Where My Heart Belongs

by MrSova

Amity woke up paralyzed in her sister's Clinic with no memory of what had happened to her. With Odalia gone, she must take upon her the role of the Blight Industries Heiress. But she had to get better before she could do any of that. To achieve that, Emira assigned her sister the best Volunteer in Bonesborough - Luz Clawthorne. Originally posted on AO3

3. Chapter 3 - The Bargaining

When Hooty closed the front door, Danielle ran out of the kitchen and helped Eda move the hurt, feverish body to the basement. They shared a worried look before addressing the young brunette's wounds. They helped Luz with her elixir and out of her clothes to assess the damage.

"Luz, can you hear us?" Danielle knelt before her ward, trying to get her to talk. The young woman only nodded, "Okay, I will remove the Concealment Stone now," She added, and Luz groaned in agreement.

The doctor's shaking hands pulled the gem over the brunette's head, and with a slight poof, Luz's features were revealed. Danielle's jaw dropped when her green eyes roamed the tan face. The scarred body was covered in burns and blisters sipping pus.

The doctor looked from her ward's face to her forearms and then to Eda, who had a view of her back. The witch covered her lips to muffle a sob, and Danielle knew it must have been the worst. The hours she waited to get the proper help inflamed all the burns.

"Luz, what the hell were you thinking?" The older human could not hold it in any longer, "You could have died…"

"Stop…" Luz growled, feeling angry and overwhelmed.

"Luz, I'm worried…"

"Youʼre not my Mother!" Luz snapped at Danielle, shocking her with a sudden behavior change.

"But I am!" Eda immediately approached the hurt woman, making her look at her, "You endangered yourself again…"

"Eda, wait…" Danielle stopped the witch, taking hold of a pale arm.

"What?! She can't talk to you like that…"

"Have you ever heard her talk like that?" The older brunette asked, interrupting, forcing the witch to stop and think, "It's not her…" Danielle eyed the feverish human whose eyes rolled up.

"Boots…" Eda whispered, her eyes widened in understanding.

"I donʼt see why you would walk me to the Clinic, Madam Clawthorne," Amity tried to remain calm and respectful. It was not easy. She had enough of this day, even though it was not even noon.

"I just want to ensure you get there safely…" The Coven Head tried to reason.

"Youʼre NOT my Mother!" The Heiress exclaimed, losing her mask, slanting her ears, and snarling aggressively.

"We can all be grateful for that…" Lilith did not think her words through, thinking she was amusing.

"Why!? Would you be ashamed to have such a pathetic disappointment of a witch for a daughter?!" Amity stopped mid-step, facing the older witch. They were in the suburbs of Bonesborough where, luckily, there were not many people to see them, "Or would you just regret being stuck with me?! Well, news flash! You disappeared from my life once. You can do it again!" She hollered and started walking toward the Clinic again, stomping angrily.

"Amity, wait…" The red-headed witch tried to get Amity's attention.

"It's 'Miss Blight', you pathetic excuse of a mentor," The Heiress replied, never stopping to hear the woman out. All she could feel was an overbearing anger she could not comprehend.

Amity walked through the Clinic. Her appearance sent a clear message to anyone on her way. Everyone stepped aside as the young Blight made it to her empty studio, where she dropped on the bed face down.

She let out a groan and let all the memories of the previous day and night flash before her eyes. The face of Luz supporting her through her agony was the last thing she saw when she finally drifted away into a semi-peaceful slumber.

Danielle cooled Luz's forehead with a wet cloth while Eda worked Healing Magic on the burned body. The young brunette had calmed down not too long ago and had been sleeping since, sitting on the wooden chair, resting her chin on the backrest. After a short caw from Lilith, Eda understood Luz and Amity's Bond was so strong they were constantly affected by one another.

"It's not gonna get any easier, will it?" Danielle asked after a while. Her sight moved to the witch, "Maybe you should take a break? You've been at it for a while…" She said, noting how tired the Owl Lady looked.

"I donʼt want her to have any more scars…" Eda said with a strained voice, "She's already so self-conscious…"

"You need a break," Danielle stood up and approached the pale woman, "It's a double-edged sword, donʼt overdo it," She added, and Eda caved in.

She dropped the spell and slightly wobbled, reaching for her temple. The human approached Eda and kept her steady. The tired golden orbs bored into the green ones. The witch adored the color of the Human Realm plants, gazing into her soul. She smirked, showing off her gold fang while Danielle helped her to the couch.

"Are you okay?" The human asked, cupping Eda's face.

"Y-yeah…" The witch stuttered nervously.

She could not deny how she missed the touch of Danielle's delicate hand on her face. The golden eyes roamed the woman before her in an equal amount of fear and want. Yet, the human leaned closer, letting her fingers smooth the pale cheeks toward the jaw while her thumb soothed the crimson-red lower lip.

"D-Dani?" Eda stuttered.

The witch hoped to get some clarity on the situation, simultaneously hoping to confirm they wanted the same thing. Her golden eyes roamed the tan face, which unknowingly inched closer.

"I keep thinking how you left me…" Danielle whispered, letting her fingers in between the gray strands. Eda clenched her jaw in regret, "How you lied to me…" She continued, her nails scratched the witch's scalp, sending very mixed messages, "You watched me suffer and close myself off…" Her fingers inched dangerously close to the base of the pointy ear, stiffening the pale body in anticipation. Danielle could not deny how delicious it was to hold so much power over the mighty witch who allowed her to be caressed that way, "And all for good reasons," She added. Eda blinked rapidly.

"Youʼre not angry?" The witch squeaked in shock.

"No… I'm hurt…" Danielle whispered, "But I understand your motives very well…" She added. With that, the witch returned the embrace, pulling the human closer.

Danielle wanted to savor the anticipation, but she missed those lips like the air itself. She let herself be guided toward the taller woman. Their lips barely touched when they paused, pulling slightly away in hesitation.

The human's fingers returned to the gray scalp, and Eda caressed the womanʼs back, encouraging her to take the leap of faith. Their lips finally touched in a feathery caress, nothing more than a shadow of what could have become a kiss when a pained whimper made it to their ears.

"P-please…" Luz mumbled under her breath, her head rolling to the side on the backrest, "D-don't hurt me…" She continued, and Danielle pulled away, smiling sheepishly, shamefully averting Eda's gaze.

"Come on. Your Kid needs us," She said. She approached Luz, checking her vitals and watching the witch return to another healing session.

"She has one hell of a timing…" Eda groaned, making the older human snort.

"If you want better timing, you can always ask me out," Danielle teased when she finished checking up on Luz.

"W-what?" Eda dropped the spell and her hands down, "You want to…?"

"You'll never find out if you won't ask…" The human smirked tauntingly, teasing the taller woman.

"Youʼre a real piece of work, you know that, López?" The witch shook her head in disbelief, smirking at the shorter woman.

"So I have been told," Danielle smiled mischievously, making Eda snort.

The next day, Amity woke up at the break of dawn with a pounding headache. It took her a moment to realize she had nothing to drink since the tea the human gave her during the breakfast they shared.

Another thought came to her realization. She shared a meal with a subspecies.

"No!"

She shared a meal with a human. Luz Clawthorne. A daughter to the infamous Owl Lady her Mother warned her about. Yet, she felt so safe around the brunette. An image of her warm, hazel-brown eyes flashed before her, making her uneasy.

"I'm a Blight, for Titan's sake! I can't afford to be in any way associated with them…" Amity thought bitterly and forced herself out of bed.

The witch grabbed a water pitcher from her nightstand and downed it in desperate gulps, realizing how thirsty she had been. Once she was done, she noticed she was still wearing her burned and dirty clothes. With a heavy sigh, she picked something to wear from her wardrobe and entered the bathroom.

She looked at her reflection and winced at herself, recalling how she cried in front of the human, allowing herself to be vulnerable and opening up about her fears. It was so unbecoming of the Heiress her Mother trusted her to be.

"I need to do better… Be better…" Amity thought. She fought her instincts, telling her she should do the exact opposite.

The witch entered the shower, trying to ignore the scars marking her body while a plan slowly formed in her head. Amity knew she had to reopen the Blight Industries. At the same time, she felt a need to know what happened to her. She did not realize she froze under the warm water.

Amity watched the droplets roll down her arms, using the bright, pink recess in her skin as a road to the drain. The more she stared at her hands, the more she felt uneasy about her plan.

"Would I try to restore the Industries before the accident?" Amity wondered, biting her lower lip hesitantly, "Would I allow the human to approach me like that?" A strange jolt of electricity roamed her spine when she thought of the warm, tan hand holding her abdomen in the kitchen, "What kind of person was I?"

The shower water concealed the tears, rolling down the pale cheeks. Amity was torn between what she knew and what she felt. The Heiress could not decide between creating a new future and learning about her past.

The witch did not realize she fell to her knees, letting the water run down her body as she released a pathetic cry and allowed herself to feel the hopelessness of this situation. She rested her head on the wall, and she curled up, hugging her knees, letting out a pained scream and overwhelmed by her emotions.

"Amity?" Deafened by water and her cries, the Heiress did not realize someone called for her from inside her room, "Amity?" The voice owner entered the bathroom, "Oh, no. Mittens!"

When Emira noticed her baby sister, she covered her lips in shock, freezing momentarily. Amity cried her eyes out, gasping in panic, hyperventilating, digging her nails into her hands and legs in a subconscious attempt to ground herself.

"Mittens, it's okay," Emira said when she regained her ability to act. She grabbed a towel and slowly approached the shower, "It's alright, I promise," She tried to comfort her sister. It only made the younger witch cry harder, feeling unworthy of the support.

The green-haired woman turned off the water and covered the trembling, wet witch with a fluffy towel. Amity jumped in surprise, opening her eyes and roaming her sister's worried face, trying to understand her intentions. Emira's heart broke at her sister's frightened expression.

"It's okay, Amity," The Healer repeated, sitting on the wet floor behind the younger woman and pulling her into a tight embrace, "You're safe, I promise," She added and was relieved when Amity leaned on her, allowing the affection.

The hurt witch let out another cry. She followed her instincts, silencing her thoughts, which called out that she should not trust her sister. Another yell brought in Viney, who did not say anything when she noticed the Blight sisters in a tight embrace. She dimmed the lights and smiled at her wife's grateful gaze.

"It's okay, Amity. Let it all out," Emira whispered, rocking them slightly. She frowned, feeling something warm and sticky on her hands. She craned her neck, and her breathing hitched in fear, "Mittens, you need to let go of your legs. You're hurting yourself," She tried to sound calm, but she was panicking internally.

The crying witch pierced her calf with her lengthened nails, ripping her skin and muscles. Emira put her hands atop her sister's. She slightly forced Amity, helping her to let go of herself before applying a quick Healing Spell.

"I… I'm…" The Heiress stuttered in panic.

"Shh, shh," Emira cooed, "Don't force yourself," She tightened her embrace, and Amity let herself disappear from the world in the safety of her sister's hug.

They sat in the water puddle, keeping each other close. Emira let out a few stray tears, cherishing the fact that Amity let her hug her. She missed her baby sister more than she dared to admit.

The younger witch did not understand what was happening but dared not let go of her sister. She clenched her fists on Emira's pajamas and pulled her impossibly closer. Ignoring everything she knew, she let her instincts guide her, and soon her cries died down, her tears dried, and her breathing evened out.

Still, Emira did not push her away. She tightened the embrace and the towel, waiting patiently for the moment her sister decided for herself she was, in fact, ready to let go. No matter when that was about to be and how long it would take.

The sun was barely peeking out from above the horizon line when Luz walked downstairs to get something to eat. Danielle was wrapping up breakfast preparations while Eda finished packing for the day at the market. King did not say anything when he noticed his sister walking in. He helped her to her seat and offered Brew before leaving the house.

"Are you okay, Cariño?" Danielle asked, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table. Luz barely nodded, her gaze frozen on her drink while lost in thought, "Are you sure?"

"I didn't sleep well…" She explained and took a sip of her drink.

"Nightmares again?"

"Mmm…" Luz nodded in confirmation with a slight hum.

A loud commotion erupted from Eda's workshop, and with another loud bang, the gray-haired witch entered the kitchen. Luz did not notice how her mother and Danielle exchanged looks or the awkward tension between the two women, as she was completely disconnected from reality.

"How are you, Kid?" Eda approached her daughter, "Anything hurts you?" She asked worriedly.

"No…" Luz replied dryly and sighed heavily, realizing how apathetic she sounded, "Thank you… For healing me…" She added and looked up at her mother.

The witch looked down at her daughter worriedly but tried to remain calm and supportive, smiling warmly. She caressed Luz's face and sat beside her, exchanging a reluctant look with Danielle.

"Come on, tell us what happened," Eda urged her daughter, "You were gone for over a day, and Boots brought you back barely conscious," She added, "Do you know how familiar that looked?"

"I know!" Luz snapped before she realized how she behaved, "S-sorry…" She mumbled and fell silent again.

It took a while, but she finally took a deep, calming breath. In the meantime, Danielle prepared food on a small plate and offered it to the young woman, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Thank you, Dani," Luz replied, accepting the nourishment. After a few small bites, she spoke again, "Amity's confused… But she's still in there," She said enigmatically, "Whatever Odalia planted in her head, she feels it's wrong…"

"So she can come back?" Danielle asked hopefully.

"It's not that simple," Eda interrupted, "Think of it that way. You know that fire is hot. Common knowledge, right? Yet, your guts tell you it's okay to jump into it, and people tell you it's okay, so you stand in front of the fire trying to take a leap… Do you think it's easy to go against what you know just based on a feeling?" She explained, and Danielle's expression faded.

"And yet she allowed me to call her by her first name," Luz admitted, making her mother snort.

"Titan, I will never know how you do it," Eda chuckled, "You certainly have some strange power over her," She added with a slight giggle and then faced Danielle, "When she started coming over here, Boots was so scared… Of her Mother, of herself… But our Kid here had the strangest ability to calm her down, give her courage…"

"Our Kid, huh?" Danielle thought with a smirk.

"Well, now it's even worse…" Luz interrupted with a groan and let her forehead bang on the table, "She's in there. I see it in small things. When she lets herself be vulnerable and follows her instincts. But by Titan, I'm scared I lost her forever!" She let out a delicate sob.

"Kiddo…" Eda caressed her daughter's back soothingly, sharing a worried look with Danielle.

"Luz, maybe you need a break?" Danielle offered softly, smiling warmly, "Take a day off. Visit Gus and check if my Clinic's still standing," She added with a chuckle, and Luz groaned at that.

"I'm not giving up on her…"

"Kid, it's not giving up," Eda agreed with Danielle, making Luz sit up to glare at the witch, "It's self-care," She added with a smile. Her daughter groaned in annoyance, knowing the older woman was right.

"Great," Danielle said with a wide smile, "Make sure to check in on Vee for me. Albert had become quite fond of her," She added.

"Who?" Luz was now wide awake, confused about things she was hearing.

"Vee, the basilisk," Danielle said matter-of-factly.

"Come on, Kid. Have you been listening to a word Goops said to you in the Clinic?" Eda snorted, knowing her daughter, whose expression faded in shame.

"I was worried, okay?!" Luz exclaimed with frustration, making the two older women smirk.

"We get it, really," Danielle said with a smile.

"Now go, pack. I'll pick you up tomorrow," Eda offered, and Luz smiled mischievously.

"Thanks, Mom. You're the best," The young brunette smiled, pecked the witch's cheek, and left the two older women in the kitchen.

"Poor Kid, she's so freaked out," Eda whispered, hiding her face in her hands, elbows resting on the table.

"Yeah… Our Kid," Danielle said with a smirk, resting her chin in her palm.

"Dang it," Eda whispered with a chuckle. She lifted her head, and the golden eyes met the green ones, "I hoped you wouldn't notice… Or at least let it slide," She added, sending a sheepish smirk.

"Not a chance…" The human replied, returning the expression.

"If that's the case," Eda leaned closer in, "I hear we have the Owl House all to ourselves," She added, looking at Danielle with half-lidded eyes.

"Oh?" Danielle moved in closer, yearning for the affection Marilyn offered her years ago.

"Would that be a good moment to ask you…?"

"Mom! I'm ready!" Luz's voice came from the living room, interrupting, making both women freeze in their actions.

"Dang you, Luz, and your impeccable timing…" Eda groaned, making Danielle giggle, "Iʼm coming, Kid," She added, taking a sip of her Brew before getting up.

"No, you're not…" Danielle teased, making Eda spit and choke on her drink.

"Dani!" Eda squeaked in embarrassment, full-face blush present, ears slanted, cleaning herself with a small spell, catching a glimpse of the human's smug grin.

"Mom!?" Luz's head popped into the kitchen in time for Eda to finish sorting herself up. She eyed the two older women and frowned, "Youʼre not fighting, are you?" She asked worryingly.

"No, Kid, we're not fighting…" Eda confirmed, but Luz squinted with suspicion.

"If you are, you better make up by the time I'm back," She added and left the kitchen.

Eda shared a playful look with Danielle, who gifted her with the mischievous smile she had missed so much. The witch smirked, showing off her gold fang, unknowingly melting the human's heart with affection.

Amity strolled down the Bonesborough streets, trying to make sense of everything that happened to her. She was glad she let Emira in, telling her about everything that happened at the Manor, but then again…

"Why is everything so confusing?" Amity thought frustratedly, groaning under her breath.

The witch sat outside the local Slayground, watching the small witchlings and demons play together. She wondered why that place felt so familiar. Amity groaned again and bit her lower lip hesitantly. She hated the mixed feelings that conflicted her.

"Is this seat taken?" The Heiress jumped in her seat when she heard a soft voice behind her, "Calm down, Cariño," The witch eyed the tan Nurse.

The woman wore her casual clothes. A baggy shirt, black, slim trousers, and a shawl that held her hair up and obscured her ears was a strange fashion choice in Amity's opinion. The Nurse sat beside the witch, and the warm smile helped her relax.

"I'm sorry. I'm a bit on edge today," Amity excused herself, looking away with ears slanted in shame.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Danielle asked, but the witch remained still and silent, "You don't have to, but I'm all ears if you want to," She added, noting how the pale hands clenched the bench harder.

"I can't afford to show weakness…" Amity whispered, still facing the Slayground, looking away from the Nurse.

"Then don't be weak. Be strong and brave and ask for help if you need it," The brunette said, making Amity face her with a shocked expression. The pointy ears twitched nervously.

"Thatʼs not what I was taught," The witch replied in a whisper, breaking a long pause.

"Yet, letting Emira in helped me…" Amity thought back to this morning and bit her lower lip in hesitation.

"What were you taught?" Danielle asked and watched the witch struggle with her inner turmoil, "Miss Blight?" She noticed the witch wince at the sound of her name.

"I…" Amity hesitated, "I had an eventful day yesterday…" She said, facing the Slayground again, "I was surprised by the Boiling Rain… That human volunteer… She saved me," She looked to the ground.

"Let me guess… It's unbecoming of the Blight Heiress to be saved by a subspecies?" Danielle teased, and Amity cowered like a scorned child, closing her eyes and nodding slightly.

"Yes…" The witch whispered in shame, "But also…" She faced the older woman, opening her eyes, "There is something about her… Something that makes me…" She paused, looking away raptly, clenching her jaw in frustration.

"Miss Blight, I'm not here to judge you," Danielle scooted a few inches closer, "I know you are defensive to protect yourself, but you must understand, I just want you to feel better," She continued, earning a small glimpse from the witch. The pointy, slanted ear twitched nervously, "If you want me to sit here in silence or leave altogether, that's also okay…" Danielle added, letting the witch know it was her choice.

"It was you who approached me…"

"You looked like a person in need of company," The brunette said with a smirk. She noticed how the witch avoided her gaze, unable to keep eye contact.

"If you must know…" Amity straightened herself up, cleared her throat, and fixed her gaze at the playing children, "I'm torn apart…" She admitted shamefully, "It's almost as if there were two versions of me if that makes any sense," Danielle nodded, letting the woman continue, "It's driving me crazy!" The witch exclaimed with frustration, "How do I decide whether I should focus on the future or learn about my past?" She faced the Nurse and noticed nothing but warmth and support, "Since the moment I woke up, I have the strangest feeling everyone around me knows that's not who I am!" She paused, realizing she had opened up more than she anticipated.

"But maybe it would help me?" The witch thought hesitantly.

"I have a feeling everyone knew me before the accident…" Amity bit her lower lip and looked down at the ground again, lowering her head in defeat, "That's why they are so patient with me… I feel…" She looked up at the reddish skies, trying to calm herself, "I feel they are trying to get their Amity back… And I don't know who that is," She concluded, exhaling shakily.

"Do you feel like you know them?" Danielle asked and was surprised the witch chuckled.

"I'm not really good with gut feelings… But I notice that around some people, I'm not as defensive…"

"Like Luz?" The older woman asked, and Amity hummed in confirmation, "But there's something else bothering you, isn't there?"

"Why does it hurt to learn more about my past? Why am I having these attacks whenever I unlock some forgotten part of me?" The witch whispered, and Danielle noticed how her expression faded, ears slanted in fear, "It makes me think it was not an accident at all…" She added, feeling ashamed even to consider that.

"What made you think that?" Danielle asked, guiding the witch to reach her conclusion.

"I healed myself the other day… And immediately afterward, I had another attack. It made me think back to every time it happened since I woke up," Amity faced Danielle with a panicked expression, "How many times did that already happen? Five? Ten? And whenever I managed to do something that would help me get my old self back… Like Healing, using magic, walking… Remembering bits and pieces in nightmares…"

"D-did you…" Danielle gasped in shock before forcing herself to calm down, "Did these attacks awaken you?" She asked, and Amity nodded with shame.

"Luz didn't say anything about that… Was that what she meant when she said she could feel Amity's nightmares?" The brunette worried, tying her brows in a concerned frown.

"I feel I should try to get my old self back, Danielle… But at the same time, I'm paralyzed with fear. I know I have a goal to achieve…" Amity said quietly. Shame dripped from her lips, "Be the Heiress I was meant to be, reopen the Blight Industries, be a daughter my Mother wanted me to be…"

"And what do you want?" Danielle interrupted, shocking the witch, who looked at her with outrage.

"It doesn't matter what I want…" Amity squeaked, her hands balling her black tunic.

"Do you really believe that?" The undercover human urged.

"It doesn't matter what I believe," The witch replied with a growl, hunching in her seat.

"Let me rephrase that," Danielle smiled warmly, "Do you feel it doesn't matter?"

"N-no…" Amity agreed reluctantly.

"Then maybe you should do something you consider fun?" The Nurse asked. The only thing disrupting the awkward silence was the sound of children playing on the Slayground.

"I don't know what I consider fun…" Amity finally said, looking up, "I have no memory of doing something for fun…" She added. She was surprised to see the other woman smile.

"Well, there is no harm in trying," Danielle said, "You are a grown-up, free woman. Think of something and try doing it. Follow your instincts, and you may be surprised where it will take you," She added. She was relieved to see the witch's expression lighten up.

"That sounds nice, but I can't afford to get distracted…" Amity saddened again, pushing these juvenile thoughts away.

"Do something fun… What a pathetic excuse to fail…"

"Miss Blight," Danielle interrupted more forcefully, "I understand your Mother's will is critical to you, but keep in mind this is your life… Not hers," She added, immediately regretting her openness. Amity got to her feet with fury on her face.

"You have no idea what you're talking about!" The witch huffed furiously, "I woke up from some freak accident only to learn everything I knew was gone. My parents, our company, my home? All gone! Do you have any idea how many people lost their jobs because of me!? I ruined lives and families, and I can't even remember why or how!"

"You can't hold yourself personally responsible for that…"

"But I am!" Amity interrupted, unaware that her aura circled her feet like a gust of wind. She glared at the Nurse, who kept her expression as neutral as possible, "What would you know…?" The witch spat venomously, regaining her facade of superiority, eyeing the woman before her. The silence was unbearable, "Thank you for taking care of me…" Amity broke the silence once her emotions subsided, shocking Danielle with how easy it was for the witch to mask her real self and emotions that ravaged her soul, "But you should never come near me again," She added and turned around. Before she walked away, she took a small glimpse at the immobile and patient Nurse, "Goodbye, Danielle López," She said, leaving in a hurry.

The older woman watched her daughter-like figure disappear in the distance. Amity tried to remain composed despite evident confusion roaming her mind and soul. Danielle lifted her head and looked at the reddish skies, fighting her tears and taking deep, calming breaths. It did not take long for another person to literally hop into a spot the Heiress left empty.

"How's Boots?" Eda asked, watching the human wipe her eyes dry.

"Not good…" Danielle replied plainly, unable to look at the witch, "She's so hurt and confused… I think she's tired of everything, and I just…"

"Hey, hey… I know you care for her," Eda scooted closer, pulling the shorter woman into a supportive embrace, "But you can't take it all into your head. Not if we want to help her…" She added, relieved to see Danielle return the embrace.

"Thank you…"

"No need to thank me, Dani," Eda whispered warmly, "I may not have imprinted on her, but she's important to me, too…"

"You have a strange way of showing it," Danielle teased, and the witch chuckled nervously.

"Yeah, well," The gray-haired woman mumbled, "Sometimes I tease, sometimes I break people's hearts…" She joked, making the human sit up and look into her gold eyes.

"Is that your way of telling me you care for me?" The human smirked playfully.

"I never stopped caring, Dani," The witch replied with a sheepish smile. A delicate blush covered the pale face and slanted ears.

"You broke my heart, Eda…" Danielle looked away, "But I never stopped caring, too…" She hugged herself and suddenly burst out laughing, "¡Dios Mío! I behave like a teenager," She chuckled, earning a slight snicker from the witch.

"And to think I always thought you were the grown-up one," Eda chuckled, leaning on the human playfully.

They embraced delicately and snorted in embarrassment. Danielle tried to ignore Eda's nervously twitching ears. She had to admit she was missing out when she was dating Marylin.

Another moment passed, and they got up without a word and decided to go home. The worry for Amity did not leave Danielle despite Eda's best attempts. The human wanted to be there for the young witch and help the woman she considered her daughter.

Amity left the Slayground furious, feeling even more conflicted than she was before. To think she liked Danielle during her stay in the Clinic. She felt like the Nurse bonded with her, but all the while, she was trying to manipulate her and divert her from the goal.

"What a ridiculous notion! Do something fun! Doesn't she know the responsibility I have?!" The witch thought angrily, not even realizing where she was heading. She passed another group of witchlings when she suddenly stopped mid-step, frozen, mouth agape, "What the hell?" She wondered, staring at the Bonesborough Library with slanted ears and nervousness on her face, "I haven't been here in years…" She thought and suddenly shook her head, snapping out of her thoughts.

"You pathetic excuse of a witch…" She heard a voice echo in her head.

Amity growled under her breath and turned around. She almost bumped into someone, not realizing what was happening. She was ready to apologize when she noticed three piercing blue eyes glaring at her with amusement.

"Oh… You…" Amity spat, trying to pass by the triclops.

"Hey, Amity," Boscha greeted her, smiling widely. Her voice was so sweet it was sickening, "I heard you were back and out of the Clinic…"

"I donʼt know what you heard, but leave me alone," Amity hissed defensively, trying to ignore the other witch.

"Rumor has it you have Mind Gaps?" Bosha said, and Amity stiffened immediately.

"How would she know? The Healers are under Everlasting Oath…" The Heiress worried her condition was already known to the public.

The lavender-haired witch turned on her heel and eyed the triclops. Boscha's smirk taunted her. Amity hated it. She noticed the messy clothes the pink-haired woman wore. It was unlike her, knowing she was also from a wealthy family.

"None of your business," Amity hissed, earning another smirk.

"Oh? No fireballs this time? Where are your friends?" Boscha asked, making Amity snarl furiously, "Right… You don't have anyone, do you? You lost your memory, and suddenly, there's no one by your side?" She stepped closer and enjoyed Amity's anxious expression, "Poor Mittens…" She purred, leaning closer, lifting her hand to caress the pale face, "Maybe you should get back…"

"Hey!" A sudden yell interrupted Boscha's taunting, "Get away from her!" The voice continued, but Amity could not move to face the person.

She felt strange. Paralyzed. Unable to reply or defend herself. Amity had the strangest feeling, as if time stood still while experiencing some strange block, leaving her frozen in front of the triclops, who scoffed.

"What are you doing here, Skara?" Boscha asked with irritation. Amity could not believe what was happening.

She remembered Boscha and Skara being friends. They were both on the Team with her. So why were they so mean to each other? More importantly, why was the white-haired witch helping and standing up for her?

"And why the hell is Skara wearing a Captain's jacket?!"

"Get lost, or we'll get your Parole Scout," Skara continued, approaching Amity.

"Parole Scout!?" The Heiress did not understand anything.

"Yeah, right…" Boscha rolled her eyes.

"You want to go back to the Conformatorium?!" Boscha's expression faded, "Yeah, I thought so. Get lost!" Skara hissed, making the triclops scoff and turn around to leave.

"You'll regret it," The pink-haired woman whispered and left, knowing she was in no position to win.

"Amity?" Skara approached the Heiress and analyzed her frozen expression.

Luckily, Willow told her that Amity was not herself, but the witch standing before her was a perfect mini-Odalia in the making. The braided hair, the elegant clothes, her posture, defensiveness… Seeing the lavender-haired witch like that was an awful twist of fate.

"Can I get someone for you?" Skara asked worriedly, trying to get the Heiress's attention.

She was glad Willow told her everything. Otherwise, she might have hurt Amity by telling too much or too quickly, sharing information she was not ready for just yet. The golden eyes roamed her old friend's face.

"N-no… Um…" Amity regained her voice and cleared her throat, "I need to go…" She choked, not really knowing where she needed or desired to go.

"Do you want me to walk you to the Clinic?" Skara asked, and when Amity nervously shook her head, trying to regain her composure, "It's okay, you don't need to pretend around me," She glanced at the rest of her Team, "Around us…"

"I'm not…" Amity hissed, stepping back, "You don't know anything…" She added in a low growl, unaware that her eyes shone with a delicate, fuchsia glow as she panicked, scared of the sudden interaction.

"Amity, let us help…" Skara pleaded, but the said witch took another step back, her breathing hitched as she watched the other witches.

"Stay away from me…" Amity whispered, not understanding her fear.

"Why do I feel like they are about to attack me?" The Heiress wondered. The golden eyes roamed her surroundings frantically. She knew it was illogical.

"Ami, please," Skara took hold of the pale hand and was shocked to be thrown away by a sudden burst of powerful aura, "Ugh…" The Team Captain hit the ground hard, and the rest of the team helped her up.

She looked at the Heiress, surrounded by her powerful magical flow. Amity looked scared, unaware of what was happening to her. It was almost heartbreaking if it was not so frightening. Skara knew all too well how powerful the witch before her was. Yet, it seemed the pale woman was just as scared of herself as everyone else was.

"She doesn't know how powerful she is…" The Bard witch realized, getting up as her eyes never left the pale woman before her.

"I'm sorry…" Amity whimpered, "I didn't mean to hurt…" She added. When her eyes connected with the dark ones, she felt like a threat to others, "You… You need to stay away from me…" She choked fearfully.

"Amity," Skara tried to approach the other witch again.

"Get away!" The Heiress yelled, afraid to let anyone approach her.

Another burst of magic left her body, scaring other witches who quickly cast the Protective Spells, standing between Amity and Skara. Oh, how Amity was glad nobody else could witness her lack of control.

"Why do I always hurt everyone?! Em, Luz, now Skara…" The lavender-haired witch's breathing quickened, and she could not pretend everything was fine.

It was far from fine. It was overwhelming and scary. Amity no longer knew who she was. So she ran. The Heiress ran like a frightened child, looking for a mother she did not have. She did not even realize that when she thought of a Mother, it was not Odalia who came to her mind. It was someone… Hidden behind a veil of her Mind Gaps.

With a heavy heart, Luz walked through the forest toward her home in Gravesfield. She felt like she was abandoning Amity despite Danielle's best attempts to explain that she, too, needed to take care of herself.

"Okay, here we go… It's just one day…" She thought, seeing her childhood home with the lights turned on inside.

She walked by the garage and noticed Amity's motorcycle. A cold grip of sorrow held her heart as it skipped a beat. It was just last month when the witch was so happy, driving her Scrambler around the Human Realm.

"Thatʼs not fair…" She thought, clenching her jaw, trying to ignore her feelings, and approached the front door, "Okay… Here we go," She thought and knocked.

The loud steps approached, the key unlocked the lock, and the door flew open, revealing a delighted Masha. They giggled as they faced the house owner, who was mentally unable to return the emotion.

"Luz! You're here!" The raven-haired person exclaimed happily, letting Clawthorne inside, "We were just about to get something to eat," They added while Luz let her backpack down.

"We?" She asked hollowly.

"Vee and I," Masha explained, "Albert and Gus will be joining after Al's shift at the Vet Clinic," They added. Luz hesitantly entered the living room.

"This is so weird…"

"Are you okay?" The shorter human asked, taking note of Luz's behavior.

"Yeah… It's just strange being here… Without her…" She explained and recalled the morning they left for their road trip.

Luz thought about how Amity was excited about their journey, how she prepared breakfast and packed everything, taking care of Luz like no one ever did. It seemed so long ago like it never happened.

"I can only imagine how difficult it must be…" Masha interrupted Clawthorne's train of thought.

"I'm sorry I couldnʼt stop her…" A new voice surprised Luz.

She faced the person. A short, young woman with yellowish eyes and blonde-blue hair. Her round, friendly face was filled with fear and anxiety. She held her hand at her chest, rubbing it nervously.

"Youʼre…" Luz was at a loss of words.

"Vee…" The blonde introduced herself in a weak voice.

"Huh?" Luz was surprised. Her face was certainly not hiding her shock.

"Oh, yeah… You must remember me more like this," Vee returned to her basilisk form. Both she and Masha noticed how Luz tensed up, "Iʼm sorry, please don't fear me…" She pleaded, shifting back to her human-like form.

"I'm not afraid…" Luz squeaked, making Masha scoff at that.

"Yeah, right," They said, guiding everyone to the living room, letting them talk in a calm and safe environment.

"I'm really sorry, Luz," Vee started again, noting that she was just as nervous as Luz was, "I never wanted to hurt either of you…"

"What do you know?" Luz suddenly interrupted the basilisk in a stern voice.

"What do you mean, Luz?" Masha asked with worry, sitting beside Vee and holding her hand.

"You were held by Odalia. She forced you to something," Clawthorne tied her brows, "What was her plan? Why did she wipe Amity's memory? Why…"

"She was never after Amity," Vee interrupted, making Luz choke at the loss of words, "She needed the demon living inside you…"

"So why…" Luz tried to ask, but the basilisk kept going.

"She needed to make sure her daughter would not interfere… It was just a way to get rid of her. From what I know, she shouldn't be awake…" Luz arched her eyebrow, "Gus told me…" She explained, looking away, "I have been held by her mother for a while… Studied, t-tortured…" Her breathing hitched.

"Vee, don't force it…" Masha tried to comfort the basilisk while Luz looked away.

"She has a right to know she lost her fiancée for no reason…" Vee's voice broke into a small sob, "Iʼm sorry, Luz, but Odalia just wanted to get rid of Amity, too scared of her power…"

"She wanted Beasty? W-why?"

"It's a demon as old as the Boiling Isles itself…" Vee tried to explain, "They needed their power… They were trying to combine it with Wild Magic… It went so wrong…" She was now crying.

"T-they?" Luz was afraid to hear the answer.

"Your fiancée's mother and… Philip…" Luz stood up in panic upon hearing these two names and took a few steps back. She took a deep breath and ran her hands through her hair, grabbing them to ground herself.

"Okay, that's it!" Masha interrupted, "Luz was supposed to relax here a little, so take it easy…"

"No!" Clawthorne roared with a distorted voice, not controlling her tears. Masha and Vee faced Luz and gulped, seeing pitch-black tearing eyes, "There must have been a reason…" She continued crying while pacing the room, "I must have been not good enough… If only I could do better…"

"Luz, you're losing it…" Masha tried to approach the taller human.

"Of course, I'm losing it!" Luz roared, letting out her magic as she stopped pacing the room. The raven-haired person gulped, realizing her friend's black eyes began to glow, "The woman I love doesn't remember me because her mother didn't want her to interfere? I lost everything because of some wacko's sick plan to do… I don't even know what!" She was yelling.

"Luz?" Masha interrupted, "Tell us what had been happening with Amity…" They asked, and the tan woman seemed to get calmer.

Luz told them everything. From the day Amity woke up in the Clinic, through her altered memories, how she fought her conflicted feelings, how she was tortured with agony every time she recalled something. Clawthorne let herself vent, tell everything, and hypothesize on every little thought she had. She realized it was actually sort of freeing.

Danielle and Eda stayed together at the Owl House. While they enjoyed the calm, domestic moments, they felt the dense, awkward atmosphere. They stole glances from time to time, blushing like teenagers experiencing their first crush.

"Okay, I can't take it anymore," Eda snapped after their breakfast, shocking Danielle, who sent her a questioning look from above her cup of tea as they sat on the couch, "Listen, I know it's awkward, and I know you're here only to make sure Boots will get better, but being around you… What are you doing?" She paused when the human placed her tea on the table and glared at her.

"Can you just finally shut up?" Danielle asked with an unreadable expression, "It's been over three years! And yes, I'm here because I worry about Amity, but you can't be that oblivious to think that's the only reason…" She arched her brow and watched Eda's dumbfounded expression. The witch's lips parted slightly, her ears slanted, and her golden eyes roamed the tan face.

"What do you…" The Owl Lady stuttered, gulping nervously.

She fell silent when Danielle's hand flew toward the maroon vest, pulling Eda's body close. Their faces were inches apart, their eyes ran from their orbs to their lips, their breaths hitched, and the tension made them as nervous as if they had never kissed anyone before.

Danielle eyed the woman she once hoped to marry. The witch before her was not the same person. Marilyn was not human. She may have been honest about everything but lied when she told her about her origins, line of work, and everything.

"Okay, maybe she was not exactly lying. She said she works in pharmaceuticals, and her sister was in law reinforcement… Mierda, she was being truthful in her wicked Eda way…" Danielle realized, eyeing the witch's ears, twitching nervously while she returned the longing gaze.

Eda watched the human before her. She regretted the way she ended everything for a long time. She focused on Luz, trying to be the best mother possible. The witch always wondered if Danielle would be relieved to know her best friend's daughter was safe with a woman who lied to her for so many months.

"She can't possibly be so forgiving…" Eda thought, not realizing she had never felt this nervous before, "Not since I realized I fell for a human…"

"Youʼre the other reason, you dumbass!" Danielle exclaimed in a heated whisper and pulled the witch in, locking their lips in a long-overdue kiss.

Eda was so shocked she had no idea what was happening for the first few seconds. Danielle did not let go of her. She adjusted her position and placed her second hand on the slim waist, pulling the witch closer.

Eda finally caught up with the affection, returning it and closing her eyes. Her pale hands grabbed the human's waist as well, pulling her impossibly close, flushing their bodies together, sharing their heat.

They pulled away for the shortest moment. The human placed her hand on the witchʼs shoulder, and their eyes met in search of answers, roaming each other frantically. Danielle smiled nervously and felt her heart skip a beat when she noticed Eda's ears perk up before slanting again.

This time, the witch pulled Danielle in a desperate kiss. They fell into a familiar, almost forgotten rhythm. With every second, it felt more and more natural. Before they realized it, the human was straddling Eda's hips, fighting her tongue with her own, moaning at the pleasure she never thought she would have a chance to experience again.

"D-Dani…" Eda tried to be mature, pulling away, "We should talk about it…" Her squeal turned into a moan when she felt the dull fangs on her neck. She stomped on the floor, trying to contain her excitement.

Danielle pulled away and looked into the golden orbs from above. She was heaving, biting her lower lip. The witch gulped when she noticed the pupils widened with lust, convincing her to stay quiet.

"We'll talk later. I've waited over three years for this…" Danielle started, but Eda pulled her into another heated kiss.

"I never thought I'd hold you ever again," The witch whispered, smiling slightly between kisses.

"Then don't get distracted," Danielle pleaded and dug her fingers in between Eda's hair, pulling her into another kiss, unknowingly rolling her hips, making the witch moan in earnest.

"Titan, you're hot," Eda gasped, sliding her hand down to Danielle's hips, digging her fingers into the delicate flesh, guiding her movements before diving into the tan crook of the neck, nibbling delicately, earning a breathy gasp.

"Eda…" The human barely controlled her whimper when she felt the witch's fangs on her delicate flesh, "Please, take me upstairs…" Another fanged kiss landed on her collarbone, making her moan wantonly, flooding her loins with heat. She pulled the fluffy, gray hair with force, tilting the smug, smirking witch's face away, "Now…" She added in a low, needy, lust-filled growl laced with desperation.

"Hold on to me…" Eda said with a leer, tightening her hold on Danielle before granting her wish.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

"¡De puta Madre! You've gotta be fucking kidding me," Danielle cursed at the interruption, lowering her head to the pale shoulder in defeat, ceasing her heated activities instantly.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

"Do you think it's urgent?" Eda whispered, trying to calm down and control her arousal.

Danielle smirked and caressed the pale cheeks covered in deep blush, breathing heavily before looking at the clock. It was too early, and they lived too far away from Bonesborough for it to be a random interruption.

"I'm afraid it sounds like it…" Danielle whispered.

"Luz?!" A voice called from the other side of the front door, banging again.

"Emira?" Danielle gasped quizzically, removing herself from the witch and rushing toward the front door, opening it in panic.

The green-haired witch looked at them with a pleading gaze, desperate and helpless. Eda joined Danielle within a few seconds, and they invited the panicked Healer in. Her golden eyes averted older women.

"Come on in, whatʼs wrong?" Eda asked, patiently waiting for the younger witch to respond.

"It's Amity…" Emira's breathing hitched, "I need help… She's gone…" Tears rolled down her face, and she could not stop the despair that overtook her.

"Oye, Cariño. It's going to be okay," Danielle pulled the younger woman into a warm, motherly hug.

Her previous excitement was long gone. The fear for the safety of the lavender-haired witch connected them. Despite coming from two different worlds, they supported each other like a lost family member who found one another after years of separation, helping each other in their time of need.

"Shh, shh, we'll help her, I promise…" The human added soothingly while Eda retrieved the Portal Key from her hair.

"I'll be right back," The Owl Lady informed before disappearing in the golden glow of the magical door.

Luz could not sleep well that night. Despite being in a different Realm, separated from the influence of her and Amity's Bond. She still could smell the flowery scent lingering in the master bedroom.

She remembered the morning she and Amity made love to each other. A day before their vacation, she thought of how the witch woke her up delicately with quiet kisses, telling her words of affirmation and affection. She smiled bitterly, recalling the morning of their road trip.

"Did I mention I have the best girlfriend ever?" Luz giggled sleepily at the affection.

"It wouldn't kill you to mention it more often," Blight teased, sending her girlfriend a flirtatious look.

It was too much. Luz left the bed and headed to the garage, exhausted and numb, haunted by the ghosts of unreal memories, love, and belonging. Everything that seemed gone by now. Once again, she felt lost, just like when she was fourteen, just like the day she ran away from the Human Realm.

Luz sat on the work stool in the garage, trying to pretend that her fiancée would join her soon. She watched Amity's Scrambler with a frozen gaze when suddenly someone joined her, breaking her train of thought.

"Luz?" The young woman did not react, not really hearing the voice calling for her, "Kid?" She was shocked, hearing that expression.

Luz turned her head and faced her mother, shocked by her sudden appearance so many hours before she was supposed to pick her up. She noticed Ghost following the older witch, wearing a saddened expression.

"Mom?" Luz stood up in shock, "What are you doing here?" She asked and noticed Eda's stern gaze.

"Boots is in trouble…" Eda whispered, and her daughter did not think twice. The scarred brows tied in determination.

"Let's go," Luz replied, forgetting about her belongings and immediately refocusing on her fiancée. Eda guided her into the house to summon the Portal Door, "Whatʼs going on with her?" She asked before stepping in.

"Are you guys okay?" Vee and Masha entered the living room, lured by the sudden commotion.

"Amity's missing," Eda said, facing the two newcomers, "Good to see you blending in," She smiled at the basilisk, making her blush.

"Let's take a rain check for that lunch. Tell Gus and Albert I'm sorry," Luz asked, not even looking back at Vee or Masha.

"No, no, no, don't apologize," Masha said with a smile, "Go save your girl," They added, and Luz nodded at her mother.

Eda retrieved the Portal Key, and the magical door appeared in the middle of the living room. She embraced her daughter and guided her in. Luz sighed heavily, clenched her fists, and walked in, returning home.

"Luz!" The younger Clawthorne was surprised by Emira's tight hug, greeting her when she stepped into the Owl House.

"Wow, easy, Em!" Luz replied with worry, "Tell me what's wrong?" She asked, understanding that the situation was serious.

"S-sorry," Emira removed herself from the human and looked at her frantically, "Amity returned yesterday very agitated," Danielle exchanged looks with Eda, "She growled something about her Grudby Team and that she needed to be alone…"

"I need to know exactly what happened before I follow her," Luz interrupted, looking at Eda with a forceful gaze.

The older witch nodded and left the Owl House immediately, knowing what to do. At the same time, Danielle bit her lower lip, feeling useless when she could not help anyone. She offered everyone tea since Hooty was out with Lilith.

"What do you mean by following her?" Emira asked, "Do you know where she might be?" She asked, making Luz scoff.

"All too well," Luz replied before looking back at Danielle, "How do you feel about learning more about Mystical Beasts?" She asked with a smirk.

"What do you have in mind?" The other human asked.

"Amity's at the Knee," Luz said as she started pacing around the room, explaining everything, "While studying at St. Epiderm, that was her safe space to clear her mind, recharge with the flow of Wild Magic, connecting to the Island…" She stopped when she noticed how the other women looked at her, "Anyway, I can't ask Ghost to help me get there. It's too much of a risk. Eda needs Owlbert, and I can't let Amity know I'm part demon…"

"You want to fly to the Knee on Puddles!?" Emira exclaimed, "Are you kidding me?"

"Do you have a better idea? If you do, I'm all ears," Luz placed her hands on her hips and glared at the green-haired witch.

"N-no… I'm actually impressed you came up with that plan so quickly," Emira said sheepishly, and Luz smiled widely, showing off her white-gold fang.

"I just know your sister all too well," The younger human replied, "You may forget about that, but despite our short time together, we really got to know each other. We Bonded, we got engaged…" Luz hesitated momentarily, her expression faded, "She's my everything, Em…" Her voice quivered.

"We'll get her back, Luz…" Danielle placed her hand on her ward's shoulder, smiling supportively.

The Owl Lady fetched Skara and Willow. They learned more about what happened at the Library. Danielle and Eda shared about their interaction with Amity at the Slayground. Luz groaned at the amount of information, but she slowly started to understand why her fiancée had left.

With the promise of returning with the Heiress, she left for the Hexside Stables. Luz was unsure if she could borrow Puddles, but she already made up her mind. Eda and Danielle flew on Owlbert beside her as Ghost helped her reach her destination.

"Remember, Kid," Eda said with all seriousness, "Here you have Healing Glyphs and your elixirs. If anything goes wrong…"

"Summon Ghost, I know, I know," Luz said quickly. The Palisman sat on her shoulder, purring loudly and bumping her head affectionately, "Don't worry, I'll bring her back," She addressed the cat, who jumped off her to perch on the other human, and watched her bridle the griffin.

"Please, be patient with her, Luz," Danielle added, handing the younger brunette some provisions, "She's in a bad place, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. You remember what I told you about your Abuela?" Luz nodded in confirmation, "Bueno, go get her then," She added, stepping away from the animal.

Luz ignored how Eda embraced Danielle protectively in support, knowing there would be plenty of time for questions later. Now, she needed to get to Amity, talk her into coming back, giving her the support she needed. She just hoped the witch would not get herself in trouble before that.

"What was that about her Abuela? Do I say it right?" Eda asked, making Danielle snort and the witch's attempt at Spanish.

"We'll work on that accent. Amity can give you lessons once she remembers her classes," The human replied with a hopeful smile but a sad voice.

"Boots learned Spanish?"

"She's a natural," Danielle replied, smiling at the memories, "Luz thought it's probably because she's fluent in Demonic…"

"Why, of course, she is…" Eda chuckled.

"I think that's because of her Bond with Luz because she knows way more Spanish than I have ever taught her," Danielle explained, "Anyway, Luz's Abuela didn't want her after Camila's death… That's why she ended up in foster care," She said as they straddled Owlbert to return home, "She thought Luz was a burden, that her mother brought that on her…"

"Her loss…" Eda scoffed.

"So just like Odalia, she abandoned the child she was responsible for…"

"Making Boots feel abandoned…" Eda guessed, and Danielle nodded in confirmation, "We'll get her back… If anyone can get Amity to understand she has a support system, it's Luz," She added, pulling the human closer in the embrace.

Amity stormed into her studio above the Clinic. She was angry. Furious. Unable to admit she was scared. Literally frightened. She could not accept these pathetic emotions ravaging her body. She knew what she needed to do and had to do it alone. Without anyone getting hurt because of her inability to control herself.

So she packed. Amity grabbed a small backpack and rummaged through her wardrobe. She was shocked to realize she had no problem finding her tent, winter clothes, and textbooks she needed.

She grabbed some food on her way out, and without a word, she left the Clinic in a hurry. Amity ignored Viney, calling behind her. She ignored her sister when she bumped into her, roaming her face frantically.

"Amity, come back!" Emira called for her sister, but it was of no use.

The lavender hair bounced while the youngest Blight literally ran for the Knees, hoping to understand what was happening to her. Or, at the very least, getting herself under better control at the place where the raw magic flowed.

Amity was shocked when she realized she thought about telling the human where she was heading. She quickly chased those thoughts away, knowing the infuriating woman would just get hurt along the way.

Lost in thoughts, Amity did not realize when she made it to her destination. The spot where she once was guided by one of St. Epiderm's teachers and her old mentor in the ways of Wild Magic. The magic her mother was so proud of as she encouraged her to hone her powers.

"Thank Titan, I was never too powerful…" Amity thought fearfully, worried about how she hurt people trying to help, "But I don't think I have ever lost control like that…"

The Heiress set up a small camp by the old ruins, which protected her from the freezing winds and gave her a breathtaking view of the Fallen Titan, hoping it would help her reconnect to what she had lost.

"Looks like I'll be going back to basics," Amity thought once everything was set up, "Mind, body, and soul need to be one…" She recalled the teachings and braced herself for what needed to be done.

"I did that once. I can do it again…" She muttered, and with a heavy sigh, she started undressing herself.

Amity changed into a tight, black, sleeveless crop top and three-quarters of a length, baggy, black trousers made specially for this type of exercise. The clothes contrasted with the paleness of her ivory skin, making her look almost magical when the sun shone on her body, pinkening her scars.

Amity looked at her forearms and winced, hating not knowing what happened to her. She needed to ignore that for now. The witch hesitantly stepped forward. Her bare feet touched the snow. Her black polished toenails contrasted the icy mass. Fighting her discomfort, she approached a large boulder, climbed it, and bowed at the Titan, honoring their magic.

"Let's do this…" She thought, and with tied brows, she focused on the energy surrounding her.

Amity took a fighting stance, turning to the side. She lifted her right knee close to her chest. She extended it with great power, focusing on the movement of her magic, directing it into the sidekick. She smirked with satisfaction when she noticed the purple flames erupting from her body, where her heel ended.

"Good," Amity smirked, relieved her magic flow was not blocked.

She then let the right foot down and guided her left fist into a forward punch. A small flame appeared at the end of it. It seemed weak. As if whatever happened to her hands was blocking her energy's flow.

Amity tried a few more stances, diverting between blocks, turns, kicks, and punches. She learned which body parts were blocked and could not understand why. Yet, she was determined to figure it out before returning home. Before approaching anyone.

Luz watched the Knee as she approached it quickly. She changed into warmer clothes mid-flight, hiding her beanie, flannel, and sneakers in the bag Eda gave her. In return, she put on high, warm boots, a chimera fur coat, and a spider-rabbit hat that covered her ears with its dangly paws.

The moment they approached the ruins Amity told her about, Luz ensured she had enough Glyphs on her while keeping the rest in her bag. They circled the skies before landing safely on the ground, and Luz felt anxious when she realized the witch was not in the camp she set up.

"Stay here, Puddles," The human asked the animal and gave the griffin a small snack, "I'll follow her tracks and come back soon," She added and headed south, away from the view of the Fallen Titan and into the woods.

She could not put a finger on it, but Luz felt something was wrong. She could feel a jolt of panic, and within seconds, she noticed a purple light, followed by a shriek. There was no time to think. Luz darted between the trees, following the light and her instinct.

She stopped abruptly when she noticed the lavender-haired witch's hands engulfed in flames. Amity stood before the enormous Slitherbeast. Luz saw a scorch mark on the animal's side and frowned.

"She angered the Slitherbeast… Dammit, Ami…" The human thought, but she noticed Amity was not in a fighting stance. It looked like she could not extinguish her magical flames, afraid of how she could not control them.

"Listen…" Amity's voice trembled. She took another step back, "Will you believe it was an accident?" She asked, taking another hesitant step back. Luz noticed the witch's attire and was worried she was about to freeze, "I guess you won't take a heartfelt apology, huh?" She asked jokingly, hiding her panic behind humor.

"Why isn't it attacking?" Luz thought, eyeing the Beast before she paled down.

"Oh, no…" The human whispered when she realized what time of the year it was. She squinted and noticed a Slitherbeast cub just a few yards behind the witch, "Amity! RUN!" Luz roared, and in an instant, she darted toward the shocked woman.

The human ran as fast as possible but knew she was not fast enough. She hesitated momentarily, but Luz decided to take a risk when she noticed the cub readying for attack. With the demon's help, she flashed in gold energy right next to Amity, pushing her away right in time to accept the beast's paw.

"Gah!" Luz coughed at the impact and watched the witch sit up in the snow, wearing a shocked expression, watching her fly away.

Luz's back made a sudden, painful contact with the tree. The impact made her lose her breath, and she slid down to the base of the trunk. She could feel something warm trickling down her face from underneath her furry hat. Her sight became blurry, and Amity's worried gaze was the last thing she saw before everything darkened.

The Slitherbeast was much larger than the witch recalled from her High School days. She was curious to know if it was the same one or a completely new beast. She was scared and angry with herself.

Amity was supposed to regain control over her magic, not lose it entirely, burning the animal. Hurting another living being. She felt her mouth move but did not know what words had left her lips.

When she was sure the Slitherbeast would eat her, she felt a sudden shove on her right arm that sent her flying to the fluff of freezing cold ground. She quickly lifted her head to understand what happened. Her jaw fell in shock when she noticed the human accepting the cub's attack, sending the tan body flying toward the tree a dozen yards away.

"Luz!" Amity hollered when she noticed the hazel-brown eyes rolling hazily, "LUZ!" She called out again when she saw the tree shake at the impact, making the crown snow-load fall, burying the human underneath the white mass.

A loud growl dragged Amity from her panic. She quickly got to her feet, refocusing on the Slitherbeast and its cub. She could not control her reactions. Her flames erupted her hands, blinding the creatures and angering them further.

"Schreeeeeech!" A sudden, ear-piercing yell made it from above.

Amity stood frozen when a giant griffin flew itself at the large Slitherbeast, pushing it away from the witch. The cub ran away, whimpering in fear while the mother was bitten and scratched, forced to retreat and give up on her attacks.

Once the two beasts were gone, the griffin landed and faced Amity, tilting its head. Its beady gold-brown eyes bore into the golden, panicked ones. The witch cowered in fear and stumbled, stepping back and falling into the snow again. She crawled back until a tree stopped her.

Her breathing hitched when she realized the hybrid's beak was barely inches away from her face. She froze in her sitting position, turned her face away from the animal, and closed her eyes, waiting for it to end her life. Suddenly, she felt a wet, warm, scratchy tongue on her cheek.

"Huh?" Amity gasped, opened her eyes, and looked at the griffin with shock. It seemed genuinely happy to see her. It bumped its head on her forehead and licked her again, making her fall to her side, "Yack! Come on! Stop that!" She pushed the animal away and sat up, moving slightly away from the tree, "Do I know you?" She asked and then noticed a heap of snow behind it, "Dammit! Luz!"

Amity returned to her feet, passed the griffin by, and started digging in the snow frantically. She called for the human again. The witch did not notice how her voice quivered with fear or how her hands ignited again until she felt a tug on her trousers.

"What?!" Amity snapped at the animal, who pointed to her hands with a pigeon-like trill, "Oh…" She noticed her hands and realized she needed to stay in control if she wanted to get Luz out of the snow without hurting her in the process, "Okay, let's do it again," She added, closed her eyes, and took a calming breath.

Amity extinguished her flames with a slight struggle and regained control of her aura. She opened her gold eyes that shone with determination. With another deep breath, she started digging again, hoping to get to the human in time. She wasted enough of it as it was.

It did not last long for Amity to realize her fingers hurt from the cold, but it did not matter. She finally reached the tree trunk's bottom. She knew that Luz had to be somewhere over there.

"Come on, where are you?" Amity thought, unaware of her worry.

Then, her heart skipped a beat. It literally stuttered when she felt a furry material under her frozen fingers. She started digging more urgently, shoving the snow around the unconscious figure.

"No, no, no, no…" The witch hysterically muttered.

She removed the last bits of frozen mass surrounding the tan body. Amity knelt beside the unconscious human and cupped her face. Her ears slanted in panic when she realized how cold Luz was.

"Come on, human! Don't you dare die on me!" She called, but there was no reaction. Amity caressed the tan cheeks with her thumbs and was relieved to see the hazel-brown eyes flutter weakly, "LUZ!" She exclaimed in panic.

"Am..." Luz tried to speak, but she only slurred unrecognizable words. Her eyes rolled up, and her parted lips let out a weak whimper.

"No, no, no…" Amity tried to keep her awake, but Luz's head fell back, making her hat fall off, painting the snow red, "LUZ!" She yelled again, unaware of her worry, oblivious of her feelings, and ignoring her discomfort.

A loud screech pulled her out of her haze. Amity looked back at the griffin, which stomped the ground nervously. A plan started to form in the lavender head. She knew she needed to take Luz away from the snow, heal her, and warm her up, ensuring that this insufferable human would live another day just so she could smack her dumb, selfless head.

Amity took another deep breath, closed her eyes, grounded herself, and faced the human again. She returned the furry hat to the mop of brunette hair before taking hold of the unconscious body.

"Come here, you big dork," The witch whispered as she cradled Luz.

She lifted the human in a bride-like embrace. Amity's ears slanted in embarrassment when she realized how Luz snuggled in. Her warm, shaky breath lingered in the crook of the pale neck, sending strange shivers down the witch's spine.

"Come on, I need to warm you up," Amity added with a warm, caring voice.

She smiled when she noticed Luz's unconscious reactions. Her softening expression, relaxed brows, and a small disappearing smile. Amity's expression faded when she saw the human's blood smear across her shoulder. The witch's brows tied, and her ears slanted in worry, realizing the human was soaked, yet she was not shivering.

"Luz, get out! You're getting hypothermia!" A strangely familiar voice echoed through the witch's head, shocking her. She shook her head raptly.

"Whose voice was that?" Amity wondered, and the griffin's trill helped her refocus on Luz, "I need to hurry… Before she indeed gets hypothermia."

Luz felt a strange tingling in her head. She tried to open her eyes, but it seemed too difficult. Her eyelids were too heavy. She let out a small whimper and cracked her eyes open after a while. Even if just a little bit.

"Am..." The human gasped but was so quiet that it was almost inaudible.

The hazel-brown eyes fluttered, and she caught the sight of a blueish light on her left. Then, she realized she was sitting by the tent, overviewing the Boiling Isles. Her head rested on something soft. She turned her head and noticed Amity covered in a glow of a Healing Spell. She smirked lopsidedly and tried to face the witch.

"You… Heal…" She gasped tiredly, and her eyes rolled up momentarily before she forced them to focus on the witch.

"Of course, I heal… But please, don't talk, Luz…" Amityʼs voice was so warm and soft it made Luz forget what happened.

"Missed you, Baby," Clawthorne slurred, and her eyes rolled up again, making her miss the blush that covered the witch's face, reaching the ends of her slanted ears.

"Luz," Amity dropped the spell and cleared her throat, recomposing herself, "I need to take off your Concealment Stone…" Luz recalled the witch did not remember her.

"N-n-no…"

"Don't be stubborn…" The Heiress pleaded.

"N-no…" Luz repeated, not opening her eyes, "I donʼt want you to see…"

"I know you're scarred…" Amity interrupted, making Luz roll her head to the left to face the witch, "When I tried to wake you up after the rain… An illusion fools the sight but not the touch…" She explained, and Luz closed her eyes, fearing what Amity would say next, "Iʼm not gonna judge you, and I respect your privacy. The cut is on the left side of your head, and the scars are on the right," She continued patiently. The human clenched her eyes shut in fear, "I can see the injuries inside your body because the Illusion Spell doesn't obscure them…" She did not even realize she brushed the sticky with blood, curly hair away, "But I need to see your facial laceration to heal it…" Amity continued, and her eyes met Luz's hazy gaze, "You helped me remember how to perform Healing Magic, so please…" She cupped the tan face. Her worried expression shocked Luz, "Let me help you…" The witch practically begged.

"Okay…" Luz gasped weakly in defeat.

"Okay?" Amity needed to make sure, afraid she misheard.

"Okay… But please…" The human blinked the tears away, "Don't look at me differently…"

"Luz…" Amity guided the human's face to look at her, delicately lifting her chin. Luz was certain she dreamt that soft expression, "I will not look, I will not peek. I respect your decision. When and if you'll be ready, then, and only then, you will show me, okay?" She asked, but Luz could not say anything. The tears rolled down the tan cheeks in relief, disbelief, and hope that her fiancée was not gone.

"T-thank you…" The human whispered weakly.

"It's the least I could do…" Amity replied with a smile, "Now look away," She turned Luz's head, delicately guiding her away, "Snuggle to Puddles and let me take care of you," She added, making Luz realize that she was indeed leaning on her favorite griffin, "Okay, let me remove that," She said, slowly retrieving the enchanted necklace, giving the human enough time to change her mind.

"It's okay…" Luz whispered tiredly, "I trust you…" She added, and Amity froze at that comment.

The pale hands shook momentarily. The witch shook her head, trying to ignore the other woman's words. She removed the Concealment Stone, and, with a slight poof, the illusion disappeared. Amity could not stop herself from eyeing Luz. Beside a large, bleeding laceration on the left side of her head, she looked exactly the same.

"Maybe one day she'll trust me with her secret…" The witch thought, and her eyes widened when she realized what went through her head.

"Why would you want her to trust you with her secrets?! She's just a human… She's no one…" Another voice taunted her, but Amity knew better than that by then.

She misjudged Luz from the very beginning. That silly human helped her in ways no one else could. Her patience, her kindness, her selflessness. It all made Amity's life better since the day she woke up in the Clinic feeling alone and abandoned with no memory of what had happened.

"Try to relax," The witch whispered softly, chasing her thoughts away.

Amity drew the spell circle and focused on the injured skin flaps. After healing Luz for over an hour, this was not difficult at all. Despite slight differences in the density of the cell structure, the wound was gone in a matter of minutes.

"I'm putting back the Concealment Stone," The witch informed and returned the necklace to the human's neck, "Sleep tight," She added, realizing Luz was sleeping soundly, exhausted from everything.

Amity placed a hand on the back of the human's neck to check her temperature. She worriedly tied her brows, unsure what level was safe for the human, recalling Luz telling her that humans were generally warmer than the witches.

"Keep an eye on her for me," Amity addressed the griffin, who cooed in a trill and covered Luz with a wing.

The next time Luz woke up, she realized the sun had already set and she was cold. Freezing. Her legs and hands spasmed with shivers. Despite the warmth of Puddles on her back, a small fireplace warming her face, and a fluffy blanket wrapped around her legs, her soaked clothes left her vulnerable to the low temperature of the Knee.

Luz opened her eyes, and everything was blurry. Her eyes roamed her surroundings, and despite everything being fuzzy, she was sure she saw a bright purple light as clear as day. Amity sat not too far from the campsite, surrounded by her powerful aura. The human tried to speak, but the shivers shook her body so hard that she could not utter a word.

"A-A-Am..." That did not mean Luz would give up, now would it? She tried again, "Am-A-A…"

"Fuck… Just talk, Clawthorne!"

"Amity!" She gasped as loud and as clearly as she could, but she trembled so hard that her body was practically paralyzed.

Luz could not say anything else, but Puddles's screech got the witch's attention. The human was incapacitated by shivers that tried to warm her cold body up. The purple light died immediately, covering the campsite in darkness. Only the fire provided the light in the dark as the witch approached the shaking human.

"Luz?" Amity worriedly whispered when she approached the distressed human, "Luz, talk to me…" She added and cupped the human's cheek.

The tan face was paler than Amity recalled, covered in sweat despite being freezing cold. The hazel-brown eyes roamed the campsite, rolling up and refocusing again. The touch on the cheeks helped Luz focus and come back to reality.

"Luz?" Amity tried again.

"C-c-cold…" Luz gasped. Her hands tried to clench something, but all she could find was snow.

"I dried your clothes. You shouldn't…" Amity paused, feeling guilty for the human's current state, "Don't be alarmed now, I need to check…" She cut the sentence, dipping her hand underneath Luz's chimera jacket, touching her lower back, "Shit…" The witch whispered, ignoring the dents on the tan skin, "I need to warm you up. Stay with me…" She said, not going into detail about how she failed to dry the human and keep her warm.

"N-n-not… G-g-going anywhere…" Luz tried to joke, but her muscles spasmed painfully.

"Just don't fall asleep," Amity ordered, and she pounced into the tent, rummaging through her belongings. Luz watched her with a faint smile, trying her best to stay awake, "Come on, come on!" The witch was losing her patience, realizing she was worried for the human, "Ha! There you are!" She addressed the small vial, ignoring her thoughts.

"I-I… I need you…" Luz gasped, talking more to herself, despite her eyes never leaving the lavender-haired woman, "I need you to be k-k-kinder to yourself…" Another set of shivers painfully rummaged through her body, unknowingly leaving a strange sensation in the witch, "Youʼre not alone… I know you feel al-al-alone…" Luz's breath hitched, "But you're not… You never were…" Her eyes rolled up while her body kept twitching in painful muscle spasms.

"Shut up! You're not giving up!" Amity forcefully grabbed the human's face, tilted it back, and forced a strangely-tasting liquid in.

Luz felt a stinging sensation on her tongue. The warm, almost burning feeling spread across her body. She knew the taste, but she could not identify it. She did not finish the potion when her shivering stopped, and she could feel stronger.

"What… What's this?" Luz gasped when Amity retrieved the vial. The human felt her energy returning, but she also felt hot, "T-too hot…"

"It's a small potion for my training… If I get too cold," Amity explained, but it was not enough for Luz. Not when she felt such a strange, hot, almost painful sensation in her stomach.

"W-what… Potion?" She asked through clenched teeth, grabbing her stomach, and their eyes met. Luz looked at Amity with fear while the witch returned a questioning gaze.

"Apple Blood with fire-bee honey…" The witch answered, but her voice was cut short when she saw Luz's frightened expression.

"N-no, no, no… My Healing Glyphs…" The human tried to speak. She leaned forward, vomiting blood.

"Luz?!" Amity panicked as a stinging sensation erupted in her stomach, too. She tried to hold Luz, but the human coughed again, deep dark blood oozed from her stomach, "H-hold on!" She ordered and drew a Healing Spell circle. Her eyes shone with bright light, and she could not believe what she saw. Luz's stomach was peeling layer after layer.

"I can't help her… I need… Help!" Amity thought when Luz threw up a mucosa layer of her stomach, leaving a patch stuck to her chin.

"H-hey…" Luz sent Amity a bloodied smile, trying to cheer the witch up when she noticed her frightened gaze, "I'm warm now…" She added, then another coughing fit made Luz lose her breath.

"Luz!" Amity exclaimed in panic, and the loud screech pulled her to the action, "Hold on! We're going to Emira!" She added, and with the griffin's encouragement, she straddled the beast, holding Luz close.

The broad wings beat the air as they soared. The cold air of the Knee caressed Amity's half-clothed body. She let the beast guide them back to Bonesborough as she paid her undivided attention to the human in her hold, ignoring the strange sensations rushing through her.

Luz did not shiver anymore. She sweated bullets, coughing up fragments of her esophagus and stomach. She was weak but still awake, clenching her shaking hands on the witchʼs forearms, holding her tightly for dear life.

Luz looked up at the witch holding her tightly. She could be fooled to think that her fiancée knew who she was. The way Amity looked at her with worry and care, with scrunched brows, tear-filled eyes, and slanted ears, made the human smile and made her forget about her heartache.

"You… L-let me… Let me go…" With a smirk, Luz closed her eyes and snuggled closer into Amity.

"I can go like this… In the arms of the woman I love…" She thought and dug her fingers in Amity's shoulder, afraid to let go.

"You won't get off the hook that easily, human," Amity said, mustering a teasing smile, relieved to see Luz was still fighting, "Come on!" She added, and the human could feel Puddles land.

The hazel-brown eyes rolled up momentarily, and Luz realized they were before the Clinic. Despite the paralyzing pain, she relaxed as the witch carried her in. The human knew Amity meant well, but she needed Emira, Viney, and a fresh batch of human blood. The witch breathed heavily, stumbling onto the first floor.

"Emira!" Amity roared with panic across the Clinic. Nurses sent her a glare, eyeing her wild appearance before they noticed she held the human they came to respect and adore in her arms.

"What happened?" Someone asked while another person bought a gurney.

"Get Viney! Emira's in the Operation Room!" Another one called, and Amity suddenly simultaneously felt safe and attacked.

"T-too much…" She thought when she noticed a portable bed rolled in front of her.

Someone tried to take the human out of her arms. Amity did not know why, but she tightened her hold on Luz and hissed defensively. Her aura suddenly started roaming her bare feet, scaring the people away. Her golden eyes roamed the faces of half a dozen people trying to approach her and take the hurt woman away.

"Amity…" A familiar voice appeared behind her. The Heiress turned around and eyed the brunette witch before her, unable to hide her frightened expression. The green eyes looked at her softly, "It's okay, let me help…" Viney added. She smiled softly when she noticed Amity hesitating to release the human from her hold.

"I…" The Heiress stuttered and looked at the Nurses surrounding them.

"Okay, guys," Viney addressed the rest of the healing staff, "Thank you for your support, but we'll take care of Luz…"

"She's probably the reason Luz is…" Someone muttered venomously.

"Hey!" Viney interrupted forcefully and then noticed guilt creeping on Amity's face, "Like you never made a mistake!? I know, for a fact, you made quite a few, so don't you dare judge a situation you're unfamiliar with!" Emira's wife continued, and the Heiress suddenly felt safer than ever around her, "Come on, Amity," She then addressed the lavender-haired witch, "We need to hurry, and I need to know what happened," She added. Her sister-in-law nodded in time for Luz to cough again.

"She was freezing… Long story. I gave her my warming potion…" Amity tried to explain as she followed Viney, feeling her look on her, "Thatʼs basically Apple Blood and fire-bee honey…" She added. Viney paled down, and her jaw dropped down.

"H-how much?" The Healer stuttered nervously.

"Half a vial, maybe more?" Amity's voice trembled, realizing she had poisoned the human, "I killed her, right?" She asked in a high pitch. Her voice shook, and she looked down at Luz, who gasped hard for air.

"Not yet, you didn't," Viney replied sternly when they reached their destination. It was a room Amity had never seen before, "But you need to let go of her now if I'm to help," She added, noting Blight's hesitation. The Healer approached the lavender-haired witch and touched her shoulder, "This isn't the first time, Amity. She'll be fine, but you need to let me work," She added, snapping the younger woman out of her intrusive thoughts.

"L-Luz…" Amity addressed the hurt woman in her arms, placing her on the operation table, brushing her curly hair away from her face in a gesture of care Viney had not witnessed in weeks, "Iʼm so sorry, I didn't know…" The Heiress clenched her eyes, and an orphaned tear watered the tan cheek, "I told you to stay away from me…" She added and was surprised by a forceful hold on her scarred forearm, making her feel self-conscious.

"Accident…" Luz gasped and forced a smile before falling into another coughing fit, painting the operation table red.

"Go and rest a little," Viney hushed Amity away, "I promise to let you know once we're done here," She added. She was shocked that her sister-in-law listened to her, leaving her alone with her patient.

Viney cast a spell circle and was shocked to see what the Apple Blood did to Luz's stomach. Emira and Eda told her about it in theory, but witnessing it with her two eyes was something different. The Healer knew she made the right decision to bring Luz to the magic-restricting room for that operation and send Amity away.

Eda and Danielle rushed to the Clinic as soon as they got a caw from the Nurses' Station. The witch was not that worried since the day she lost control of the Owl Demon and attacked her daughter. The human could not recognize the Owl Lady. Her joking mannerisms and playful smirks were gone, her ears slanted, and her eyes glistened with tears.

"Whereʼs she!?" Eda roared at the young demon Nurse at the Station.

"Eda, calm down…" Danielle tried to ease the witch's nerves.

"It's okay, Miss López," The Nurse smiled with patience and understanding before facing the worried woman, "She's in the magic-restricting room on the second…" She never had a chance to finish her sentence. Eda was already gone, rushing past the patients and staff members.

"Thank you," Danielle replied, following the witch as fast as she could.

They made it to the room, the Nurse mentioned, and they noticed how it was adapted for Luz. The bed was placed in the central part of the wall opposite the doors, allowing access to the patient from both sides. When Eda and Danielle rushed in, Viney stood beside the unconscious human, creating a spell circle.

"Luz…" The older witch gasped, covering her quivering lips, slowly approaching the bed.

"How's she?" Danielle asked, joining Eda, who worriedly looked at her sleeping daughter.

"What happened?" The Owl Lady added a question.

"It's okay, guys," Viney dropped the spell and gestured for the two women to sit down, "She's fine now, and she should be back to full health by noon," She added. That information granted Eda and Danielle relief.

"So what happened?" The older human asked again, watching the witch cradle her daughterʼs hand with gratitude.

"I donʼt know the details. Luz had trouble talking when she was brought here. All I know is that she was extremely chilled at the Knee, and Amity gave her an Apple Blood-based potion…" The Healer paused when she noticed Eda's head shoot up. The older witch looked at Viney with a shocked expression before returning her gaze to Luz, caressing her face.

"My poor Kid…" She sobbed.

"I know you said Apple Blood is unsafe for humans, but what exactly happened?" Danielle asked, intrigued by Eda's reaction.

"I donʼt know what it is in Hard Apple Blood that hurts you, but it made the layers of her stomach and esophagus peel off… If not for Amity's quick reaction, it would burn the entire organ away…" Viney explained, and Danielle's jaw dropped, "Quite painful death if you ask me…" The silence filled the room, interrupted by Luz's calm breathing.

"How's Amity?" The older brunette was the first to break the pause, and Viney looked away, concern entering her face.

"She seemed… Strangely worried about Luz…" The Healer whispered, "The way she looked at Luz…"

"As if Boots was still in there?" Eda offered, and Viney nodded hesitantly.

"How did you know?"

"We saw that after the rain a few days ago," Danielle explained, "But that left her so confused and scared…" She sighed heavily, thinking about the witch, "Where is she now?"

"I donʼt know. Emira went to look for her," Viney replied as she stood up, "Iʼll give you some privacy. Let me know if you need anything," She added, leaving the witch and two humans alone.

Danielle pulled Eda into a delicate embrace. They watched Luz sleep peacefully, resting and regaining her strength. No matter how worried they were, the young brunette made them proud for not giving up on the woman she loved. Especially since her actions seemed to have the desired effects.

After cleaning up the camp at the Knee, Amity returned to her studio above the Clinic. She dropped everything on the floor by the wardrobe and sat on her bed. She looked at the view of Bonesborough and thought about everything.

"Dammit, human…" She thought, bringing her knees close to her chest, hugging them tightly, thinking about how she reacted to seeing Luz hurt, "Luz…" She corrected herself and looked at her shoulder, still covered in the dried crimson liquid.

"Titan, I almost killed her," She whispered and did not understand why she felt so bad about it. Why the thought of never seeing the human again filled her heart with fear?

"But you didn't," Emira's voice startled her, making her turn in her seat.

"Em?" Amityʼs voice quivered, her ears slanted, and her lips parted as if she wanted to ask a question.

"Viney was right… Sheʼs in there…" Emira thought, watching her sister's reaction.

"Sheʼs fine now, sleeping off the procedure," The Healer said with a smile, entering the studio, "You got her here in time, don't be so hard on yourself," She added and was shocked to see Amity get up from her bed, quickly walk toward the green-haired woman and crushed her in a tight hug, shocking the older witch, "Mittens?" She asked.

"I told her she should stay away…" Amity whispered, her back shaken with sobs. She balled the Healer's robes, fighting confusing emotions, allowing herself to be vulnerable.

"Do you want her to stay away?" Emira asked, returning the embrace and offering her sister the needed support.

"No," Amity replied a little too quickly, "I mean, yes!" She pulled away and shook her head in confusion, "I donʼt know… She isn't safe around me!" She faced her sister and looked at her frantically. Emira sighed and guided Amity to sit on her bed.

"Listen, Mittens," The older sister started with a soft and supporting voice, "I know it's confusing, and I cannot imagine what you're going through, but…"

"It felt too familiar, okay?!" Amity exclaimed impatiently, interrupting Emira.

"What did?"

"Bringing Luz to safety…" The Heiress explained, "I noticed it after the Boiling Rain incident. Then yesterday… When I healed her, I had the strongest feeling I did that before…" She fisted her trousers, still wearing her training clothes, and looked aside, "I know you can't tell me anything, but I feel like I knew her… Before the accident…" She added before facing her sister again, "But having no memory of that is so confusing…"

"Why don't we see how she's doing, huh?" Emira asked, smiling widely, "She should be waking up soon," She added. Her expression faded when she noticed her sister's fearful expression.

"I can't possibly face her after almost killing her…" Amity whispered with a quivering voice.

"Well, you can't avoid her forever," Emira said jokingly.

"I can try…" Amity whispered sheepishly.

"Well, good luck with that," The Healer laughed wholeheartedly, "Come on, Sis," She stood up and offered a hand, "Let's get you out of these clothes and cleaned up while you tell me what happened at the Knee, okay?" She said, offering the warmest and the most supportive expression she could muster, making her sister feel safe.

So Amity did. She said what happened with Boscha, how she hurt Skara, and how she realized that whatever happened to her was messing up her magic. The younger witch explained how she wanted to return to the basics of her training, learning to control her magic all over again at the place where the Wild Witches did that from the dawn of time.

By the time Amity was out of the shower, Emira fully understood what happened at the Knee and what turmoil her sister was experiencing. She watched the lavender-haired woman worriedly. She was drawn to the human, but that went against everything she knew. Whatever Odalia did to her, it was the worst torture she could come up with.

Emira guided Amity to the strange room. The Heiress had no idea the Clinic even had this Wing, let alone the strangely cushioned by the Witches' Wool room. Once she hesitantly entered, she noticed the human sleeping peacefully.

The Concealment Stone was placed safely on the tan neck, contrasting the snow-white Clinic pajamas. Amity looked back at Emira, who encouraged her to take a leap and sit by the bed before taking her leave. When the witch made herself comfortable, Luz started to stir in her sleep.

The pointy ears slanted when Amity noticed how the human scrunched her brows before relaxing her expression. The hurt woman let out a small whimper as she fought to open her eyes.

Luz could smell a familiar flowery scent that made her feel safe and comfortable. She continued to try to open her eyes and face the person whose presence she felt beside her, watching her intensively.

A small, weak smile crooked her full lips, disappearing just as fast. When Luz finally cracked her eyes open and turned her head to the left, she eyed the witch beside her. The Heiress was again dressed in chic clothes covering her scars.

Her wild lavender hair was braided in an elegant side braid. Amity looked worried and guilt-ridden. As soon as she noticed the human awake, she forced her expression away, recomposing herself, putting on a mask of cold professionalism.

"H-hey…" Luz whispered hoarsely. She coughed weakly, feeling her esophagus still hurting. She was surprised to feel Amity's cold hands sneak underneath her head, helping her drink some water, "Thank you," She whispered when the witch let her rest again. The cold expression never faded, even though the gold eyes were filled with worry.

"Don't thank me…" Amity replied just as coldly. Luz did not know if she was angry with her or herself. Her voice shook familiarly, "I almost killed you," She growled bitterly and looked away, unable to face the human.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You didn't know," Luz said, smiling weakly, hoping to ease the witch's guilt.

"Since the moment you came into my life, you have been bitten, beaten up, burned, buried under snow, and… Poisoned…" Amity listed, still looking away, "Thatʼs why you need to stay away from me," She added, and Luz scoffed at that notion, making the witch look at her with fury, "This isn't funny!" She exclaimed, and the human's expression faded, "Iʼm a danger to everyone… Including myself…" She said, and her anger faded, changing into a pit of sadness, "So just do yourself a favor and stay away!" Luz tied her brows and analyzed the witch's expression.

"Do you want me to stay away from you?" The human set up a trap. Amity looked away, facing the door again.

"Yes!" The witch said forcefully. Luz smirked when she noticed a slight twitch of the pointy ear.

"What a liar…" The human thought with amusement.

"Whatever you say…" The brunette replied tauntingly, "Princess," She added, smugly smirking when Amity faced her with fury, standing up, her fists clenched.

"Just…" The witch hesitated, "Stay away…" She said with another delicate ear twitch, "Human…" She added and left in a hurry before Luz could reply.

The moment Amity left the room, Clawthorne was cut off from their Bond. She could not feel the overwhelming sadness that filled the witch's heart or the guilt ravaging her body. Luz knew one thing. She could not force her presence on her fiancée. She needed to give her the space and wait for the witch to come to her. Whenever that might be, if at all.