Chapter 63 Sixty-Three

Chapter 63 Sixty-Three
Amber
There was something on my skin. It was warm yet intangible.
I could feel the smooth snugness bouncing from my cheek, and it almost made me feel… happy.
Slowly, I let my eyes flicker open, and at first, my vision was blurry until it started to focus. The environment was familiar, that was for sure. I knew that I was in Drew’s room, but something was different.
As I sat up in the bed and analyzed the space, I tried to pinpoint what was different.
Then, it hit me. I woke up with sunlight on my face. I’ve never woken up with its warmth before because Drew hated the light. However, today, the thick drapes were pulled back, letting in a generous amount of yellow beams.
I smiled at the sight of it. What made him change his mind today? Deeming it as a mystery in itself, I shuffled from bed, feeling like I had the best night’s sleep ever. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes on the way to the bathroom, letting out a yawn before splashing my face with water.
Images of last night came back to my mind. Most of it was awful. In fact, all of it, except Drew being alive, was bad. Then, he put me to sleep in a few seconds, and it felt like I’d never had a night that good before.
With a smile lingering on my face, I returned to the room to get dressed, where I saw that it was fifteen minutes after ten. Instant panic swept over me. My mother would freak that I wasn’t home for breakfast! Indeed, by now, Ruby would’ve realized that I wasn’t in my room and bring it to my parents’ attention. Sometimes, being a princess was too pressuring. If I were a regular 22-year-old, I could be out as long as I wanted, and no one would care. Why? Because I am an adult.
I pulled on some fresh clothes that I left in Drew’s closet and bolted down his everlasting staircase.
“Drew! Why didn’t you wake me up? I—” I stopped abruptly at the base of my stairs as I took in the sight in front of me.
The confusion was evident on my face, I’m sure. But out of everything I was expecting, this was not one of them.
Sitting in Drew’s massive leather couch was Elma, the 500-year-old witch, with my mate across from her, looking as if they were deep in conversation before I arrived.
“What’s going on?” I questioned as I sat beside Drew. I still didn’t trust her completely. As far as I know, her invisible shapeshifter lover could be in here somewhere, just waiting for the right time to strike.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but the thought came to me this morning when you were still sleeping,” Drew whispered as he rested a hand on my thigh. “I called her here because—”
“You called her here?” I couldn’t believe my ears. I really wanted to know what was so important to have her make the trip out here.
“Yes, because I figured she could help us figure out how to wake your siblings.” This surely shut me up. I should’ve been upset, seeing that he made this decision without me. But seeing that I didn’t sleep at all last night, I knew he didn’t wake me because he wanted me to rest. I had barely slept the night before, too, so I was surely tired.
“I would’ve told you once you’re awake. I promise. And we wouldn’t have done anything until then, too.”
I nodded in understanding. It’s the thought that counts, right? Still, the supposition that I would see them again in a matter of minutes or hours caused my stomach to churn.
Forcing a smile, I returned my attention to Elma, seeing her expression as calm as ever. “Hello, Elma.”
“Princess Amber,” she returned. “Great to see you.”
“Likewise,” I lied through my teeth, at which her chest shook with a light chuckle, showing that she knew too.
“Well, Drew was filling me in about the situation. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. Did you figure anything out yet?”
She shook her head. “I haven’t seen them yet. Drew wanted to wait until you were awake.”
I nodded as we all stood. I wiped my palms on my jeans to rid them of the sweat. Facing my mother didn’t seem as nerve-wracking as this. I took a deep breath as we mounted the stairs, and Drew kept his hand on the small of my back all the way.
“Um, thank you for what you did this morning,” I whispered with a smile. “I don’t think I could’ve ever slept without you.”
“I’m just sorry I didn’t do it sooner,” he sighed, and like always, he was blaming himself.
“Hey, it’s not your fault. I was the one who blocked you out in the first place.”
“Well, from now on, I’ll always be your comfort,” he said before kissing the corner of my mouth. “I always will be.”
Feeling satisfied, I grasped onto him even more as he led me through the door where Alex and Aliah were. I needed him to be my comfort more than ever as Elma strode over to them.
First, all she did was stare at them; then, she rested her hand on Alex’s forehead and took a deep breath. I inched closer to them, anticipating anything. She drew five deep breaths, and each time her expression would change from confusion to surprise until it shifted to a concentration and stayed there.
After about a minute and a half, she opened her eyes and met mine. My heart raced as I waited for her to say something—anything!
“They’re alive,” she finally said, and my eyes closed on instinct as my heart resumed beating. “They’re hybrids,” she added. She didn’t sound too happy about it, and I couldn’t be sure if I was either.
Knowing Alex and Aliah, they’d rather be dead.
Still, I was too selfish to let go. Not again. If I could just hear their voices one more time, I’d take it over any other alternative.
“Why are they asleep?” Drew asked as if reading my mind.
Elma shook her head, seeming disapproving. “It’s… It’s such an odd spell. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is.”
“So there was a witch involved?” I asked. Knowing Dageian, I wasn’t surprised. He could manipulate anyone to his will. That also explained how he made that drug that blocked me and Drew’s link.
“Indeed.” She nodded. “But the witch didn’t force them to sleep.”
“Then who did?” My voice came out snappier than I intended, but I was growing frustrated with her parable-talking. I simply just wanted to hear how to undo it.
“Your siblings did.”