When Amity opened her eyes, sunlight flooded the bedroom and warmed her fair skin. She stretched, noticing how rested she felt and rolled to her other side. The witch was momentarily startled by the sight of her mentor, Lilith, snoring softly beside her. Lilith looked completely at peace now, unlike the evening before. Her braid had come undone and her wavy blue hair splayed out over her shoulders and pillow. Her expression was serene and the way the sunlight hit her pale skin made her look like a china doll. Amity felt guilty for the strife she'd caused the night before and seeing her mentor so rested was relieving.
Not wanting to disrupt Lilith, Amity got comfortable where she was. She reached out to rest her hand on Lilith's, where it lay stretched out from the evening before. The student had never had anyone care for her the way Lilith, Luz, and Eda did. It had only been a few months since the school year began, with winter just around the corner, and Amity felt closer to the trio than her own family.
Her family.
Amity knew her parents would not take her change in plans too kindly. They'd begun to notice a change in her, one she couldn't pinpoint herself, that year. It was as if they could tell she was being loved and cared for by others. When she stayed late the week before, she faced one of the harshest punishments they'd enforced yet. If she was smarter, she was sure she would end the apprenticeship and stop spending time with any of the Clawthornes.
Despite her desire to avoid her mother's wrath, she wanted this so much more. She wanted a mother like her mentor. Lilith didn't judge Amity. When she snapped, she would apologize almost immediately and apologize properly. When she was stressed, she would step away and deal with it on her own. She thought about Amity and checked in with her. When Amity needed something, it seemed all she had to do was ask and Lilith was overjoyed to help her. This was so foreign to the young witch. She found it challenging to believe, despite Lilith's consistency and persistence. It was as if Lilith spoke a different language entirely sometimes.
Amity had always excused her parents' behavior because she knew they faced hardship growing up in the Boiling Isles. Despite their success as Blight Industries, there had been years where they were forced to make sacrifices so they could build a corporation. When the twins were small witchlets, and Amity was a new baby, the financial burden was hefty. They'd struggled so severely because of her existence. Her accidental existence was the reason they punished her so easily now. They never let her forget that.
Meanwhile, Lilith was recruited into the Emperor's Coven as a teenager. The witch moved through the ranks, working tirelessly for what she wanted. She dedicated her entire life to a coven that only hurt her in the end. Her boss, someone who claimed to rule with a gentle hand, left marks all over her body. Amity looked at Lilith's exposed arm then, moving her hand to trace the scars covering it. Some of the scars were so thick and jagged that Amity was sure the witch must have been in unfathomable amounts of pain. It seemed as though her life was endangered by a job she'd been pushed into as a kid just a few years older than Amity. Still, despite all of the evident pain, Lilith was gentle, warm, and considerate of those around her.
The teenager swallowed the lump in her throat as she lay there, tracing the biggest scar gently. Something about the prospect of Emperor Belos harming Lilith twisted her insides in knots. It hadn't occurred to her that she could lose Lilith in all of this. If the Emperor were to find out about their agreement or become frustrated over any tiny thing, he would take it out on Lilith. The grief welled in Amity's chest and she found herself wrapping her hand around Lilith's forearm rather tightly.
Lilith's eyes popped open, two sapphires focusing on Amity with a sleepy curiosity. Her eye flickered down to her arm before meeting Amity's amber ones again. Amity loosened her grasp, realizing she'd woken her.
"Amity?" Lilith's voice was raspier than usual from sleeping. "Are you okay, dear?"
"I…" Amity cleared her throat, annoyed that her emotions seemed to be bubbling over. "I'm scared."
"I won't let your parents touch you," Lilith's face softened as she took Amity's hand back into her own. "You will be safe today."
"It's not that," Amity shook her head. "I…I'm scared for you ."
Lilith's brow pinched together so minutely Amity almost missed it. She wracked her brain, trying to understand what the girl had to be scared of for her. As if she could read her thoughts, Amity reached to trace the large scar again. Ah.
"I suppose that is fair," Lilith wished she had something more comforting to offer Amity. "He doesn't know anything, though. He won't find out. You are safe and I am…safe."
Amity heard the uncertainty in her voice regardless of her efforts. The girl, from her own experiences with her parents, knew how it felt to hide behind such a desperate hope for security. Sometimes it felt like she truly believed things would get better and that it would never happen again. She knew it wasn't likely, but she knew admitting it certainly would didn't serve her either. The only thing to gain from being completely honest about it was dread and fear.
The younger witch sighed.
"Is there nothing we can do to stop him?" Amity asked, mostly processing her thoughts out loud. "I don't understand why you can't leave. I mean, I understand what he would do. I just…I didn't know you couldn't leave. I thought anyone could leave at any time."
"It's one thing to permit leaving by technicality. It is another thing to permit the opportunity," Lilith smiled half-heartedly. "I...I hadn't thought very much about this myself. I think I spent so many years telling myself I technically had a choice that I began to truly believe it. I had to."
"I get it," Amity nodded, her eyes cast downward.
"We will be safe today and we will take it one day at a time after that. We will take it one hour at a time if we have to," Lilith spoke reassuringly, reaching out to squeeze Amity's hand where it rested against her arm. "I plan to talk to Edalyn about all of this. Your parents, my job… all of it. If anyone could come up with a plan, it would be my sister."
"You believe that? Like…truly?"
"Truly, deeply," Lilith used her pointer finger to create a cross over her heart. "I do."
"I believe you," Amity smiled half-heartedly.
"Good."
"So, we're going to a potioneer today?" Amity asked then, remembering the phone call from the night before.
"If your heart is set on it," Lilith winked then. Amity flushed. "I was thinking of perhaps something different. You do not truly need to study harder for your potions class. I said that to your mother to earn her support."
"You sure tell a lot of white lies," Amity giggled and Lilith rolled her eyes, poking the girl's stomach.
"Only when necessary," Lilith sighed. "The circumstances necessitate it."
"What would we do instead?" Amity sat up then, becoming much more excited about their morning plans.
She'd been to shadow potioneers more times than she could count and wasn't particularly thrilled about the idea of spending her Saturday morning with another one. While the potioneer seemed more interesting than working at Blight Industries or volunteering at the library again, Amity truly didn't want to do any of those things on the weekend. She never really got to do what she wanted on weekends ever.
"What would you like to do this morning, Miss Blight?" Lilith asked then, a single eyebrow arching. Amity's eyes widened. It was as though Lilith was in her mind sometimes.
"I don't know…I've never really had Saturdays for what I want," the student was puzzled by the fact that she'd never thought about what she would want. All she knew was what she didn't want. "I guess…I don't know. I feel silly."
"What you want is not silly, Amity," Lilith gave her a teasing look of disapproval. "You are allowed to want things."
"I want to make pancakes…with berries!" Amity's cheeks grew hot as she caught herself being honest. She felt so safe with her mentor that she found words slipping out without her permission. "I also want to go for a walk or a hike. I want to practice magic, but for fun. Or practice flying. I want to play games and read and pick fruit in the garden. I have always dreamed of having one of those cozy weekends where I stay in my pajamas, eat breakfast, relax, and even clean ."
Lilith watched with fond eyes as Amity seemed lost in the thought of doing all the things she listed. It was extremely disappointing to learn that a simple weekend at home in her pajamas was nothing but a dream for the young girl. As hard as her childhood had been, Lilith had that. Lilith's parents would travel often, leaving her and Edalyn to tend to the home together. All of her favorite memories were born during her weekends with Eda. They too stayed in their pajamas, ate good food, explored, and played. This was a monthly constant for Lilith until she had been recruited.
"We will do as much of that as possible," Lilith sat up and reached out to gently press her hand to Amity's cheek, her thumb grazing the girl's cheekbone. She pulled her hand back, placing it on Amity's shoulder. "We will start with breakfast. I have berries from the garden we can use. We can read for a while, if you'd like, or go out on a bit of exploration. I know a spot that would be perfect for practicing some of your spells. You could even fly Revali if you so desire."
"Really?" Amity's glassy eyes lit up at the offer.
"Truly," Lilith smiled warmly, relieved to see so much joy in the student's expression.
"When will I go home?"
"I was planning to pay a visit to your parents in the early afternoon," Lilith's loving expression sobered a bit. "I would like to have a chat with them."
"Can we make breakfast now?" Amity asked, her stomach gurgling. She didn't want to think about the conversation Lilith planned to have with her parents.
"I believe that is a great plan," Lilith nodded, standing and stretching her full body. Amity stood, mimicking the professor, who looked down at her with a smirk. Before Amity could ask what she was thinking, the professor jogged to the door. "Last one in the kitchen gets the burnt pancake!"
"Hey! That's so not fair!" Amity took off after her. "I have shorter legs!"
—
"The saying is true, you snooze, you lose," Lilith's voice was teasing as she passed a plate with a single charred pancake towards Amity at the kitchen island.
"I am not eating this," Amity grimaced, pushing the plate away from herself. "How did you know you were going to burn one? Did you do this on purpose?"
"It's the rule when making pancakes. There is always a dud," Lilith explained poking the ugly pancake with her spatula. "Either the heat is too high upon beginning and it burns, or it is too low and it is undercooked. Sometimes I managed to do both! I tend to burn more than undercook, personally. I've learned to set realistic expectations when making them, I suppose."
"Huh," Amity reached out to poke the pancake, surprised by how mushy it felt beneath its solid skin. She shivered. "Please don't make me eat this."
"I would never," Lilith chuckled, pulling the plate back with a spell circle. She levitated the pancake and dropped it in the trash before returning to the griddle. She tenderly began flipping the other pancakes, revealing perfectly cooked golden backsides. "See? These are much better."
Amity watched with curiosity as her professor flipped each one at just the right time. At the Blight home, they had a staff to manage things like cooking. The girl had never made pancakes before. A bit of jealousy filled her as she observed Lilith's comfort in the kitchen. The older witch moved around with grace, knowing exactly how much of each ingredient was needed and exactly where it resided when she needed it. She was at home in her kitchen. Amity wasn't even at home while at home.
Lilith moved the cakes from the griddle, turning it off in the process. They were piled on top of each other on a ceramic plate. She pulled 2 syrups from the fridge, one she said was made of berries from her garden as well. Amity watched with hungry eyes, her hands resting on the smaller plate she would be eating off of. The pancakes looked perfect. Lilith held out the large plate for Amity to pull several cakes from.
"Eat as much as you like, okay? No martyrdom in my house," Lilith reminded her, placing several on her plate while eyeing Amity's.
"Martyrdom? What's martyrdom?" Amity's ear twitched at the word she'd never heard.
"Well, a martyr is someone who is killed for their religious beliefs, often in a sacrificial way," Lilith explained, the teacher excited by Amity's natural curiosity. "Colloquially, a martyr is someone who chooses to suffer for a principle. While there are times it is appropriate, now is not one of them."
"I think I get it," Amity nodded, digesting the information as she doused her pancakes in the berry syrup. "Does that make Eda a martyr?"
"What?" Lilith coughed, momentarily choking on her pancake.
"Luz said Eda is cursed," Amity explained and Lilith's eyes widened. The student began to backtrack, realizing she must have said something she wasn't supposed to. "I'm sorry. I assumed you knew given how Luz talked about it so openly. I'll shut up now."
"No, no," Lilith shook her head, taking a sip of the apple blood in front of her. "I know about the curse. I apologize for my reaction. I suppose I didn't expect Luz to know about it."
"Oh yeah," Amity shrugged. "I guess when Luz moved in, Eda turned into the owl beast during her first boiling rain. Luz had to find her elixir because she was trapped in the house with her. That was when Luz learned to use glyphs for the first time. It's kinda cool, actually."
Lilith felt her stomach churn at the story. She knew Edalyn was cursed, of course. She was the one who cursed her. She didn't know she was still struggling with transforming into the owl beast. It hadn't occurred to her that the other witch's curse would impact her child either. Lilith already deeply regretted cursing her, but this opened her eyes to just how heavily Eda was impacted. Even outside of the coven system, Eda faced a struggle Lilith would never fully understand or be able to predict. This was all Lilith's fault and such knowledge caused an ache deep in her bones she couldn't shake.
"I can stop talking now," Amity picked up on Lilith's nerves and Lilith shook her head.
"You asked if Eda is a martyr?" Lilith asked, her smile a bit strained as she redirected the conversation.
"I just thought…she's suffering from her curse despite knowing you said Emperor Belos would heal her. She doesn't support the coven system. That is her principle. She's choosing to suffer because of that principle," Amity explained further, hoping the elaboration would put her professor at ease somehow. She wasn't sure what her professor was upset about, to begin with.
"You are right. That is martyrdom," Lilith cleared her throat, leaning back from her plate and clasping her hands in her lap. "I will say that this is one of the times I believe martyrdom is appropriate. I…used to resent Eda for her beliefs. I believed the Emperor would help me should I prove my worth. It has almost been two decades now and he has shown no inclination to help. She was right about the coven system all along. She saw through all of it."
Lilith had never said these thoughts out loud but they had been brewing for over a week. It was impressive but unsurprising to her that Edalyn had been right all along. The younger witch had always been incredibly gifted with intelligence and skill. While Lilith was jealous of her sister's ability to see through the manipulation, she was also deeply relieved. Outside of the way her decisions harmed Eda, the witch was safe. She was safe and she knew she was making the right decision. Lilith had never felt the kind of certainty her younger sister was born embracing.
"That's why you joined the coven?" Amity asked, curiosity beating her urge to put a sock in it. She had always wondered about Lilith's motivation for joining the Emperor's coven. It was the coven for the elite, of course. Most witches, nevertheless, had their reasons for pursuing it over a specialty.
"That is why I stayed. I clung to the idea Emperor Belos would help me. I chased the moving target that was my worth in the coven all the way to the very top," Lilith shook her head at her own naivety. "I joined because I wanted to be of the elite. I wanted to keep all of my magic. I wanted to be as liberated as possible without being banned like my sister. When I tried out, we planned on joining together. I thought we would be together."
"Do you feel sad that you ended up so…not liberated?" Amity tilted her head to the side, taking in all of the new information with grace. Her stomach did a little flip at the thought of a younger Lilith losing her sister to such an isolating coven track.
"I feel many things about it," Lilith looked down at her plate. The food was no longer appetizing to her. "I wish I had known the truth, of course. I also know I am protecting someone else by not running. If I weren't head of the Emperor's Coven…someone else would be."
"Now that's martyrdom," Amity shook her head at the remark and Lilith looked up, shocked by the girl's spark.
The mentor let out a hearty laugh, surprising the child. Amity was far smarter than even her professor could often see. She had been a martyr. Working her way up to the very top, where she never truly longed to stay, tolerating forms of abuse she could never speak of, and for what? She didn't have the recognition she sought in her youth and she didn't have the cure for Eda's curse. Instead, she was in a bind she was somewhat sure she would never get out of and teetering a fine line. She was isolated and in pain. She was, by near exact definition, a martyr.
"I suppose Edalyn and I are two sides of the same coin. How about that?" Lilith smiled, standing to toss the remaining food on her plate. "That's enough of this heavy talk. I am going to dry your things, clean up, and get ready to go explore. If you'd like, you can clean up in my bathroom after I am done."
Amity nodded, still picking at her pancakes and toying with the massive amount of information she had just learned about her ever-so-mysterious mentor.
—
When the witches were washed up and dressed, Lilith summoned Revali and they made their way to the front of the property together. She locked up the place using her protective charms before situating her staff so that Amity could climb on. The younger witch straddled it, and Lilith could see the way her nervous hands were shaking. Amity had flown on her own a few times, but never with such a nice staff and never as far as they were going. Lilith offered to fly one more time, knowing that Amity would have to clear quite a few trees and make a tricker landing than she had practiced before. The younger witch, ever-determined to succeed, declined her offer.
"I will be right here," Lilith situated herself so that she was side straddle behind Amity. She placed her right hand on Amity's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You will steer this time, but if something happens or you don't want to anymore, I can take over."
"I can do this," Amity spoke, mostly to herself.
"You can do this," the older witch confirmed.
The staff slowly rose into the air, only shaky for a few moments. Lilith kept one hand on Amity's shoulder, her left hand bracing the back of the staff. As they elevated, she watched her cottage become smaller and smaller until they were so far above the trees it looked like a model house. Amity began to fly towards the woods, taking Lilith's directions with grace.
They approached a large clearing further into the woods and the student's heart pounded in her chest at the prospect of landing. She held her breath, only to stop when Lilith squeezed her shoulder again and reminded her to breathe. With her professor's instruction, she was able to complete a relatively smooth landing. This surprised her and relieved Lilith. The moment her feet hit the ground, she let out a delighted squeal. She couldn't believe she did it without any trouble.
"You did a lovely job," Lilith smoothed out the black dress she wore as she stood and held her staff to her side. She looked at the student with sparkling eyes and Amity felt her cheeks grow hot again.
"Thank you," she looked around then, scanning the beautiful clearing they'd landed in.
The grass was beginning to shift from a bright green to a paler yellow hue, contrasting beautifully with a stream of running water that cut through the side of the clearing. Colorful leaves trickled down the stream, each one of nature's thoughts floating in and away. Beautiful, tall trees surrounded them, the sounds of various critters harmonizing in the background. There were a few large rocks and shrubbery, perfectly placed to tie it all together. The space was idyllic and looked like something from the cover of one of The Good Witch Azura books.
"This…this spot is beautiful."
"It's my secret favorite," Lilith smiled kindly and Amity's heart did a flip at the prospect of being in on a secret favorite.
Lilith and Amity began practicing spells. Amity made a point that she wanted more practice with her abomination work, which was not one of Lilith's favorites, but she was not surprised given Amity's father. The girl was very gifted in abomination work and was at least two years ahead of her expected developmental stage when it came to her work. Lilith helped her conjure a larger abomination with fewer resources than usual, something Amity had been frustrated with. When her abomination resources were collected in a cauldron, summoning the beast was incredibly simple. It was a much bigger challenge when she had to conjure one from next to nothing. The girl had to be much more grounded and focused.
The older witch was incredibly impressed by her protege's work. They sparred a bit, Lilith extra careful to go easier on Amity, who put up a nearly fair fight. She could see the child was growing tired, but she wanted to let Amity be in control of how long she practiced. So much of Amity's life was outside of her control and Lilith wanted to support her in learning to connect with her own needs and boundaries.
"Can…can we take a break?" Amity let out a large breath and Lilith smiled, glad to see Amity do just that.
"Of course, dear," Lilith walked over to the stream and siphoned some of the water into a spell circle. She already knew the water to be clean and safe from her explorations. The witch created a smaller ball of water and plopped it into her mouth, sighing at the pleasant sensation of rehydrating.
"Whoa," Amity watched with wide eyes. "I want to do that!"
"Here," Lilith crouched down and Amity followed her lead.
Lilith took Amity's hand into hers to guide her spell circle, reminding her to be intentional. The water began to funnel out of the stream and towards the girl. Amity, anxious about the new spell, giggled nervously. With her attention divided, the spell went haywire and she effectively sprayed her professor with the cool water. Her heart sunk as Lilith pulled her hand back, looking at the girl with wide eyes, her mouth agape.
"I'm so so-" Lilith shot water back at the girl before she could apologize, earning a second squeal.
The two witches played in the water, both enjoying how quickly it cooled them. Lilith stopped, however, when she noticed Amity beginning to shiver. The fall water was indeed quite chilly. When they'd been sweating from their sparring, the chill felt pleasant. Now, as they cooled off, it was almost painful. She cast another spell, pulling the water particles from both of their clothes, faces, and hair. Amity watched, intrigued by her professor's perfect abilities.
"I cannot wait to be able to use magic as you do," Amity sighed, rubbing her upper arms in an attempt to warm up.
"You will be before you know it," Lilith approached Amity and removed her cloak, draping it over Amity's shoulders. "You are progressing very quickly."
"You don't have to-" Amity began but the professor shook her head, the corners of her lips turning upward ever so slightly.
"It's growing late," Lilith sighed, glancing at the sun. Midday was surpassing them quickly. "I should probably feed you and return you to your family."
Your family. The reminder sent a sharp pain through the student, who happily pretended Lilith was her family for the majority of that day. She swallowed her anxiety, her stomach twisting in aggressive knots. She wasn't sure she'd ever be able to untangle them. Not able to shake the dizzy feeling that crept up into her skull, Amity quietly asked if Lilith could fly the staff.
"Of course," Lilith's expression was full of concern as she summoned Revali and stationed the staff.
Seeing Amity's gleeful expression shift so rapidly to disappointment tugged at Lilith's heart. She knew what she was sending the girl home to. Yet, she truly had no choice in the matter. She couldn't kidnap the child. Even if she decided to, Emperor Belos would take notice and that was out of the question. At least in her own home, Amity would grow up and be free to leave eventually. In just a little over half a year, the witchlet would be allowed to sign on to a full apprenticeship with Lilith and work with her full-time. It was becoming less common, but witchlets used to move in with their mentors in such circumstances.
Lilith froze then, the idea alarmingly simple to her. It had not occurred to her that Amity would soon be old enough to emancipate herself and work under Lilith full-time. She had been so fraught with what she learned about Amity's home life that she wasn't thinking clearly. The spark of hope caused a small smile to begin to play on Lilith's lips. She did not want to send Amity home, and yet at least she had this to hold onto.
"Uh, Lilith?" Amity asked, watching her professor, who had checked out fully.
"Apologies, darling," Lilith shook her head as if to clear the thoughts that fogged her vision.
Amity watched with one brow perked up as Lilith climbed onto the staff, fully straddling it. She patted the front, a gesture Amity was growing increasingly familiar with, and the student climbed on in front of her. Lilith reached out to wrap the cloak more tightly around Amity, knowing the wind from the flight would likely feel extra cold. The student blushed at her professor's thoughtfulness, trying not to become overwhelmed by the sensation of being completely immersed in Lilith's embrace. Placing two hands in front of Amity's, Lilith swiftly raised the staff and the two began flying back towards the town.
—
After eating a brief lunch and collecting Amity's school things, the two witches returned to the staff and took off toward Amity's home. Lilith found her grip tightening around the witchlet as if her nervous system was physically resisting letting go. When they landed in front of the manor, she carefully stepped off of the staff only to find Amity frozen. The professor reached out to squeeze her shoulder, but the gesture didn't pull Amity from wherever her mind had disappeared to.
"Amity," Lilith walked around so that she was facing the girl, who remained seated on Revali as if she were planning to take off at any second. "Sweetheart, you will not be going in alone."
"I don't want to go in at all," Amity whispered, her small voice cracking. Lilith sighed.
"I know, I do," Lilith was all-too-familiar with the prospect of fearing her own home. "I will go in with you. I will speak to your parents."
"They're going to be so mad," Amity looked up at Lilith with shimmering, tearful eyes. Her cheeks were pink and her breathing was growing increasingly quicker. "I don't know if you understand."
"Unfortunately, I believe I do," Lilith offered the girl a sad, half-smile. "Please. I do not have a choice. I would take you with me in a heartbeat if it wouldn't lead to the end of our apprenticeship."
The mention of putting their apprenticeship at risk seemed to do the trick. Amity emitted a shaky sigh and stepped off of Revali. Lilith unclasped the cloak Amity had been wearing, wrapping it back around her own shoulders. Amity's body shivered at the loss of the warmth, the change quite symbolic of how she felt emotionally in that moment. Together, they approached the massive doors and Lilith reached up to knock using the door knocker.
The door slowly opened not too long later, an abomination posing as a butler on the other side. The pair of witches stepped in together, Lilith just slightly ahead of Amity as if to protect her from any sudden attacks. They stepped into the foyer just as a familiar teenager with long, darker green hair and golden eyes came bounding down the large staircase. Lilith recognized half of the older blight twins to be Emira blight.
"Oh, hey Mittens," the older sibling offered her sister a distant smile, her eyes flickering back and forth between the younger teenager and Lilith. "Uh…"
"Lilith Clawthorne," Lilith reached out, offering Emira a pale hand to shake. The teenager awkwardly shook it, her eyes wide as she connected the dots. "Head of the Emperor's Coven and Amity's mentor."
"Whoa," Emira let out a breath of surprise, which Lilith found intriguing but did not question out loud. "Uh, not to be rude, Head Covenness, but I don't believe we were expecting you?"
"I was hoping to have a chat with Odalia and Alador, actually," Lilith offered a strained smile, feeling her political persona revving up.
The older teenager nodded curtly, offering to retrieve the couple.
"Amity, I wonder if it would be best for you to go to your room while I talk to your parents," Lilith turned to the girl, leaning into a slight crouch so that she was at her eye level. The older witch reached out to tuck a stray strand of mint-colored hair behind Amity's pointed ear.
"I don't want to let you go," Amity whispered and, unable to resist the urge, Lilith held out her arms. Amity accepted the embrace, leaning into Lilith's tight hug.
"I will speak to your parents and I will have to leave. If you need absolutely anything at all, you have my number on your scroll. Call me at any time and I will answer. In an emergency, you know where my home is and you know you will be safe with my protection charms," She whispered all of this to the girl, squeezing her so tightly she almost feared it would hurt her. Amity, however, did not protest. "In fact, I would love it if you would text me and let me know how you are after I leave."
"Okay," Amity whispered, squeezing Lilith with all her might.
"My brave girl," Lilith sighed, her chest tight as she accidentally voiced her thoughts. My girl. The words felt natural to the witch.
"You promise you will answer?" Amity stepped back then, her hands in Lilith's.
"I promise," Lilith let go at the sound of incoming footsteps. "Please. Go to your room. Stay with Emira or Edric."
Lilith wondered then if the girl was safe with her older siblings. She hadn't said too much about them in their months working together. The twins were about four years older than Amity and attending a university now. They no longer lived at home full-time and were both preparing to work for Blight Industries in a few years. It was entirely possible they were victims of the abuse as well. However, unfortunately, it was also possible the Blight parents had pinned Amity as their scapegoat and only targeted her. Lilith made a mental note to ask about them later as Amity walked past her, glancing back one more time, and jogged up the massive staircase.
"Ah," Odalia expressed, her voice an unusually high pitch. Lilith was familiar with the superficial tone. "I was not expecting a visit from the Head of the Emperor's Coven tonight. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I wanted to see to it that Amity made it home safe and sound," Lilith straightened her posture, squaring her shoulders as she walked to meet Odalia in the middle of the room. "I know it is unexpected, but I was hoping for a brief audience with you and Mr. Blight."
"I see," Odalia's eyes narrowed at the other witch, indecisiveness clear in her expression. "I suppose that will have to do. Come along, Covenness."
Lilith followed the witch to the large, open living room across the way. Alador Blight, Amity's brunette father, sat with his ankle propped on his knee, a newspaper spread in his hands. He didn't look up at the other two witches at first, his eyes focused. Lilith waited, resisting her own impatience, as Odalia got his attention and he resituated, putting his newspaper to the side.
"Blight Industries is quite busy, Covenness," Alador stood, bowing his head. His gesture was an attempt to placate the witch, but his words gave away his true feelings. They were not Amity's parents in their minds – they were an industry. "I am surprised you, of all the witches of the Isles, would drop in so suddenly."
"As Miss Blight's mentor, I suppose I found it would not be inappropriate to seek a conference with her parents," Lilith spoke carefully, rage simmering in her gut. "If you are too busy," her eyes flickered towards the newspaper. "I suppose we could schedule."
"Now will have to do," Alador sighed, catching her glance as he gestured to something behind her. Odalia briefly walked away and Lilith resisted the urge to turn around to see where she went. "What is it you would like to discuss? Surely Amity has not blown her apprenticeship already."
Odalia returned shortly, holding out a glass half filled with a beverage from the night market for her husband. He nodded at her, accepting it. They stood in front of Lilith, blatantly not offering her something to drink. They hoped their hostile demeanor would be enough to get the witch back out the door quickly. When Lilith did not back down, they sighed in unison and offered her a seat on one of their wing-backed chairs. They sat down on the main couch, their postures stiff and their expressions blank.
"Miss Blight is excelling in her work," Lilith swallowed the venomous words she wanted to respond to Alador's remark with. "It has been thrilling to watch her hard work pay off as she has taken massive strides in her learning."
—
Amity sat on the stairs, her ears perking up at the sound of her parents talking to her professor. She held her breath, listening closely as her father accused her of blowing her apprenticeship already. He always assumed the worst in her and made that very well-known.
"Miss Blight is excelling in her work," Lilith's voice was far colder than Amity had gotten used to as she spoke proudly of Amity's abilities. "It has been thrilling to watch her hard work pay off as she has taken massive strides in her learning."
"I simply don't understand what you see," Amity heard her mother chide, her cheeks growing hot. "The girl is so…distractible. You don't believe you would be better off seeking a mentee who can achieve greatness?"
Amity had expected her parents' cruelty, but the words still cut into her like razors. The thought of Lilith choosing another mentor was crushing. She had already been reassured but the fear still dangled in front of her. It was no wonder given her parents' perspective of her.
"Miss Blight is the furthest thing from distractible," Lilith's voice was ferocious, biting back at Amity's mother's remark. Amity's eyes widened. She was shocked by the venom that filled Lilith's typically lovely voice. "She is dedicated, intelligent, creative, and a wonderful mentee. Next year, when she's ready, she will make a brilliant full-time apprentice."
The words shook Amity to her core. She knew Lilith expressed not wanting another mentee, but neither of them had discussed Amity becoming her full-time apprentice. The girl had dreamed of it, allowing visions of the potential outcome to soothe her to sleep each night. Hearing Lilith say it, when she believed Amity was not listening, was validating and exciting to the young witch. She couldn't begin to guess what she did to earn such loving words from Lilith, but she allowed them to wrap around her in the same way the professor's cloak had earlier in the day. Lilith's words felt like a security blanket.
The parents and Lilith continued to squabble, and Amity felt a familiar pressure begin to rise in her chest. It had been weeks since she had used one of her razors to harm herself. Unable to sit still, despite wanting nothing more than to continue eavesdropping, the girl ran up the stairs to her room.
Once in her massive bedroom, she began running around and gathering her things. She pulled out a duffel bag and began stuffing clothing, books, and anything else she deemed important into it. She was surprised by the lack of things she wanted to take with her. Despite having so much space and so much to fill it, none of it felt like home to Amity. Her professor's guest bathroom felt more like home to her at that point. In such a desperate hurry, she failed to hear her door creak as it opened behind her.
"Wow, what's going on here?" Edric's deep voice startled the girl, earning a yelp in response.
She jumped in place, turning to see the twins' watchful, curious expressions. They were both looking at the bag, trying to understand what exactly Amity was doing. The green-haired witches were surprised to find Amity's door unlocked as they were used to her locking it behind herself. Only their parents had a key to bypass it. When they heard Amity's mentor arguing with her parents, they sought the girl out, their curiosity overwhelming them. Neither of them knew the girl had been partnered with the second most powerful witch in the Isles for her apprenticeship and they were excited. The sound of the arguing, however, was extremely concerning.
" Get out," Amity hissed, walking over to physically push them out. The taller twins didn't budge, both of them crossing their arms then. "And be quiet!"
"We're not allowed to ask where you're going?" Emira rolled her eyes at Amity's reaction.
"No," Amity, zipped the bag and tossed it over her shoulder. "You're not."
"Mittens," Edric sighed, craning his neck so he could glance out into the hallway before stepping further into the room. "Are you sure this is a good idea? You know they're already mad you were away on a Saturday. Maybe you should stay and wait the weekend out."
"Easy for you to say," Amity walked to the window and slid it open, preparing to escape. The twins never faced the same punishments as Amity and they knew it. They'd witnessed enough to share some of Amity's fear of Odalia and Alador. The idea of her making a run for it would leave them to face their parents' wrath. They knew their parents would never do to them what they did to Amity, but that didn't mean they wanted to experience the anger either.
"At least tell us where you're going," Emira sighed, concern filling her voice.
"I can't tell you because they can use magic and force you to tell them," Amity explained and the twins knew she was right. "I am going to be fine…I just…I can't do this. I can't be here when she leaves. I'm not okay."
"Will you…will you at least send one of us a text when you get somewhere safe? Even a thumbs up," Emira bit her bottom lip, glancing nervously between the window and Amity's door. She didn't want her sister to suffer at the hands of her parents, but she feared what could happen to her if she made it to the wrong part of the Boiling Isles. The realm of witches and demons was not exactly butterflies and rainbows. "I won't tell."
"Yeah, I can do that," Amity nodded, feeling her scroll weigh heavily in her pocket. She knew she would need to turn it off to prevent her parents from tracking her but was willing to say anything to get past her protective older siblings.
"Okay," Edric nodded, deciding to come up with a plan. "I'll stay here and watch your door. Emira will watch the front door from the stairs. Be careful out there, Mittens. Really."
Amity nodded and carefully slid out through the opening in the window. Emira walked up behind her, whispering her well wishes before quietly sliding the window shut. She turned and offered her brother a stern nod before turning off the light and making her way down the stairs. She'd never been strong enough to properly protect her little sister against her parents' power, but helping her escape one punishment for a weekend of reprieve was the least she could do. She could handle the consequences for Amity this time.
Amity took off into the woods, not even glancing back as she knew she needed to get to her destination as quickly as possible.
