“REED, look at that!” Amaia nudged Reed when they were about to approach the bridge where a river could be found below. “Can we stop for a while and go there?” she pleaded like a child.

Reed parked his jeep under a tree when they passed by the bridge. They could see the path the led to the river from there.

“You wanna bathe?” he asked with a smile.

“If you’ll join me,” she said, biting her lip.

“Of course. If that’s what you want.”

Amaia giggled in his submission. She got out of the car and waited for him. Reed was smiling when he joined her and took her hand.

*

“AND then what happened?” Amira asked over breakfast.

Amaia rolled her eyeballs ceilingwards.

“And what else do you think?” she said.

“And I can’t believe you’ve been seeing each other for a week,” Amara said. “Could you not find another guy around here that’s why you’re sticking with that werewolf because you have no choice?”

She eyed her younger sister sharply.

“Of course, there are other guys in this place. And I am not settling for less with Reed. He’s such an interesting man. He was loved by everyone here.”

“And you want to love him too, that’s why,” Amira said.

“Well...” She could not help grinning.

“Seriously?” Amara’s eyes widened.

“What?” she asked sheepishly.

“No way.”

“We haven’t talked about the status of our relationship yet if we ever have one. We just don’t want to rush things, you know.”

“Why talk about commitment when you can just have sex anytime? Especially that you always make yourself available for him at all times,” Amira retorted.

“What do you mean? That Reed won’t take me seriously just because I’m always there for him?” Amaia said with an eyebrow raised.

Amira raised her hands in submission.

“It’s not what I meant. I’m just surprised to hear you actually want to take a relationship seriously. I’m just concerned about you, Amaia.”

“Why not?”

“We won’t get in the way of your happiness if the feeling’s mutual,” Amara said. “You just have to make sure that he’s really serious about you. We don’t want you wasting your time on him.”

“Or you can just use a love potion,” Amira suggested.

“Come on,” she retorted. “You know love potions don’t work as true love does. And why would I need that if he already felt something for me?” She stood up from the dining table. “I better go shower because I still have a date with him.”

Her sisters teased her, but she chose to ignore them.

*

AMAIA had just come out from the portal when she saw Reed getting out of his jeep. He was carrying a big basket in one hand and a stuffed toy on the other. She was about to tiptoe her way to him, but he was quick to turn to her direction.

Her heart stopped. She should not have underestimated his sense of smell. She smiled sheepishly at him.

“Hi, Reed.”

Reed was watching him with a serious face as she approached him.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“No. Not at all.”

Amaia did not anticipate Reed giving her a firm kiss on her lips. It was quick that she was not able to respond.

“Have you had breakfast already?” Reed was already smiling at her.

Amaia nodded like a child.

“Well, I haven’t yet. I went to the market early in the morning, and I just came back.”

“I can still join you for breakfast, though.”

“You’ll do that?” he asked in amusement.

“Of course.”

Reed kissed her once again.

“Let’s go inside.”

*

“CAN YOU bring me with you the next time you go to the market?” Amaia asked while Reed was busily organizing the items he bought on the table.

“You don’t mind waking up early in the morning?” Reed asked in return.

“I never went to the actual market. We were used to going to the grocery store with my sisters.”

“I’ll fetch you at your house then.”

Amaia could not hide her joy when he said that. Then her attention was reverted to the stuffed toy on the table beside the basket.

“For whom is that stuffed toy?” she asked.

“Oh, that.” Amaia did not miss the sadness that passed Reed’s eyes. “I saw that when I was walking around the market. I found it cute. I remembered my daughter. Today’s her birthday. I never got to celebrate it with her.”

Reed turned his back on her to make a fire on the stove. Amaia picked up the stuffed toy and stared at it. She wondered how it does feel to be separated from a child for a long time.

“Reed...”

“Hmm?”

“Let’s give it to your daughter.”

Reed turned to her with a shocked expression.

*

“I’M GOING for a walk for a while,” Amira told Amara. She found her sister reading an old spellbook in the living room.

“And where are you going?” Amara asked.

“Just around the place. I’ll explore and make friends with other supernatural beings along the way.”

“Well, it’s up to you,” Amara replied with a shrug.

Amira went out of the mansion. She opened a portal in the front yard and went to a place with water. Amira arrived at the river under the bridge. Lots of trees and huge rocks surrounded the place. She went to the hidden part of the river so that no one would see her.

Amira felt something or someone watching her. She looked around her but could see nothing. She was sure it was not an ordinary human. She went on, and the feeling that someone was watching her did not leave her.

Amira let the wind blow her red see-through dress and her shoulder-length hair. The feeling of being watched wasn’t new to her. Supernatural beings have a thing for special women like her. She’s not just an ordinary woman with a body to die for—she’s a witch.

She stopped at the deep part of the river and looked at opposite directions.

Just watch me. Help yourself. You’ll show yourself eventually once you discover what I can do.

“Damien…” she called on the water with a sweet voice.

A few seconds later, a little whirlpool seemed to form on the water, and a masculine creature with shining scales appeared.

“Amira,” Damien called softly. Damien was a nymph and was related to mermaids and mermen. They have no tails, and they were the guardians of freshwater bodies. He opened his arms for her.

Amira did not hesitate to plunge herself into the water and swam into her lover’s arms.