The Witch Queen's Legacy

Family Secrets

Amara POV

As soon as I entered the house, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. The familiar scent of my grandmother's homemade apple pie filled the air, recalling childhood visits and lazy afternoons spent in her cozy kitchen.

But today, there was something different about the atmosphere she exuded.

My grandmother's smile held a hint of mystery, and I could tell she had something important to share with me. As she took my hand and led me into the living room, I could feel my heart racing with anticipation.

What secrets did our family hold that she felt compelled to reveal now?

"Amara, dear," she said softly, her eyes full of emotion. "I've been waiting for this moment for so long. Now that you know about our family heritage, it's time you know the whole truth."

Her words hung in the air like a heavy fog, enveloping us in a blanket of seriousness. This would not be a casual conversation about the weather or what we had for dinner. This was something deeper that would change everything I thought I knew about my family.

As we settled into the comfortable chairs in the living room, my curiosity grew stronger with each passing second. My grandmother's gaze never wavered from mine, and I could sense the weight of her words before she even spoke them.

"I understand," I replied quietly, trying to mask my excitement and nervousness simultaneously. I was eager to learn more about my family's history, about the secrets that had been hidden from me all these years.

But just as we were about to delve into the past, my grandmother paused and touched my shoulder gently.

"On second thought," she said with a twinkle in her eye, "why don't you freshen up first? I don't want you to be tired or uncomfortable while we discuss these matters." I nodded gratefully, appreciating her thoughtfulness and consideration for my well-being.

As I climbed the stairs towards my room, my mind raced with questions and anticipation.

What revelations awaited me?

What stories lay buried within the walls of this old house?

A sense of peace washed over me like a gentle breeze when I entered my room. The familiarity of it all grounded me as I quickly got ready and made myself presentable for whatever awaited me downstairs.

As I descended back into the living room where my grandparents and Noah were waiting for me, Noah greeted me teasingly with a smirk. "You're finally done," he joked playfully. I chuckled nervously and rolled my eyes at him before sitting beside him on the plush couch.

My grandparents exchanged knowing looks before my grandfather cleared his throat.

"Guess we can begin now," he said solemnly, capturing my attention again.

My grandmother nodded in agreement, her eyes locking onto mine as if searching for understanding and acceptance in their depths.

"Amara, you need to know something while you are in Meadow Creek”, my grandmother spoke. I furrowed my brows in confusion but remained silent, eager to hear what they had to say.

"While you are in Meadow Creek, you will not be known as Amara Sterling but instead as Amara Moonstone," my grandmother revealed. Her words took me aback, and I couldn't hide the surprise on my face.

My mind raced with questions as I tried to understand what she told me. Seeing my confusion, my grandmother quickly explained why this unexpected revelation occurred.

"Witches firmly believe in legacy and bloodline. Therefore, even if one of your parents is human, you will be known by your witch parents' family name."

I listened intently as she continued to explain the customs and traditions of witches in Meadow Creek. It was a lot to take in, but understanding these intricacies would be crucial to fit in with the magical community here.

As I processed everything that was being shared with me, I felt a sense of excitement and nervousness bubbling inside me.

"There are also witches who look down on witches with human heritage," Grandpa spoke.

Noah scoffed, "Yeah, I had some jerks who tried to annoy me with that."I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for my brother.

He had always been more outgoing and assertive than me. "Really?" I asked, trying to hide my nervousness. Noah nodded, frustration evident in his tone. "Yeah, some were too proud of their strong witch heritage."

As Noah spoke, I could feel myself tensing up. Confrontation was never my strong suit, and dealing with bullies was something I dreaded. Seeing how much it bothered my brother, I could only imagine what I would endure.

But this was not the only thing my grandparents wanted to tell me. The next thing they said made me gasp in surprise.

"Amara, did you know that your father was actually my youngest child. I also have an older son and daughter?" Grandmother said with a smile, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

I felt a surge of confusion and disbelief wash over me.

How could I not have known about this before?

My brother Noah seemed to find it amusing, chuckling at my reaction. "Yeah, we have an Uncle and an Aunt," he said casually, as if dropping such bombshells was normal in our family.

I struggled to process this new information. "Wait, what? I have an Uncle and an Aunt?" I asked incredulously, feeling like my whole world had been turned upside down.

Grandmother nodded solemnly. "Yes, you do. Your Uncle currently lives in another coven in London."

"Coven...?" I asked in confusion. Noah sensed my confusion because he spoke up, trying to explain. "There are many witch covens worldwide, Amara. They vary in size and prominence, but they all exist in different parts of the world."

I listened intently, still struggling to understand it all. The idea of hidden magical communities existing alongside our ordinary world was thrilling and terrifying.

Before I could ask more questions about my mysterious relatives, my grandfather added another surprising piece of information.

"Your Aunt is unavailable now as she is busy with council business," he proudly informed me.

"Council? What Council?" I couldn't help but blurt out, curiosity getting better.

"It's a group of talented individuals from different covens that come together to protect witches worldwide," Grandmother explained patiently.

I tried to absorb everything they told me—about witches living among us and secret councils making decisions that affected their kind. It was a lot to take in for someone who had always considered herself an ordinary girl.

As I sat in the cozy living room of my grandparents' house, a whirlwind of emotions and questions swirled inside me. My mind was swirling with questions about this new world, which was much bigger than I first thought.

Noah's voice broke through my thoughts, returning me to the present moment. "So, when is Lily coming back?" he asked eagerly, his eyes shining with anticipation.

Grandmother smiled warmly at him before turning to me. "She should be back by next week," she replied gently.

I couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Who is Lily?

My mind was flooded with questions, but Noah jumped in with excitement before I could voice them. "Lily is our cousin, Amara. She is the daughter of our Uncle", he said, smiling.

"I think you and Lily will get along quite well, dear. Lily is also 18, so the Grandmother said you will be starting college together, smiling.

Knowing that there would be someone my age whom I would know in college made me feel so much better. It meant that I would be alone.

But even as I tried to focus on the positive aspects of having a cousin close to my own age, so many unanswered questions were still swirling in my mind. What exactly did this Council do? Why was Aunt away on council business?

Lost in my thoughts, Grandfather's gentle touch on my shoulder brought me back to reality. "Don't worry, dear," he said softly. "Everything will become clear in time."

I took a deep breath and nodded, trying to trust his words. But I couldn't help but wonder how many more secrets will I learn about my family.