. I always get bored when I’m in the coven because there is no one to talk to. The other witches, vampires, and small entities are staying in a separate building. The West Wing was reserved for us. My parents and brothers also have their own rooms, although they rarely stay here.
• My room was in the penthouse, opposite the ritual room. Two more rooms were unoccupied beside mine. They were reserved for Willow and Freida. Unlike me, they will join the coven a little later. Despite their coming of age next week, Mom said, they must finish college first since Mimis are not retiring soon, which means they still have a lot of time to practice their magic, so no rush.
• Sometimes I envy them. Mimi and Mom have given the twins a shorter list of responsibilities. Less pressure, more time to enjoy life. It’s not that I’m the only one who will manage the coven after Mimi retires—argh, the burden of being the firstborn.
• Additionally, Dad Seb wanted me to take over some businesses for the pack, including the blood bank and its affiliated hospitals across various territories under the Riverbed Pack's management. It’s a reasonable request, so I agreed, and the turnover will start as soon as I graduate from the university. After all, monitoring the supply and demand of blood for the vampire clan would be easier if it were under the same roof.
• I jumped out of bed and drew the curtain to look out of the window. It’s still early. I can still meet the three coven whisperers and the concert queen. Yes, I call Gale, Belle, and Pheony the coven whisperers and Tilly the concert queen. They seem to like their new nicknames, so I continued to call them that. It kinda’ stuck.
• I put on the rubber boots before I changed my mind. Quickly, I snapped my fingers after snatching the scarf from the dressing table to wrap around my neck in case it got cold later, and the next second, I was in the middle of the forest.
• I took a deep breath of fresh forest air to relax my mind. I held my breath for a few seconds before releasing it. After exhaling, I whistled to summon the fairies. I was surprised that they were nowhere to be seen when I arrived. Usually, they could sense my arrival and would gather around even before I appeared.
• I wrinkled my brows, wondering why they were not coming. The forest is a stark contrast to its usual lively mood.
• I whistled again. The forest floor was tranquil today, just like the last time. No birds and crickets were chirping. Even the gnomes remain hidden under the cave. I could sense them, but for whatever reason, they were hiding. Why?
• I whistled one last time before calling the fairies one by one. But nothing happened. I sat against the taproot of a Coast Redwood, intending to wait for any supernatural creature to appear and soothe my boredom. I love chatting with them. They are mostly mischievous.
• After a few minutes, my eyelids began to close on their own. How can I be this sleepy when I just woke up a few minutes ago? I struggled to fight the drowsiness looming over me, but I failed.
• Just as my vision started getting hazy, I saw a silhouette of a man approaching in haste. I couldn’t see his face as the shadow concealed it from the rays of light shining behind him. But through the mist in my vision, I could see the epitome of a perfect physique, tall, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist. I could only imagine ripped abdominal muscles in between. Unfortunately, before I could appreciate the view, darkness loomed at the corner of my eyes, forcing my consciousness away. I tried to fight the drowsiness to no avail.
• In my weak voice, I managed to mumble my thoughts to the man, “Who are you? What do you want from me? Don’t. Don’t…” I raised my hand to snap my fingers and use my remaining energy to teleport myself to the coven, but it fell of its own accord.
• As if I had ingested a potent drug, my head grew heavy and thoughts muddled. I am no longer myself; I am drifting deeper and deeper into the darkness with every passing second. What is happening to me?
• “Mom. Mimi.” I tried to reach out, but my energy wouldn’t allow me to use my power. As the last ounce of consciousness left me, I felt myself being lifted in the air. My hand hangs limp, and my hair bounces in the air like a feather. I had no choice but to allow nature to take its course and succumb to the depths of nothingness.
• I don’t know how long I was out. But when I opened my eyes, I was met by seven pairs of anxious eyes. I scanned them one by one until my gaze landed on the unfamiliar figure. I blinked a couple of times, trying to remember where I had seen him, or if I had even seen him at all. His lips wore a faint, unreadable smile.
• “Princess, are you alright?” Dad Seb was the first to ask tersely, catching my attention before Mom sat beside me to run her fingers through my hair. She smiled gently, and I smiled back. Awkwardly.
• “You escaped.” It’s a statement. Mom’s voice was so soft, and her tone so gentle. Suddenly, I felt uneasy. She was not angry, but her expression was suspiciously calm. I’d rather she scold me than give me this unreadable face. It’s more dangerous if she is this calm.
• “Mom. I’m sorry.” She nodded, but her expression shifted from calm to one of indifference. I shook the uneasiness and diverted my attention to the strange man.
• “Who is he?” I asked no one in particular, but my gaze was fixed on the stranger.
• “His name is Cernon,” Mimi was the one who answered my question.
• “He was like a Greek God, a forest hunk,” I thought. I could feel my face heating up as soon as the thoughts came into my mind, and Cernon’s lips curled upward as if he could read what was running through my head.
• “You fainted. I happened to be in the forest, so I brought you here,” his magnetic voice reached my ears, and for a while, I couldn’t form a coherent thought to respond to his statement. Not that it needs an answer. In the end, I merely bobbed my head.
• “When was the last time you ate, princess?” Dad Nathan asked this time.
• “Uhm. Last night, I think.” and they all hummed like a chorus with different tones and meanings.
• “Can I invite you for a meal, Amara?” Cernon’s magnetic voice sounded once again, sending shivers down my spine, leaving me speechless. I want to say no, but the loud grumbling of my stomach did the talking before I could even open my mouth.