Chapter XV
Jasper drove the car through a small road between woods. Mia knew the forest very well. She used to play in it with other witches and train her powers with them. Those were the good old times, before that accident happen.
It was around 6 afternoon when they arrived in front of an enormous manor with all the lights turned on inside. Jasper parked the car aside and turned it off. Mia opened the car slowly, observing the place she was born and raised.
A manor where witches lived. There was a set of stairs that lead to porch where the doors were to enter the manor. A small river when under the stairs with small opening and lead further into the woods. Flowers surrounded the stairs at the start of the stone fence and at the top.
The manor was filled with alive nature and Mia could feel how positive it was, how full of life it felt. She hadn't felt like that for a long time, ever since that day. Well, this place definitely brings back the memories I wished to forget.
Alice and Jasper walked out of the car and started to follow Mia as she made her way towards the manor's front stairs. They noticed other witches standing at a few windows, looking at her, observing every move they made.
"They don't seem to like vampires." Alice commented silently, clearly feeling uneasy.
"They just don't like when other beings step on our lands." Mia said, and then glanced over her shoulder at them. "Especially vampires."
As they stepped onto the porch, the dark brown double doors opened by magic and a woman in her 60's opened the doors. She wore dark purple blouse tucked into black pants that almost covered her black ankle boots. She looked very elegant and well for her age; dark brown hair with few grey lock and grayish-blue eyes.
Claudia Myers, Mia's grandmother and mother of Celestina Forbes. The head of all witched and the leader of Silva Clan. She was one of the most powerful witch leaders in witch history. She was a good mother and is a caring grandmother.
"Mia, darling." Claudia spoke and wrapped her hands around Mia.
"Hi, grandma." Mia greeted and Claudia pulled away, looking at her down and up.
"Finally, the light of life has returned to your eyes." Claudia caressed her cheek. "I'm glad you safely arrived." She said before her eyes looked towards Alice and Jasper. "And you must be Carlisle's children." Claudia said, extending her hand out. "Claudia Myers."
"Alice." Alice introduced herself and shakes her hand
"Jasper." Claudia then shakes his hand.
"It's nice to meet you." Claudia kindly said. "Please come in. We prepared you a guest room."
Mia walked inside, she saw a few witches looking at them as they arrived. She recognized all of them, after all, most of them were her childhood friends and then Mia took her distance, now they are just old friends. But they mostly had their eyes on the vampires.
Claudia led Alice and Jasper to a guest room while Mia continued forwards and went towards her room. She walked inside, her bedroom always the same. Dark brown floor, golden curtains, golden covers on the bed with the rest of the furniture almost the same dark brown color as the bed.
"I missed my bed." Mia said, collapsing onto her bed. "Ah…"
Eventually, Mia got up from the bed and went to change her clothes. Black skinny jeans tucked into black boots and dark blue shirt. She brushed her messy hair and placed it to go over her shoulders in perfect wavy locks.
Mia looked at her phone, feeling worried about Edward. Various questions went through her mind as she expected him to call her. But too much has already passed by and there was no word from him. What if something happened to him?
Mia sighs and went out of her room. She made her way towards the guest room where Alice and Jasper were. In the back of her mind she hoped they heard something from other, maybe at least informed them of James's position.
She took a deep breath before she knocked twice on their door. She heard 'come in' from Jasper and opened the door. Alice and Jasper sat on a couch with a dark brown coffee table in front of them. Mia slightly smiled and closes the door.
"Hi." Mia greeted. "Did Edward or anyone called you?" Mia asked as she walked towards them.
"No, not yet." Alice answered and the gasped.
"What is it? What do you see?" Jasper asked her.
"The tracker, he just changed course." Alice answered.
"Where will it take him, Alice?" Jasper asked.
"Mirrors." Alice answered. "A room full of mirrors." Jasper handed her a paper and a pen.
Mia watched at Alice started to draw, very fast. The most she draws, the more the drawing became familiar to Mia. But she wasn't sure where she saw that place. Why does it look so familiar? Mia thought, thinking hard where this place could be. Until her phone suddenly started to ring and she looked at the ID, immediately picking up.
"Edward, are you okay?" Mia asked, stepping away from Alice and Jasper.
"We've lost the tracker. The woman's still in the area. Rosalie and Esme are going back to Forks to protect your uncle and aunt." Edward said.
"Okay, thanks." Mia spoke quietly.
"I'm coming to get you. Then you and I…are gonna go somewhere alone. And the others will keep hunting. I'll do whatever it takes to make you safe again." Mia smiled.
"I know you will."
The night came around and Mia sat in her room on her bed. What now? She wondered. She felt pathetic, honestly. She was a witch and she needed protection. Not only that she felt weak, but also a low witch. Why did this have to happen? Mia closes her eyes and leaned on the bed.
She started at this celling above her, setting her eyes on one point in the wall. Mia looked at her phone when it started to ring and immediately took it. There was an unknown number as an ID, immediately making her wonder it is before she picked up.
"Hello?" Mia spoke while sitting up on her bed.
"Forks High School doesn't protect its student's privacy very well." Mia's eyes wide as she heard James's voice over the phone. "It was just too easy for Victoria to find your previous address."
"Great for you." Mia sarcastically said. "And what are going to do now?"
"It's not the question what am I going to do, the question is what are you going to do." Mia narrowed her eyes in confusion. "You are very well protected now, in your witch lair. I always thought you witches were too proud to be protected by others." Mia could hear provoking tone in his voice. "You involved so many into this. Cullens, witches,… who else are you going to involve to protect you?"
"What do you want?" Mia asked through her teeth.
"You." James simply said. "If you come where I tell you to come, without your little friends, Victoria won't go to Cambridge and kill your cousin." Mia's eyes wide.
"Don't even think—"
"All you have to do…" James interrupted her. "…is to come where I tell you to and everyone will be alright."
"Okay, I'll bite." Mia agreed with a brave voice and heard a little laugh from James.
"How about the old witch training studio." Mia's eyes sparkle with realization, remembering the drawing Alice made from her vision. "And I'll know if you bring anyone along. Poor cousin would pay the price for that mistake."
"Don't even think about hurting him." Mia said before she hangs up.
Mia took a deep breath. She dressed on her leather jacket and then made her way towards the window. She opened it and looked down. Good thing I'm on a second floor. Mia thought before she stepped out of the window and looked down.
"I'm crazy."
Mia whispered before she gathers courage and jumped off. She landed on the ground in crouching position, holding her steady against the ground with open palms. She let out the breath she was holding before she started to run.
She runs through the forest until she came to the road. Mia turned left and made her way towards the place James wanted her to come. Of course she was afraid and of course she bite into his plan like a fish. But she couldn't risk it, she doesn't want people to suffer because James wants her.
She felt fear. She didn't know what to expect. But she had her powers and she will use them to protect herself and not let him contact Victoria. Mia isn't a girl that will live with someone always protecting her. She had to protect her own self and not live depending on someone else to save her.
Mia soon found herself in front of the old witch training studio. What are you doing, Charlotte? Mia takes a deep breath and released before she took steps towards the door that will decide her fate.