"Lil- Covenness, that is enough," Alador let out an angry sigh, tired of whatever game Lilith seemed to be playing with them. "My abomination will show you to the door."
"We are truly delighted Amity seems to be succeeding as a student," Odalia's voice was sharp as she stood, her expression bitter. "If only the girl could offer the same promise as a Blight."
Lilith resisted the urge to physically assault the couple as she followed the abomination to the front door ahead of them. She glanced at the stairs, where Emira now sat with her chin in her hands. The older teen offered Lilith a sheepish smile, her expression appearing nervous. Something about the interaction felt off to the older witch. Lilith bowed her head once, silently acknowledging the girl, before stepping out the front door.
"Goodnight, Head Covenness," Lilith's eyes remained on Emira as the door came to a firm close in her face. Something about the older teenage witch's expression struck a chord with her. She couldn't place the emotions it evoked.
"Where is she?" Odalia's voice hissed on the other side of the door and Lilith swore to herself, pulling out her staff to begin taking off.
It seemed her plan went somewhat as she expected. The Blights did not care for Amity's academic performance and had no interest in Lilith's praise. The entire flight home her mind raced for an answer, not taking in any of her surroundings as it had done on her way to the manor. She actively resisted the persistent urge to turn around, sweep Amity up, and fly as far away as possible. The hatred these parents held for their entirely loveable little girl was incredibly distressing for Lilith to witness. Flashes of Amity's arms echoed in her mind.
She found herself unable to resist any longer and promptly zipped back towards the Blights without a plan. She needed reassurance that Amity was safe. Waiting eight months for a full-time apprenticeship no longer soothed her as she approached Blight manor. Her feet landed on the front porch and she turned to rapidly knock on the door again, her heart pounding loudly in her chest.
"Oh, Head Covenness," Edric answered the door now, his voice significantly deeper than the last time Lilith had seen him at a covention several years prior. "Uh…did you forget something?"
" Where is she?" Odalia's shrill voice called from inside the house. "Where the hell did she go?"
"What is going on?" Lilith felt her stomach twist violently. She had to swallow to keep her lunch down.
"Amity…may have left," Edric whispered and Lilith's eyes widened. "They don't know. Well, they're learning. They don't know she's gone gone though."
"Where. Did. She. Go?" Lilith hissed, holding up a threatening finger.
The older Blight child paled and held his hands up as if to surrender.
"You think she'd tell me knowing any one of you could force it out with a truth spell? No way," he shook his head. "I may have…watched the door. All I know is she packed a bag and went out the window."
"Lilith?" Odalia dropped all pretenses when she rounded the corner then. "This is a family matter and you must go now ."
"We need to find her!" Lilith barked back, causing Edric to startle.
"Kids sneak out, they come back," Alador groaned, walking in and placing a hand on Odalia's shoulder as if to ground her. "Amity is doing nothing other than revealing her true colors. I'm sure she will return when she realizes there is nowhere for her to go."
"You're right," Odalia stiffened, attempting to regain composure.
"You have no idea where she is?" Lilith asked one more time, glancing between Edric and Emira. They shook their heads in perfect unison. She could see in their eyes that they shared her concern but feared their parents, much like Amity.
The Blights closed the door in Lilith's face for a second time that night. The witch, no longer able to contain herself, let out a pained scream as she mounted her staff again. She whipped around to the back side of the house, her eyes scanning the grounds for anything that could give Amity away. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Lilith called out the younger witch's name, projecting her voice as much as possible. The sight of an abomination stepping out the back door set off alarms in her head. The Blights did not want her staying beyond her welcome.
She took off into the trees, pulling out her scroll to check her messages.
Nothing.
Lilith: Amity, I need you to call me right now.
Lilith: Please.
The messages were not marked as delivered. Either Amity shut off her phone or she had no signal. Either way, the witchlet was not getting the messages and certainly not sending any of her own as she promised.
Lilith continued flying through the trees, her eyes searching for a pop of mint green or ivory skin. Her heart thumped haggardly in her chest, threatening to escape her ribs. She knew Amity was afraid to go home, but the thought of Amity leaving had not crossed Lilith's mind. Amity was such a…rule-follower. The thought crossed Lilith's mind then that Amity may have returned to her cottage. Split between continuing to search the woods and returning to check her home, Lilith sighed and swore she would return if her house was empty.
—
" Luz, it's about time to wind down, kiddo," Eda called from where she watched a drama on her crystal ball. Luz hollered something unintelligible and the older witch smirked, shaking her head. That child sure is a night owl, Eda thought to herself. The pun made her chuckle.
A soft knocking at the door startled her and the witch sat up suddenly. With Luz already home, she couldn't think of anyone who would visit. Eda quickly summoned her staff, creeping towards the front door to take a peep outside. Hooty, the house demon who protected them, appeared to be snoring on the job. The hazel-eyed witch glanced through the side window and was alarmed to see her sister's apprentice, Amity, on the other side.
"Whoa, hey, Baby Blight," Eda opened the door, tilting her head to the side with curiosity.
The teenage witch stood before her with a duffel bag over her shoulder. She was wringing her own hands and chewing her bottom lip, the anxiety radiating out of her and into Eda's space in waves. Her eyes were tired and her clothes were wrinkled. Something was wrong. The worst-case scenario crossed Eda's mind then and she paled.
"Is Lilith okay?"
"Oh! Yes," Amity nodded certainly. "I…I was wondering if I could stay over with Luz tonight? I won't be a bother, I promise."
"I…does Lilith know you're here?" Eda glanced around, half expecting her overprotective older sister to be hanging around nearby. It seemed odd to her that Lilith hadn't offered her so much as a head's up. The witch was known to meddle.
"She's not my mom," Amity spat then, surprised by her own volition. She wanted Lilith to be her mom, but the truth was too painful to ignore. "I mean…yes. Of course, yes. I told her I was coming. I just…I was hoping to see Luz."
"Okay, well…if you're sure, I guess," Eda stepped out of the way, suspicion loud in the back of her mind as Amity walked past her.
"I am," the girl stepped into the Owl House, looking around with curious eyes.
"Hey, Luz!" Eda closed the door behind Amity. The human teenager was already on the stairs, gasping at the sight of her newest friend in her living room.
"Amity!" Luz ran over and hugged Amity and the paler witch appeared to relax instantly.
Eda watched the two embrace each other, feeling a warmth flood her. Her sister's mentee and her kid were very close and that thought flooded her system with joy. Despite Lilith's position as Head Covenness and Eda's adamant belief that the coven system was a sham, the witch still found herself lying awake at night and grieving the future they'd once planned to share. Things were different than planned, but she felt as if this was the closest thing to their daughters befriending each other.
"Can we talk upstairs?" Amity glanced at Eda, reminding the older witch of her previous suspicions. "Is that okay?"
"Duh," Luz laughed, brushing it off. "You can use my sleeping bag! I still have it from when I came here."
Eda watched, her arms crossed, as the girls walked up the stairs together. Amity glanced nervously over her shoulder, blushing when she caught the older witch's watchful eyes. That was enough to set off more alarms for the older witch. She waited until she heard Luz's door shut to go into the bathroom and press her ear to the wall, effectively invading the girls' privacy.
"I had to get out of there," Baby Blight spoke quietly, causing Eda to strain to listen. "They were so mad."
"I didn't know it was like that," Luz sighed, her voice sounding sad even through the wall. Eda's heart softened at the sound of her kid's empathetic voice. She was so proud of Luz.
"I can't go back," Amity's voice caught Eda's attention again. "No one knows where I am. You don't think Eda will reach out to my parents, do you?"
"Pfft, Eda? Nah," Luz reassured her and Eda rolled her eyes at the girl's dismissiveness. She most certainly was considering contacting the Blights. If Amity's parents didn't know where she was they could take legal action against Eda for harboring her. They had a lot of power. Luz spoke again then, pulling Eda from her reverie. "I think you should tell her though. Eda is really understanding and cool. I think if you're honest she won't mind helping."
"I'm too scared," Amity whimpered, shocking Eda. She did not understand their conversation without context.
"Can we tell her together?" Luz asked and Eda quickly stepped into the hallway and snuck back to the couch, waiting for the girls to come down together.
She was relieved she had raised a kid who trusted her. She had entered Luz's teenage years fearing the secrecy and drama. Instead, her kid came to her when something was up. Luz was perfect. While Eda knew some of it was her parenting, she also understood a lot of Luz's behavior was the product of who she truly was on the inside. This was why Luz did so well despite where she came from and how much she faced in the human realm.
Just a few moments later, Luz and Amity sat on the couch while Eda sat cross-legged on one of her plush chairs, her arms crossed. Luz sat close to Amity, their hands tightly interlocked between them. Eda wanted to gush over the gesture but refused to put away her hard exterior until she got context and answers. Luz glanced nervously between Amity and Eda before sighing.
"Eda," Luz spoke carefully. "Amity needs you to be understanding right now, okay?"
The corner of Eda's lips turned up then. Luz was very skilled at stating her needs before sharing information, something Eda had taught her a few years back. It made conversations much more productive between the two of them as they practiced in asking for what they needed. No one was expected to read the other's mind and everyone knew what to expect emotionally from what was to come.
Eda nodded curtly before sighing and deciding to go with it. With how much trust Luz was extending to her, it felt only appropriate for her to return the expression.
"My…my parents don't actually know I'm here," Amity squeezed her eyes shut tightly, her face scrunching up. "Neither does Lilith."
" Kid," Eda sighed but silenced when Luz shot her a sharp glance. Understanding...got it, she thought.
"She didn't tell anyone because they're…they're hurting her, Ma," Luz spoke, her own eyes welling with tears.
Eda's heart dropped into her abdomen at the realization and the sound of Luz calling her "Ma." The teenager didn't use the word often, seeming to reserve it for when she felt particularly vulnerable or afraid. It hadn't occurred to her that something like this was going on. While Alador and Odalia were far from pleasant in school, they didn't come across as particularly sadistic or anti-children. They were regular fat cats with an agenda centering on nothing other than financial success and accolades. Lilith's mind thought back to what Luz said to her then, processing each word carefully.
"Lilith hurt you?" Eda reeled then, realizing Luz said "they're" without clarification.
"No!" Amity's eyes sprung open, her face red. "No! Oh no, no! Lilith is nothing but kind. I didn't…I didn't tell her because I knew she would not be okay with me running off. She told me I needed to go home after I spent the night at her house last night. She knew she could get in trouble if I stayed too long. I knew that if she knew, she'd react and they'd find a way to punish her."
"Slow down," Eda cautioned, seeing Amity begin to spin out in a panic. "I'm sorry, I would find it hard to believe Lilith would hurt you but I had to be sure. Your parents…they're hurting you?"
The teenager rolled up her sleeves then, exposing the bruises of varying hues from purple to brown. Eda hissed at the sight, certain the girl had to be in a moderate amount of pain at all times with that kind of bruising. The older witch squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her forehead into her palms, her elbows resting on her legs. She had absolutely no idea what needed to happen. All she could think about was physically assaulting the Blight parents.
"I'm so sorry to hear all of this," Eda sat up then, her insides in a knot. "We have got to tell Lilith you're here though. I need to talk to her."
"She's going to hate me," Amity's voice was thick with more tears.
"Nah, she could never hate you," Eda shook her head. "Lily loves you, kiddo. You don't have to worry about that."
Amity's mind reeled at the casual mentioning of Lilith loving her. She wasn't even sure what it meant to love someone, much less what it meant to be loved. Something about the idea comforted her, though. She desperately wanted to trust Eda. Eda carefully stood and retrieved Owlbert, her palisman. The owl hooted, rubbing against her cheek as she ordered him to find Lily and bring her to their home. With one more approving hoot, Owlbert flew up the stairs to exit through an open window.
"Can you send her a text too?" Eda asked then and Amity shook her head.
"My scroll is off. They track it."
"I see," Eda nodded. "Alright. Well, we may as well drink some tea and wait together. I'm sure she will want to see you if she knows you took off."
—
Lilith let out a gush of air at the sight of her cottage, completely untouched. She entered and zipped through the garden, no Amity in sight. Begging the Titan to help, she walked into her home and called out Amity's name. The lights were off and it was clear no one had entered since they ate their lunch at the island. Their plates sat on the counter and the witch began to weep, her worst fears bubbling to the surface. If she had known Amity planned to run away she never would have left her at the Blights.
The witch paced, one hand on her forehead and the other on her stomach as she attempted to regulate her nervous system. She needed to return to the woods behind the Blights before a storm rolled in. If Amity had gotten lost …Lilith didn't want to think about it. The witch had been far too optimistic in her plan to drop the girl off and distract the parents while she got settled. She had also been far too certain Amity had simply taken her up on her offer to go back to her home.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she hissed, squeezing her ribs as if she were holding herself together. The fear was beginning to split her in half, she was sure of it.
The sound of an owl whispering in her ear caused the witch to jump a full foot in the air. Owlbert, her sister's palisman, sat perched on top of her own staff. The small creature watched her with soft, curious eyes as she reached up to offer it her shaking hand. Its softness was familiar and soothing against her skin. It had been years since she held the palisman Eda and her father carved together.
"Owlbert?" The witch sniffled, blinking past her blinding tears. Maybe I'm having a nightmare? She thought.
No. You must come to The Owl House, she heard the gentle voice in her mind as clearly as a real one. Eda sent me to retrieve you.
"I see," Lilith swiped at her cheeks, wiping away tears. She knew she could recruit Eda in searching for Amity, at the very least. "Let's go!"
—
When Lilith arrived at The Owl House, she was unsurprised to see all of the lights were still on. It was growing late, even for Eda on a weekend, but Lilith didn't bother questioning it. She noticed the sleeping house demon in the door and was careful not to wake it, allowing Owlbert to fly in through an open upstairs window. A few moments later, the door slid open.
"Damn, sis," Eda gasped at the sight of Lily.
Her older sister was an actual mess. She had pulled her hair back into a messy bun and wore her glasses, hoping to partially distract from her bloodshot eyes. Lilith's posture was lacking and her hands shook as she grasped her white staff a little too tightly. The witch looked as if she was sitting on the brink of a complete mental breakdown. Lilith felt a jab of protectiveness in her system. She couldn't remember a time she'd seen Lily so vulnerable outside of the fire at Hexside, when Lily was unconscious.
"We need to talk," Lilith's voice was strained as she resisted the urge to become hysterical again.
"Uh, yeah, I know," Eda laughed nervously and Lilith's eyes narrowed. "That's why I called you here. What do you need to talk about?"
Lilith stepped into the cozy living room then, her shimmering eyes landing on none other than Amity herself. Unable to maintain her composure, she choked on a sob and pushed past her sister. Amity stood from the couch, letting Luz's hand fall into her lap, and walked toward her mentor. Lilith pulled the girl into her arms, silently thanking Titan as she felt her knees give out beneath her. Amity slid to the floor with her, shocked by the mentor's strong response to seeing her. She hadn't expected anything like this. She was expecting the same anger she'd heard Lilith offer her parents at the manor.
"Oh, sweet girl, thank Titan," Lilith's entire frame shook as she tucked Amity's head under her chin. Amity, unable to hold back any longer, began to cry with her. She was heartbroken by her professor's upset, alongside feelings of acceptance and gratitude. It was beyond her why Lilith was so upset.
"Told ya she'd wanna know," Eda nudged Luz with her hip, her arm draped lazily around the kid's shoulders. "You did well bringing this to me, Luz."
"It didn't feel like something I could figure out without your help," Luz looked sheepish as she admitted to the vulnerability.
"That makes you smarter than any kid I've ever known," Eda kissed the top of Luz's head, watching as her sister and Amity embraced in the middle of the room. She sighed. "How about we give these two a moment? Want to help me clean up the kitchen?"
"Are you hurt? Has anything happened to you?" Lilith pulled back from Amity after the majority of her sobs subsided. She placed her hands on Amity's cheeks and her eyes searched every inch of the girl she could see, scanning carefully for any new injuries or marks. Aside from her fresh tears, Amity appeared physically unscathed.
"I'm okay," Amity whispered. "I…I couldn't stay there, Lilith. They were going to hurt me. I was so scared I…I just decided to go. I didn't think it through. I'm sorry ."
"I was wrong for trying to just drop you off there," Lilith shook her head. "I deeply wish you had contacted me in some way. I have never been more afraid in my entire life."
"I didn't know you'd care…or even find out," Amity shook her head.
"Amity, of course, I would care," Lilith shook her head. It was alarming to her that the girl expected her to be in the dark and not hear about this. "I thought something had happened to you. I feared you got lost or hurt in the woods. I was ready to start a search party."
"Are you going to tell my parents?" Amity whispered then, defeated, and Lilith shook her head.
"Heavens no. Not tonight. They…they said they weren't going to search for you."
"They told you?" Amity was confused then, ignoring the blow to her gut that was finding out her parents didn't even want to look for her. They truly wanted her gone.
"I…I went back to get you. I realized leaving you there, completely unprotected, wasn't right. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had made a grave mistake," Lilith explained. "When I returned Edric told me you were gone. I thought you were running away…I thought I'd lost you."
Amity gripped Lilith's cloak then, pulling herself closer to her professor. She knew people wouldn't be particularly thrilled about her choice, but she assumed she would be good for at least one night. It hadn't crossed her mind that Lilith would come back for her, or search for her if the news reached her. All she could think about was avoiding another punishment. She felt intense guilt at the realization that she had disrupted the professor's evening and emotions so thoroughly.
Lilith, however, held Amity close, soaking up the girl in her senses. It was a huge relief to smell and feel the girl safely in her arms again. It had only been just over an hour and a half without her and she learned very quickly that she needed to be certain of Amity's safety from then on. She was going to have to change her plans somehow. She swore she wouldn't leave Amity alone with them ever again. She didn't care what the consequences would look like for herself.
"I don't understand why you didn't call me or come to my house," Lilith whispered, leaning back to look into the girls' amber eyes, searching for an answer of some kind. "I specifically said that so that I would be able to find you."
"They track my scroll," Amity explained. "I've been such a burden for you lately. I knew that if I told you where I was going that they'd get it out of you or punish you. It's all too much and you don't deserve any more stress than you already live with. I didn't want you to hate me for going against your wishes when you said I needed to stay home, too."
"I could never, ever hate you. You are not a burden, either," Lilith stroked the girl's head, feeling her soft hair under her fingers. "I understand your decisions. I was just so scared. What matters to me now is that you are here," she placed her hands on the girl's cheeks again. "And that I know you are safe with me."
"What are we going to do?"
"You should get some sleep," Lilith said gently. "I would like to talk to my sister about the logistics. We will come up with a plan. I know we'll figure something out. You and I will talk more in the morning, once you and Luz get some rest. Would you prefer to sleep over here tonight or come back to my house?"
"I...I told Luz I'd stay over," Amity's lip trembled. "B-b-but I don't want you to go home."
"I am sure Edalyn wouldn't mind one more for the night," Lilith smiled, already knowing she wouldn't be leaving. Even if it meant sleeping outside with that hellish house demon, she would not be leaving Amity's vicinity any time soon.
Lilith carefully stood, pulling Amity to her feet along with her. They found Eda and Luz before going upstairs. Luz's bedroom was small, near the back of the hallway, and very cozy. She had twinkle lights strung along where the walls met the ceiling, a small stained glass round window, and lots of gadgets and trinkets. Some of the things were from the human realm, some were The Good Witch Azura merchandise, and others were things Edalyn had given her. Lilith smiled at the sight of a familiar Grudgby tournament trophy next to Eda's old letterman jacket on Luz's dresser. Something about Eda passing down their things to her daughter made her heart feel light.
While Lilith walked around, taking in the room, Amity and Luz changed into their pajamas in the bathroom. The girls climbed into their respective sleeping spots, Luz in her full-size bed and Amity in Luz's old sleeping bag on the floor. Eda stood behind Lilith, closer to the bed.
"You two will be okay?" Eda asked, eyeing her sister who appeared to be marveling at Luz's things.
"Yeah, thanks, Eda," Luz smiled as the older witch perched on the edge of her bed and placed a hand on her head. They were exchanging their good night pleasantries and Lilith wanted to give them a bit of privacy.
She turned around then and knelt down to Amity, who sat in the sleeping bag with her hands in her lap. She looked so much more comfortable in Luz's room, a place she'd never been than she did in her own home. Lilith's heart pulled in several directions as she opened her arms for Amity. The girl, having felt a twinge of jealousy at Eda and Luz's goodnight, was grateful for the gesture.
The two hugged tightly, Lilith feeling the same twinge of jealousy Amity felt. Oh, how she longed for the life her sister seemed to have. The idea of sharing a little home, just outside of town, and living their life in peace together was just outside of her reach. It was strange to Lilith that Eda had the privilege of seeing her mentee every day. Eda didn't have to fear for her safety or well-being because Eda could parent her. Lilith couldn't have that with Amity.
Not yet.
"Edalyn and I will be downstairs," Lilith whispered. "Please come to me if you need anything. I do not care what it is or what time it is. You are not a bother and I need to know if you are scared or hurting, okay?"
"Yes, Lilith," Amity flushed, looking up at her mentor.
"Okay, darling," Lilith smiled, reaching out to graze Amity's warm cheek with the back of her hand. Amity scooted down so she could properly lay in the sleeping bag, the nylon material swishing a bit with the movement. Lilith leaned in to plant a kiss on the girl's forehead. "I will see you in the morning. Please, no sneaking out, okay?"
"Of course. Goodnight," Amity's heart squeezed at the prospect of Lilith tucking her in and kissing her head. For just a moment she pretended she was in her room and that Lilith was her mother.
Lilith followed Eda to the door and back down the stairs. They made sure to pull the door nearly shut to create some privacy while they talked. Upon reaching the main level, Eda walked into the kitchen to retrieve two wine glasses and a fresh bottle. She sighed, clearly exhausted, and began pouring two glasses. Lilith was grateful words weren't needed to express what she needed right now. Eda always understood her that way.
"What happened tonight?" Eda asked, exasperated. "I don't understand all of it. Amity said she slept over at your house? Then…then her parents? The bruises?"
"Last night Amity and I had a campfire," Lilith sighed, taking a seat at Eda's large kitchen island. The island was covered in various potion ingredients and Luz's drawings. Lilith reached out to pull one towards her. It was a fanart drawing of Azura and Hecate getting married. A small smile played on her lips as she thought back to her conversation with Amity about the books. She shook her head, laying the piece of paper back on the stack of others. "I just wanted her to relax. She was so exhausted and it was truly a traumatizing week."
"Yeah, you got that right," Eda slid a glass of blood-red wine to her sister, pulling her own glass to her lips. "So, you had a campfire? And ?"
"And…while outside we had a fairly intense conversation. We talked about how the apprenticeship has been. I just…I don't understand it but I feel such a strong… maternal instinct ?" Lilith mused, and Eda waited patiently as her older sister processed her complex feelings, leaning forward on the island. "I suppose that's what it is. I just held her. When she's in my arms it feels right. I know she is safe and okay and happy. That feeling, the fire, our blanket…the hug…it was all so warm. We fell asleep outside."
"You love her," Eda's eyes glimmered. She wasn't asking, she was making an observation.
"I do," the older witch felt an intense pang of guilt. She wasn't supposed to become so wrapped up in her student's life. It wasn't typical and Amity deserved a less biased supporter. "I wish I could change it."
"Now why the hell is that?" Eda stood up straight, a look of disgust on her face. "Lilith, honestly. You need to chill. Out."
"Excuse me?" Lilith balked at her sister's response.
"You heard me," Eda shook her head. "Lily…the connection you have with that kid is so beautiful. I see how much you both love each other. It's totally maternal! What? The Emperor's Coven traumatized you so badly that you believe you don't deserve this? Is that it? Are you caught up in whether or not blood is thicker than water and all that?"
"Edalyn," Lilith gasped, her heart aching at the observation.
"You used to be fearless, sis," Eda shook her head, sliding into one of the open stools near Lilith and holding out her hand. Lilith cautiously took it, relishing in the familiar feeling. Her outstretched arm revealed some of the scars on her wrist, which proved Eda's point about trauma. "What do you even want from this? So, you want to help Amity, but at what cost? Where do you draw the line? Where do you want her to go?"
"I want her to be with me," Lilith bit back, unable to not be angered by the idea of helping Amity only to let her go. "I want…I want this," she vaguely gestured at Eda's home. "I want…to leave the coven. I want to leave and take Amity with me. She can become my full-time apprentice and leave her rotten, ungrateful parents."
"Well, there ya go," Eda gestured with her two hands as if the answer were sitting physically on the countertop in front of her. "You know what you want. What's stopping you?"
"This, Edalyn," she pulled her sleeve up then, exposing more of her history. "You…I…I can't even tell you what he did the last time I threatened to leave. I was only 20. I haven't dared to even think about it since…" Lilith shook her head, resisting the onslaught of violent memories. "Edalyn, I could lose her. I could lose everything. If I try to adopt her into my care, and they resist and win, I could lose her forever. I can't risk that."
"It's really scary," Eda nodded, grimacing at Lilith's story about Emperor Belos. "Lilith, I wish you'd told me. I could have helped you escape."
"He has eyes and ears everywhere," Lilith placed her head in her hands, her elbows on the countertop, and Eda reached up to gently rub her upper back. "He would know. He always knows."
A sob erupted from the witch again. Eda, unsurprised, continued to rub Lilith's back and sip her wine. She loved her older sister more than words could describe, and the thought of Lily being trapped in the coven, by a violent, controlling Emperor, crushed her. Lilith continued to sob, curling in on herself. Eda stood and wrapped her arms around her sister, squeezing her tightly. She wished Lilith had listened to her so many years before and never joined the coven. It was alarming to see how much the coven had stolen from her spirit.
"He will kill me," Lilith whispered, her voice hoarse. "I've always known, deep down, he would. I know it will happen eventually. It's only a matter of time."
"I won't allow it," Eda shook her head violently. "Lily, I won't allow him to lay another finger on you. We can…we can get custody of the kid and go. I don't care where. I won't let him."
"I used to revel in the fact that he would succeed someday," Lilith chuckled darkly and Eda hugged her even tighter. "The idea of leaving everything behind brought me so much peace. Now…now that I have her…I can't bear the thought of leaving her behind."
"Ahem, excuse me," Eda's throat was tight as she tried to offer some humor to her sister. "What am I? Chopped liver?"
"Of course not, Edalyn," Lilith shook her head and looked up at her younger sister.
The younger witch quite resembled Lilith. Her hair was less curly and completely white as a result of the curse. Her golden eyes were a similar shape as Lilith's, the warm familiarity of them bringing her immense comfort. Lilith knew, despite everything, that her sister would always be okay. Eda and Lilith may have been very close growing up, but it wasn't due to Eda needing Lilith. If anything, it was the other way around.
"You have always been self-sufficient, Edalyn," she explained further. "I have done nothing but bring you pain. You have a full, beautiful life. I just…I suppose I just never worried for you like that."
"I need my big sister," Eda pouted, pulling Lilith back in for a hug. "You haven't brought me any pain, aside from the fact that you left me to be a lap dog for an actual psychopath."
Lilith scoffed and Eda flushed.
"Sorry…right," Eda knew now wasn't the time for jabs at Lilith's lifestyle choices. "I just don't understand. You could have left so much sooner."
"I couldn't. He said he would cure you," Lilith's voice shook. She never planned to speak a word of any of this to Eda. Yet, regardless, she found the words sliding past her lips with more ease than expected. "He held the cure over me like a carrot and I chased it."
"You're not responsible for curing my curse, Lil," Eda rolled her eyes. "It's not like it's your fault. It's not your curse."
Lilith couldn't muster a single word.
"Lil?" Eda swallowed thickly, her mouth dry. Lilith's silence was incredibly loud in her ears. "Lily?"
"I…I was the one who cursed you, Edalyn," Lilith looked up, fresh tears falling from her eyelids. "I wanted to be accepted into the coven so badly. I knew if you surpassed me that I would never be recruited. They'd never take a witch who lost a duel with her baby sister. So, I went to the night market and they sold me the curse. It was only supposed to last for a day! It was only supposed to suppress your magic. I planned to invite you to try out again the following year. It was a scam. Of course, it was a scam. I was such a fool. I ruined both of our lives that night with my foolishness."
Eda's hands dropped from her sister, who stiffened.
"I understand if you hate me, Edalyn," Lilith sniffled, using her long sleeve to swipe away at her tears. "I truly deserve to be hated."
"I don't hate you!" Eda reached up to run her fingers through her hair, her mind tossing all of the things Lilith just revealed to her around. "I just…wow. Lily, I…I had no idea. You've just…known all these years? You stopped fighting for you…so that you could try to get a cure?"
"I regretted my choice the moment I realized the curse was not what I thought," Lilith's voice was still shaky.
"Lily, I was never going to join that Titan-forsaken coven," Eda shook her head, returning to where she had her hands on Lilith's back. "I knew I didn't want it months before our duel. I didn't tell you because I was scared. I thought that if I told you the truth you would reject me. I think we could have spared each other a lot of hurt if we'd just talked about it then."
"I don't understand," Lilith sniffled, tilting her head up to face her sister.
"I'm not mad at you, Lily. How could I be?" Eda shook her head. "You've suffered more than enough."
Lilith let out a small laugh then, catching Eda by surprise.
"My kid… Amity," she corrected, her skin flushing. "She called me a martyr today."
"Well, ain't that the truth," Edalyn chuckled.
"She called you one too," Lilith laughed harder then, turning to face Eda fully. She stood and placed her hands on her sister's shoulders, blue eyes meeting gold. "Edalyn. I do not deserve your forgiveness but I cannot deny the amount of gratitude I feel for receiving it anyway. How lucky I am to call you my sister."
"I wouldn't have it any other way, you goob," Eda laughed, pulling Lilith into a proper hug now. She pulled back, holding Lily at arm's length. "We will figure this out, okay? No one is going to die. No one has to suffer. I promise. You have me, okay? Me, your niece, hell, even Hooty!"
Lilith grimaced at her memories of the house demon's shrill voice, evoking another laugh from Eda.
"What do we need to do first in order for you two to begin a formal apprenticeship?" Eda returned to her wine glass, stepping up onto the stool and refilling it.
"Well," Lilith slid back onto her seat and contemplated for a moment. "It's quite early, but I would need to start the paperwork with Headmaster Bump. Ideally, I would find a way to get the Blight's approval."
"That old chump?" Eda asked, earning a playful smack on the arm from Lilith.
"He's the headmaster, so yes," Lilith reiterated. "I would need him to sign off on it in normal circumstances. I'm not sure that he would be on board with Amity leaving home earlier. Part of the reason so few do formal apprenticeships anymore is because they believe the kids are too young to leave home."
"The circumstances are different, though," Eda frowned.
"They are. I'm not sure how much I should disclose to Bump," Lilith swirled her wine in her glass. "I need to discuss all of this with Amity. I haven't even asked if this is what she wants."
"Oh, please, you know it is," Eda looked annoyed with her sister.
"I need to know for sure that she wants it and isn't only trying to please me," Lilith shook her head. "I've personally made so many decisions for everyone around me. I won't allow her to do the same. I can't."
"I get it," Eda nodded. "She worships the ground you walk on, Lily."
"Which is why I need to talk to her," Lilith nodded. "Assuming we can get approval for her joining me…what will I do to keep Emperor Belos off my trail? He will have his eyes on both of us if I become her guardian. I know he'll be entirely fascinated with my successor…I can't…I can't even-" the witch began to panic then, the thought of Belos coming anywhere near Amity paralyzing her. Eda squeezed her arm again and she shook her head. "I simply cannot accept it as an option, Edalyn."
"I think I have an idea…but I don't know how you will feel about it."
"Edalyn, I came to you because I wanted your ideas," Lilith rolled her eyes.
"You came to me because I had your kid," Eda corrected her and the professor's heart fluttered. My kid.
"What if we…what if we…shared the curse?" Eda asked carefully. "After you get custody of Amity. If you took half of the curse, you would become…ineffective as Head Covenness, right? Surely Belos wouldn't want you then."
"What?" The idea had never even crossed Lilith's mind. "That's true, assuming he doesn't execute me."
The word execute felt like a dagger in Eda's chest.
"Perhaps we could frame it in a way to make him pity you," Eda mused, avoiding the topic of execution. She didn't want that to be an option so she dismissed it, manifesting her initial idea.
"I believe he already does," Lilith chuckled darkly. Pity was an understatement. She was lesser than the shit on his shoes to him. He made that abundantly clear.
" Okay," Eda sighed. "Well, I can't think of anything else. If we split the curse, you can blame me or whatever. Tell him you are resigning. Give someone else your job and leave. Tell him you're going to go die in a hole or something. I'm sure he'll believe it. I'm pretty sure that's what he believes I did."
"You're one smart spooky, sister," Lilith reached up to pinch her sister's cheek like when they were kids. Edalyn laughed. 'Thank you. You are…truly a gem."
"Feelin' better at all?"
"I do," Lilith nodded, her eyes focused on her wine glass, which now rested between her two hands. "I said this to Amity earlier and meant it. We will take this one day at a time. I will speak to Bump bright and early Monday morning to get the ball rolling."
"We should probably head to bed," Eda glanced at the human realm clock on the wall, which Lilith couldn't read, and Lilith nodded. "You can sleep in my bed or on the couch."
They both stood, leaving the wine glasses to be cleaned the following day.
"I am fine on the couch," Lilith stretched before leaning in to hug her sister one more time. "I'd prefer to be out here where I can hear if Amity gets up."
"You make one hell of a mom, Lily," Eda's eyes shimmered with pride and Lilith blushed. As much as she felt like a dork, she thoroughly appreciated Edalyn's ease around the idea of Lilith parenting Amity. It was highly reassuring.
"You as well, sister."
