The following morning, Amity woke up, and as she got ready for the day, she thought more and more about Emperor Belos' proposal.
"After years of waiting and dreaming, I finally get the chance to join the Emperor's Coven, and in order to do that, I have to hand Luz over to the man who tried to petrify her mentor", Amity said, "and if I don't, not only do I loose my chance to join the coven, but Luz could get cursed, and I don't even want to begin to imagine what Mom and Dad would do to me."
Once she had finished putting her Hexside uniform on, Amity made her way to the bathroom.
"There's just no way out of this", Amity said, "either way, Luz will end up suffering."
Amity looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath.
"I know what I must do", Amity said.
Amity left the bathroom and walked downstairs to the living room, where Odalia and Alador were sitting.
"Mom, Dad", Amity said, "I've made my decision."
"And", Odalia asked.
"I accept", Amity said, "I'll bring Luz to Emperor Belos."
"Wonderful", Odalia said, "I knew you'd make the only sensible choice."
"You really are our daughter after all", Alador said.
"I've got a plan", Amity said, "tell Emperor Belos that after school, I'm going to go for a walk with Luz down this hiking trail that's near Hexside, and I need Emperor's Coven members waiting at the end of the trail to capture her."
"Very well", Odalia said, "I will inform him of your plan."
"One more thing", Amity said, "my only condition for Emperor Belos is that no harm befalls Luz."
"I'll tell him that as well", Odalia said, "but I still can't understand why."
"You have no idea what I might be giving up by doing this", Amity said.
Amity left Blight Manor for school, not noticing that Edric and Emira had heard everything from the top of the stairs, and when she arrived at Hexside, the twins confronted her in the hall.
"Please tell us we didn't hear that the way it sounded", Emira said.
"What are you talking about", Amity asked.
"We overheard you talking to Mom and Dad", Edric said, "you're planning on selling Luz to Emperor Belos."
"Yes, but I have my reasons", Amity said, "it's to..."
"To what, join the Emperor's Coven", Emira asked, "is that why you're doing this?"
"No", Amity said, "well, yes, but there's more."
"What more could there possibly be that would make you decide to throw away your chances at true love", Edric asked.
"Emperor Belos suggested that he might curse Luz using the same curse that the Owl Lady has", Amity said, "I'm doing this for her own safety."
"Are you, Mittens", Emira asked, "if you ask us, it's a loose-loose situation for Luz."
"She'd never forgive you", Edric asked.
"I'm aware of that risk", Amity said, "but I don't want her to suffer a fate worse than death."
The conversation was interrupted by the sound of the bell screaming.
"I have to go to class now", Amity said.
Amity walked away to her first class of the day, and Edric and Emira looked at each other.
"This is bad", Emira said.
"Our little sister's about to take a dark path", Edric said.
Later that day, in between classes, Amity was getting a drink from the water fountain, when Luz walked by.
"Hey, Amity", Luz said.
As soon as Amity finished her drink, she hurried over to Luz.
"Luz", Amity said, "just the girl I was hoping to see."
"Really", Luz asked.
"Well, as a friend", Amity said, "because, that's what we are, right?"
"Sure", Luz said.
"Anywho", Amity said, "I was gonna go for a walk in the woods after school, and I was wondering if you'd like to join me."
"I'd love to", Luz said.
"You would", Amity asked.
"Sure", Luz said, "it'd be nice to go for a walk in nature and breathe in some fresh air."
"Great", Amity said, "let's meet up after school, and we'll head out into the woods together."
"Sounds like a plan", Luz said, "see you then."
"You too", Amity said.
Luz walked away, and Amity walked away as well, knowing very well what was in store for Luz on their "walk."
"Everything's been put into motion", Amity thought, "there's no turning back."
Once school ended for the day, Amity left the building and found Luz waiting for her outside.
"There she is", Amity said, "it's go time."
Amity began making her way to Luz, but someone grabbed her and covered her mouth as they dragged her away, and once they were out of sight, Amity found that it was Edric and Emira.
"Edric, Emira", Amity asked, "what are you doing?"
"Trying to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life", Edric said.
"Don't do this, Mittens", Emira said, "you can't give up your first crush just to join some stupid coven."
"I told you, I'm doing this to protect Luz from getting cursed", Amity said, "I'm not taking any chances on this."
"This isn't just about Luz", Emira said, "Ed and I can tell that there's more to why you're doing this."
"Yeah", Edric said, "why are you doing this?"
Amity could see that there was no keeping anything from her siblings, and decided to come clean.
"Alright", Amity said, "you're right about me wanting to do it so I can join the Emperor's Coven, but it's also because Mom and Dad threatened to to something horrible to me."
"Mom and Dad threatened you", Edric asked.
"Yes", Amity said, "they said that if I didn't accept Emperor Belos' proposal, I'd be wishing that he'd petrified me."
"And you let them say that to you", Emira asked.
"Well, what was I supposed to do", Amity asked.
"Stand up to them", Edric said, "tell them that you really care about Luz, and that you won't let them decide who to be friends with, or who to love."
"Making threats is how Mom and Dad get us to do what they want", Emira said, "you're only playing into their hands by complying."
"Well, I can't take any of the chances in this situation", Amity said, "I have no choice."
Amity walked away, but Edric and Emira grabbed her.
"We can't let you sell out your true love", Edric said.
"You need to stop this, Amity", Emira said, "or else you and Luz will both end up suffering."
Edric and Emira rarely called Amity by her real name rather than "Mittens," so she could tell that they were serious.
"I guess you're right", Amity said.
"Really", Emira asked.
"No", Amity said.
Amity made a spell circle, and a barrier cage appeared around her siblings.
"What are you doing", Edric asked.
"Let us out", Emira said.
"This isn't just about chances I'd rather not take", Amity said, "I've been working my whole life to get into the Emperor's Coven, and I'm not going to let anyone get in my way, least of all you two."
Amity turned around and walked away, leaving Edric and Emira trapped.
"What do we do, Em", Edric asked.
"There's not much we can do, Ed", Emira said, "but stay trapped in here while our sister throws away her chance to be with the girl she loves."
Amity walked back in front of the school and found that Luz was still standing where she was previously.
"Oh good, she's still here", Amity said.
Amity quickly hurried over to Luz.
"Hey, Luz", Amity said.
"There you are, Amity", Luz said, "I was wondering where you were."
"I, uh, got a little tied up", Amity said, "but I'm here now, so we can go on that walk."
"Great", Luz said, "let's get going."
Luz and Amity walked towards the woods together and went down a hiking trail, where they marveled at all sorts of plant and animal life native to the Boiling Isles, and as they walked along, Amity decided to say something to Luz.
"Hey, Luz", Amity said, "can I talk to you about something?"
"Sure", Luz said, "what's on your mind?"
"Well, I was just thinking", Amity said, "let's say, hypothetically, I was given two choices for something, but no matter which one I chose, someone close to me would end up suffering in some way."
"What made you think of something like that", Luz asked, "are you being forced to make that kind of choice?"
"Let's not jump to hypothetical conclusions", Amity said, "but, if I was, what should I do?"
"Well, if something bad were to happen to this someone close either way, I think the best way to go would be to make the choice that you think isn't as bad as the other choice", Luz said, "sometimes, if you care about someone, you have to do something that might not be good for them, but you know it's for their own good."
"That's exactly why I'm doing this", Amity thought.
Soon, they arrived at the end of the trail, where unknown to Luz, members of the Emperor's Coven were waiting to capture her.
"Well, that was fun", Luz said, "I really enjoyed it."
"Thanks", Amity said, "I'm glad to hear that."
"Well, I'd better head back to the Owl House", Luz said, "see you around, Amity."
"Yeah, you too", Amity said.
As Luz walked away, Amity watched, waiting for the inevitable to happen.
"Forgive me, Luz", Amity said.
It was at that moment that two Emperor's Coven members jumped out of the bushes and grabbed Luz by the arms.
"Hey", Luz said, "what's going on?"
"We got her", one of the members said.
"We got the human", the other member said.
"Excellent", a third member said, "let's bring her to the Emperor."
The third member walked over to Amity.
"Nice going, kid", the third member said, "your plan worked."
Luz was shocked to hear this.
"Your plan", Luz asked, "Amity, you're behind this?"
"Luz, I can explain", Amity said, "I..."
Amity was interrupted by the sound of the two coven members holding Luz dragging her away.
"Let's move", the first member said, "Emperor Belos is waiting for her."
Amity walked with the coven members to the Emperor's Castle, and thought to herself about what she had just done.
"I did something that might not be good for her, but it was for her own good", Amity thought.
At the Emperor's Castle in the throne room, Emperor Belos was absorbing the magic of a dragonfly palisman, when the coven members holding Luz entered the room, along with Amity.
"Well, well, you've brought the human to me", Belos said, "well done, Amity."
Luz, still hurt by her friend's betrayal, turned to Amity.
"You set me up so that you could bring me to the Emperor", Luz asked.
"I had to", Amity said, "it was for your own good."
"How is giving me away to the most vile, despicable being in this world for my own good", Luz asked.
"He would've done something horrible to you", Amity said, "speaking of which, I brought Luz to you, so now it's time for you to hold up your end of the bargain."
"Of course", Belos said.
Belos pulled out the piece of paper the curse was on and ripped it up.
"Now that that's out of the way", Belos said, "Kikimora."
Kikimora walked over to Amity holding an Emperor's Coven uniform in her hands.
"Amity Aphrodite Persephone Blight", Belos said, "welcome to the Emperor's Coven."
Kikimora handed Amity the uniform, and the latter looked at it with an amazed look on her face.
"Take her away", Belos said.
The two coven members dragged away Luz, who was still hurt and betrayed over Amity's actions.
"Why, Amity", Luz asked, "why?"
Amity didn't hear, for she was too busy musing to herself about what had just happened.
"I finally did it", Amity said, "I'm a member of the Emperor's Coven."