Luz woke up at the break of dawn, blinded by the first light. She felt sore and hurt before recalling what transpired the previous day. The hazel-brown eyes quickly roamed the room, and she was relieved to see the witch sleeping soundly beside her.

Full lips cracked a smile before fading into a wince of discomfort. The human groaned and reached to her back. When she felt a slick liquid on her fingertips but did not see anything, she realized the Concealment Stone was hiding her wounds.

"Titan," Luz gasped, looking down at the bloodied bedsheets.

She slowly removed herself from the bed and, as quietly as possible, headed to Emira and Viney's living quarters without thinking of covering her body. The living room was darkened, so she headed toward the master bedroom and felt relieved when she noticed an emerald head resting on the snow-white pillow.

"Em…" Luz whispered, limping across the bedroom, "Em, please," She repeated a little louder.

"Mmm?" The Healer murmured. Her pointy ears twitched while she slowly started to wake up.

"Em…" Luz begged, falling to her knees.

A sudden thud alerted the witch. The golden eyes roamed the room before she finally noticed the human kneeling feet away from her bed. The pained expression on the tan face worked better than the cup of the Black Bean Brew.

"Luz?!" Emira was already by the human's side, "What happened?" She asked worriedly, helping Luz up.

"Amity…" The human gasped, "She had an attack…" She tried to explain, but she felt too weak.

"Okay, okay, let's take a look at you," Emira said, guiding the hurt body toward the adjoining bathroom, "Sit here while I help you," She added.

Luz nodded in agreement and removed her Concealment Stone, watching the Healer in the tall mirror. She tried to ignore the face Emira made when she noticed the scratched back. The blue light of the Healing Spell filled the room.

"You'll be better in a moment," Emira informed, "It's not deep. It looks like she was trying to pull away…" She added.

"She was scared…" Luz paused to let out a small groan, "The hypothermia triggered her," She added before letting out a small gasp of pain.

"Thank you for being there for her…" Emira whispered once she dropped the Healing Spell, "Iʼm not sure anyone would be able to help her if it were not for you, Luz," She added.

Luz turned around and looked at the witch. She saw helplessness, sadness, and heartbreak on the Healer's face. Emira looked aside when she could no longer bear the human gaze's intensity. The heavy atmosphere filled the space between them.

In the room upstairs, Amity woke up with a pounding headache. She recalled the previous day and abruptly sat in her bed. Her heart skipped a beat when she thought of how Luz held her close, how she felt the warm body against hers.

That was when Amity realized she was alone in the bed and her bedsheets were covered in blood. She looked around the room and noticed Luz's clothes on the floor. The witch saw the door to Emira's living quarters left ajar, and she quickly followed.

Amity sneaked into her sister's bedroom, guided in by a delicate light. She noticed the queen-sized bed empty and froze when she heard Emira's worried voice coming from the bathroom.

"I know our childhood was shit, but I never expected to be left alone…" The Healer whispered, "Let me see your hand," She added before continuing her thought. Amity remained hidden, listening in, "I know that leaving the Manor saved my life, but I should have fought harder for Amity…" The Heiress covered her lips to stifle a sob. She could not believe her sister sincerely cared about her. "Dang, she did a good job," Emira noted, her smile being heard in the tone of her praise.

"I think she fully recalled her Healing abilities…" Luz confirmed, retrieving her hand, "I'd better get going. Thank you for patching me up, Em," She added with gratitude.

"Anytime, Luz. Thank you for not giving up on her," The Healer replied.

"I would never," The human smiled widely, standing up.

Amity rushed back to her studio, afraid to be discovered. Luz and Emira exchanged amused looks, hearing the panicked steps, before the human followed her fiancée upstairs, and the Healer decided to start the day.

When Luz entered the studio, she smirked, seeing Amity under the covers. The human approached the bed and retrieved her clothes. She dressed herself with a few grunts of discomfort before looking at the bed.

"I should go now…" Luz whispered, noticing the twitch of the pointy ears, "Do you want to see me tomorrow?" She asked.

Amity fought herself whether she should speak or continue pretending to sleep. Luz waited patiently, but she was relieved when the witch sat up.

"Are you sure you want to?" Amity asked, averting the warm gaze, unable to look the human in the eye, "I keep hurting you," She added.

"Amity," Luz knelt beside the witch, risking taking her hand. The pointy ears slanted in embarrassment, blushing fervently, "You were hurt," The human smiled. Their eyes met, and Amity melted at the sense of safety she felt around Luz, "I just want to help you get better. I can take a few cuts," She tried to joke.

Amity retrieved her hand and looked at her palms. The witch looked like she was considering her options. She bit her lip, showing off her fangs. Luz waited patiently, ignoring her tiredness, wanting to go home and sleep.

"Thank you, Luz," The witch found the courage to look at the other woman, "I would appreciate seeing you tomorrow," She added, and Luz smiled warmly.

"Okay, Amity," The human replied, standing up, "I need to go home now, but I'll be back tomorrow," She promised.

"Luz," Amity left the bed, and by the way the human blushed, she realized she was still half-naked.

Luz offered her the bathrobe hanging on the chair. The witch accepted it with gratitude, blushing crimson red, too. They averted each other's gaze until Amity covered herself. The pointy ears twitched in embarrassment.

"Could we meet at the Manor?" The witch asked, nervously tightening the knot on her robe.

"S-sure," Luz replied. She cleared her throat, recovering from her blush, "Try to rest, Amity," She offered with a smile.

Amity nodded, and the human turned around, leaving the witch alone in her studio. She did not understand why she felt so empty as she watched the other woman go. At the same time, she tried to ignore how much she longed for the warm, caring touch the brunette offered.

"Pathetic…"

The next day, Luz met with Amity at the Blight Manor. The human searched the building, and she was getting worried when she could not find the Heiress anywhere. She was not in the basement, not in her room, and not in the living room. After about thirty minutes, she found the witch in Odalia's old study.

The brunette head popped into the room, and Luz saw the witch sitting behind a massive wooden desk. The lavender head was lowered in concentration, and the pointy ears twitched when the Heiress heard the unexpected sound in the study.

The golden eyes looked up, and Luz could see the stern, concentrated expression that immediately lit up when Amity noticed the human. The bright expression adorned the cold features.

"Luz!" The witch smiled, showing off her fangs, her ears perking up, and the said woman returned the smile, "Sorry, did I keep you waiting?" She asked nervously.

Luz eyed Amity, analyzing how she was dressed that day. The witch was again wearing an elegant, suit-like jacket and a white vest over her black turtleneck, covering her scars. The human wondered if the Heiress thought she needed to dress like that at the Manor.

"Don't worry about that. I'm sure that's important," Luz pointed at the books Amity was studying, and the witch's expression faded.

"I tried to find any clue as to what may have happened to the Industries…" The witch explained, and Luz approached the large, wooden office desk, "I could not match the income with the outcome. The books are a mess, which is so unlike my Mother. People say she was arrested for Tax Fraud, so I wanted to find out myself…"

"You know about taxes?" Luz interrupted in surprise, and Amity's ears slanted, covered in pink dust.

"Um… Yeah," The witch said sheepishly, "I was being prepared to take over the company for years," She explained, and the human nodded in understanding, "Anyway, there's nothing here!" Amity exclaimed with frustration, pointing toward the ransacked bookshelves.

"She must've been at it for hours…" Luz thought.

"I mean… There's one last place I could look at, but I was never allowed to go there…" Amity said, sheepishly looking away.

"Would it make it easier if I came with you?" Luz proposed with a smile. The witch looked up, and their eyes met. Anxious gold bore into the mischievous hazel brown, "After all, I'm here to help you follow your instinct, so whatever you feel is right, let's do it," She added with a bright expression. Amity looked down at the books hesitantly.

She was quiet for a moment, so long that Luz lost hope of receiving an answer to her proposal. Finally, Amity took a deep sigh of defeat and looked back up at the human nervously.

"Fine…" The witch said, standing up. She opened a drawer and retrieved a bundle of keys, "Let's go," She added, passing Luz by and leading the way.

The human could feel how nervous her fiancée was. They did not say a word on their way out of the Manor. Luz followed the witch, observing her carefully and trying to understand the emotions she could attune to. Suddenly, they stopped.

"Why are we stop…?" Luz could not finish that question when she noticed they stood before the Blight Family Catacombs.

Amity felt uneasy, looking at the building. Her fists nervously balled her elegant trousers. She clenched her jaw, and her ears twitched anxiously. She did not understand these emotions. Why would she fear a place she had never entered?

"I was never allowed to go in there, but I know Mother had her workshop there…" Amity said quietly, "Iʼm certain I'll find answers there…" She added, and she stepped forward. The Heiress halted, realizing the human did not follow, "Luz?" She asked and faced the said woman.

Luz stood frozen in front of the Catacombs. Amity looked at her and realized she had never seen the human so scared. She did not look that frightened even when Wrath threw her across the Clinic. The scarred brow twitched, and the full, parted, quivering lips let out uneven gasps.

"Luz?" Amity approached the human, "Are you okay?" She asked worriedly, but there was no response. She touched the brunette's arm, making her flinch and jump away.

"A-Amity?" Luz asked, trying to calm her breath, realizing she zoned out for a moment.

"Luz, are you okay? Whatʼs wrong?" The witch felt strange unease as if someone filled her heart with fear.

"N-nothing…" Luz replied too quickly and loudly, making the Heiress arch her brow and tying her hands on her chest in disbelief.

"Are you sure? You don't have to tell me, but if you don't want to go in, I will understand," Amity said calmly, trying to reassure the human of the validity of her feelings.

"N-no…" Luz gulped, "Iʼm okay. I want to be there for you…"

"Luz?" Amity interrupted sternly.

"I'm fine, I promise!" Luz lifted her hands defensively.

"I thought, you're not breaking promises?" The witch teased, "I can see something is wrong, you know?"

"I said, I'm fine!" Luz snapped. She retrieved a Light Glyph, passed the shocked Amity, and entered the building.

But she was not fine.

"Luz, wait up!" Amity called behind her, "You don't know the way," She added, catching up with the human.

The witch watched the other woman closely. In the short time they have known each other, Amity had never seen Luz so on edge. She was tense, her breathing was uneven, and she was sure she had seen her tremble.

"Why is she so scared?" The witch wondered, walking beside Luz.

The corridor led them deeper into the ground, and the next turn they took guided them to the extensive underground chamber. The smell of moist ground was getting more robust with each step they took.

"The study should be right there," Amity suddenly broke the heavy silence.

Luz did not reply. The witch glanced at the human. Her Light Spell eerily illuminated the tan face, and Amity could have sworn she could feel the panic ravaging Clawthorne's body. The Heiress led the way, and they took another turn. They passed the next corridor, and the brunette stopped mid-step.

"Luz? What is it?" The witch quietly asked when she noticed the tan face paled down so much that she did not look alive anymore. Amity followed Luz's gaze and saw the dead-end corridor with a large, wooden, broken-down door at the end, "That's Mother's Laboratory," Amity whispered, tying brows in confusion, "Why is the door broken?" She wondered out loud and took a step toward the corridor.

"Wait! How do I know that's the Laboratory?" The witch wondered but chose to ignore that for now.

Amity did not notice how Luz's entire body shook in a fever-like tremble. The human started to sweat, and her breathing became more raspy with every inhale. Suddenly, a pain erupted from Clawthorne's leg, making her wobble.

"Filthy, pathetic animal!" Odalia's voice echoed through Luz's head. She blinked rapidly and chased the visions away.

"N-no, don't!" Luz tried to stop the witch from entering the room, but she was already gone.

It took the human a moment to join Amity in the chamber that changed her life forever. She limped in, phantom pain almost paralyzing her. She noticed the witch's gaze. The golden eyes roamed the room with fear.

"What is this place?" Amityʼs voice trembled when she looked around.

The chains still hung from the ceiling. The metal trolley lay upturned on the floor, the bloodied tools scattered around. The dried blood cracked under Amity's boot, letting out the odor of rot. She stepped back and almost tripped on a long, metal rod that clanged at the impact.

"Thatʼs enough…" Odalia's face flashed before Luz's eyes. The human's breathing hitched.

"Stay away!" Clawthorne roared, stepping back, shocking the witch.

"Luz, what's wrong?" Amity asked, her gaze returning to the human, "Oh, Titan, Luz!" She quickly approached the brunette, who stumbled back until she met the wall with a thud, "Talk to me…" She pleaded, but Luz could not hear her.

The hazel-brown eyes roamed the room frantically, not seeing the witch before her. Luz slid down to the floor. Her breathing was rapid and shallow, and she could not feel the air in her lungs. She suddenly grabbed her right thigh while her left leg tried to push her back to safety.

"N-no!" Luz yelled again, startling the witch, "Make it stop, MAKE IT STOP!" She continued, and the tears watered her cheeks, confusing Amity.

"Luz, it's okay. You're safe…" The witch did not know what else to say.

A sudden vision of her Mother swinging the metal rod, striking her powerfully, flashed before her eyes. Amity was unaware that she fell to her knees, screaming her lungs out, uncontrollably releasing a powerful wave of her magic.

"What's happening!" The witch panicked confusedly, "What is that!?" She shook her head, trying to chase the vision away.

"D-don't…" Luz trembled, her eyes overtaken by the demon, who released waves of golden aura.

If anyone were to ask if it was a good idea to follow the Heiress into the Catacombs, the answer would be a resounding no. At least not without a reliable support system, which Luz and Amity had. The white cat guided the witches into the chamber and meowed at them loudly as if ordering them.

"LUZ!" Eda's voice echoed through the chamber, which the witch hoped never to see again.

"Amity!" Emira followed the older woman and approached her panicking sister.

The green-haired witch knelt beside Amity and drew a spell circle to examine her sister. The younger witch trembled, hugging herself, snarling, breathing heavily, utterly unaware of her surroundings.

Eda did the same for her daughter. Luz looked into the void. Her breathing was ragged, but the brunette's pitch-black eyes glowing bright gold worried the older witch the most.

"Kid, can you hear me?" Eda tried to reach Luz, "Luz, breathe…"

"Make it stop, make it stop…" Luz kept repeating like a mantra. Her mother sighed in defeat.

"Blight sister, what's your situation?" The older witch asked, trying to soothe her daughter, never taking her eyes off the human.

"Sheʼs stable but out of touch with reality," Emira informed.

They shared a look, and without another word, they exchanged patients. Eda came over to deal with Amity, and Emira approached Luz, removing their emotional connection from the equation.

"Okay, come on, Boots," Eda said, helping the Heiress up, "There you go, nice and easy," The younger witch moved slowly. Despite still being trapped in her mind, relieving strange visions, her stiff body cooperated.

"Luz, I will touch you now," Emira warned the human, watching her sister leave with Eda's assistance.

"NOOOO!" Luz roared, releasing an indescribable amount of the demonʼs magic.

"Luz, calm down," Emira pleaded, watching the human fearfully.

No Concealment Stone could have helped when the gold aura of the Wild Magic surrounded Luz. The human released a feral howl. Her fangs lengthened, her ears became witch-like, and her fingers cracked into talons.

"Oh, this is new…" Emira thought, gulping anxiously.

"Luz, you're safe," The Healer tried to connect with the panicked woman, but it was not working, "Iʼm gonna get you out of here…" She added, and her words were interrupted by a sudden pop of the human's shoulder.

"Shit! I need to move fast!" Emira thought, and without any more foreplay, she grabbed Luz under her shoulders and dragged her to her feet, forcing her to walk out.

"N-n-no…" Luz's voice trembled. A fever overtook her body while her mind was trapped in a panic attack. But she kept walking, "Am-Amity…" She gasped, making Emira frown in worry.

"Come on, we're almost out…" The Healer encouraged her patient when she saw the light at the end of the corridor.

"I need to…" Luz mumbled under her breath, "S-save… Protect…" She gasped when they finally made it out.

Eda waited for them by the entrance with an unconscious Amity. She fearfully watched Emira emerge from the darkness, noticing her daughter's feral look, and felt panic enter her heart.

"N-no…" Luz's legs wobbled, and she fell to her knees, "I can't…" She roared into the skies like a wounded beast, letting out a massive outburst of magic.

"Luz, you're safe!" Eda tried to calm her daughter down, but she was too far gone. A loud snap of her shoulder echoed across the field, "Oh, no…" Eda paled. Her ears slanted, understanding what was happening, "Emira, move!" She called, forcefully pulling the other witch over when the Owl Demonʼs magic exploded across the field.

Luz's yell echoed, hurting the witches' ears. Eda covered Emira and Amity with her body, protecting them from the magical shock wave. The witches faced the human when it disappeared, but Luz was no longer there.

They froze, facing the equally angry and frightened Owl Demon, whose pitch-black eyes were transfixed on Amity's unconscious form. The human-demon hybrid stepped closer, never looking away.

"Come on, Beasty, take it easy," Eda tried to calm the demon down, but they were not listening. Luz leaped forward and snatched the unconscious witch from the ground, "No, no, no, Luz!" She called behind her daughter.

The hybrid delicately cradled the lavender-haired witch, holding her close, spread her mighty wings, and with a loud screech that deafened the witches, she jumped up and soared into the sky.

"Holy Titan…" Emira gasped, watching the Owl Demon fly away with her sister.

"Dang it, Luz," Eda spat helplessly, "We need to find them before Boots wakes up…" She added as if it were just another Tuesday.

"Eda?! What the hell?! How can you be so… so…" Emira panicked, worried the human might endanger Amity.

"Calm down, Blight," Eda replied with a small smile, "Luz is overprotective, and so is the Owl Demon, so just think where they could have taken her…"

"Amity said that Luz saved her from Philip by transforming, didn't she?" The Healer recalled, trying to calm down.

"Home?" Emira asked anxiously, and Eda replied by smiling widely.

Without any further ado, they straddled their Palismans and soared toward the Clinic. The wind blew hard into their eyes and against their fearfully slanted ears. Downtown was getting closer and closer, and they finally approached Amity's studio balcony. They relaxed, seeing the golden glow inside.

They landed quietly and entered, not knowing what to expect. Dressed in the Nurse's robes, Danielle helped Luz with one of her elixirs, assisting her in retransformation. This sight was definitely unexpected. The young brunette whimpered and moaned in pain when she regained her human form with loud bone cracks.

"I got you, Cariño," The doctor cooed softly and helped her into one of Amity's pajamas before guiding her to bed, where the Heiress rested.

"What the hell?" Eda whispered, and Danielle gave her a slightly amused look.

"It's okay. Luz did the same thing in the Human Realm," The woman explained. She tucked the women in the bed and guided everyone to leave, letting them rest, "So what happened?" She asked when they sat down in Emira and Viney's living room.

"They went to the Catacombs I told you about…" Eda said plainly, and Danielle paled down in understanding.

"Tell me everything," The human asked.

Eda watched her daughter carefully. The way she breathed calmly in her sleep, the way her eyes fluttered when she mumbled some incoherent words. The witch could not believe how many years had passed since she took in the scrawny, nerdy little girl who turned her world upside down.

"Kiddo… You don't deserve that pain…" The witch recalled how her daughter took the Owl Demon to live inside her.

"Eda?" Danielle's voice dragged the witch from her stupor.

The older Clawthorne sat in the wooden chair in Luz's bedroom, resting her chin on the backrest of the furniture. Her ears fluttered when she heard the familiar voice before looking up tiredly.

"Dani?"

"Yeah…" Danielle walked over and placed a hand on the witchʼs shoulder, "Not going anywhere," She added before looking at Luzʼs body, sleeping unrestfully, "Emira filled me in on Amity's well-being. How's Luz?"

"Probably exhausted… Surely in pain… I just don't know what to do, Dani…" Eda's voice suddenly broke, and she looked at the green-eyed human with teary eyes.

Danielle did not need a Bond to feel the witchʼs helplessness, trying to care for her daughter while she could not comprehend what was happening to her. She helped Eda up, and the witch leaned on the shorter woman.

"Come on. You need to rest, too," Danielle whispered, guiding Eda out of Luz's room.

She caressed the witch's back, seeing how heartbroken she was. The Owl Lady sobbed, mumbled, gasped, and gestured, making no sense to the other woman. It did not matter at the moment.

"I mean, she was just a Kid, Dani," Eda continued when the human helped her to her nest, "Yeah, she got into trouble from time to time, but that was normal… Then she got to hang out with Boots, and I told her she's bad news…" She continued, and Danielle stiffened, curious about their past.

"Well, that Amity's mother's bad news… But I'm not an ass to forbid her to see someone… Hell, there's no way to forbid her anything!" She exclaimed, and Danielle was now in Eda's nest, too, sitting and listening carefully, supporting the witch.

"But when we thought everything was over, everything was fine, safe, and peachy, she was taken…" Eda cried like a child, wailing at the memory of when Amity found Luz, "And seeing her today in that chamber again…" Her words lost all meaning as she let out a distraught wail, snuggling to the human helplessly.

"She died that day… When Amity tried to fix her up… I came back to the OR, and she was dead…" The witch could not continue anymore.

Eda's cries broke the human's heart. She knew how difficult it was to be a single mother, but being one in a magical world to a child who attracted trouble like no one else? Danielle knew how difficult it must have been for the witch, and she understood her decision to break up with her all the better.

Danielle pulled Eda closer, hugging her tightly and soothing her nerves. The witch clenched her hand on the tan arm in appreciation. Soon, their breathing calmed, and they were asleep, hoping for a better tomorrow.

The loud knocking at the front door woke Eda at the break of dawn. It did not sound too urgent, so she punished whoever dared to wake her by listening to Hooty's neverending rambling.

"And then I say these bugs are delicious…" The house demon continued in a high-pitched voice, "Hey, I can owl-pellet it for you…"

"Okay, that's enough," Eda thought, satisfied with the result, and opened the front door.

"Baby Blight?" She asked with disbelief, looking down at the very tired and anxious Heiress, who looked up with golden eyes underlined with shadows.

"Emira told me you took Luz back home…" Amity paused and bit her lower lip, hesitating, "Can I, please, see her?" She asked quietly, fighting the shame, knowing deep down that caring for someone's well-being was not wrong.

The Heiress's voice was full of reluctance and regret. She nervously hugged herself and waited patiently for the answer. Eda considered throwing Amity out for endangering her daughter, but she knew that would be irrational. The young witch did not force Luz into anything.

"You know she cares for Luz. You're just sleepy and angry," The Owl Lady scolded herself.

"Sheʼs still sleeping," Eda answered, stepping to the side and letting Amity in.

"Oh…" The younger witch did not know what she should do.

"You can go and sit with her if you want," Eda offered, and an idea popped into her head. She smiled widely when she noticed the younger woman's look.

"I wouldnʼt want to intrude…"

"Come on, Boots," Eda interrupted and gestured for the witch to follow her while Owlbert flew forward, "You wouldn't want to wake me up for nothing, huh?" She teased.

"N-no, Ma'am," Amity replied quickly, stiffening and following the Owl Lady.

"Ew, please… Eda is fine…" The older witch chuckled.

"Or Mom, but whatever…" Eda smirked, feeling all of her anger leaving her system.

They reached Luz's room and stopped. The Owl Lady carefully observed Amity's behavior. The Heiress hesitantly entered and approached the right side of Luz's sleeping form. Exactly the way she did the first time.

The human still wore Amity's pajamas. The Concealment Stone contrasted it ominously. The Heiress caught herself reaching forward to clear the bangs of Luz's face, which only made Eda smile.

"Oh, she's still in there…" The older witch thought, recalling how the young woman behaved when she helped her care for Luz all these months ago.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Amity asked, looking up at the older woman, "I told her not to go in… She was so scared… I should have done something…"

"Don't beat yourself up," Eda stopped the panicked rambling, "But if you want to do something," She approached one of her daughterʼs bookshelves, "You can read this to her. If she can hear us, then I'm sure she's gonna love it," She explained and saw Amityʼs ears flutter.

The younger witch hesitated, but she finally grabbed the book. Her ears twitched again when she realized it was 'The Good Witch Azura' novel Luz loved so much. Amity did not need further guidance. She sat in a chair which she used to read to the human so many months ago. She opened the book, and Eda took it as her cue to leave.

"What did you do?" The Owl Lady heard Danielle ask when she closed the door to Luz's room, "I never see you smile this early in the morning," The human added, making Eda chuckle at the comment.

"Let's just say I used the current predicament to recreate a situation that had already happened in the past," The witch explained, returning to the attic to prepare for the day.

"Oh? Care to explain?" Danielle followed Eda upstairs.

The Owl Lady told her everything about the young and scared Amity Blight, who read to an unconscious Luz, recovering from her half-transformation at the Academy. The doctor quickly understood what risk that brought, and they prepared accordingly.

With each page Amity read out loud to the sleeping human, she felt increasingly comfortable. The witch could not believe she enjoyed the book with a flowery language that would usually make her cringe.

The Heiress did not notice the passage of time until she finally saw the human stir in her sleep. She paused reading and watched Luz tie her brows, only to relax again. A small grunt followed a wince of discomfort.

"Luz?" The witch pulled the chair closer to the bed.

Amity waited patiently for the human to wake up. Luz did not take long to open her eyes and weakly roam the room. It took her a moment until her eyes landed on the witch, who watched her like a hungry fingerdragon.

"Am... Amity?" Luz whispered weakly, corners of her lips twitching in an attempt to smile.

"Youʼre awake," The witch stated the obvious, smiling in relief, "Titan, I'm so sorry for dragging you with me…"

"Not…" Luz interrupted in the same weak voice, "Not your fault…" She coughed delicately, and Amity quickly fetched the glass of water and helped the brunette take a few sips, "T-Thank you…"

"Don't thank me…" The witch returned to her seat, "I hurt you again…" She said, shocked to see Luz smile.

"You didn't," The brunette turned with a pained whimper to face the other woman, "Do you remember I told you I live with a certain condition?" She asked, and the witch nodded, "The panic attack I had…" She looked away, unable to look Amity in the eye.

"Titan, why is it so difficult…" The human thought.

"It triggered my condition," Luz whispered, scared of the reaction she would receive.

"I still should know better…" Amity whispered a reply, confusing the hurt woman who faced her again. The witch looked back at Luz, sadness seeping from her gaze, her ears slanted in regret, "I have seen how scared you were. I shouldn't have agreed for you to accompany me," She explained, leaving the human speechless.

They roamed each other's eyes for a prolonged moment, trying to understand unspoken feelings and emotions. Luz did her best to control herself, being almost sure the witch was affected by how she felt.

"I donʼt know what happened to you, Luz," Amity was the first one to break the silence, "I donʼt know what condition you have to live with," She continued, "But I am very sorry I hurt you. You have been nothing but good to me, and I keep hurting you."

Amity broke their eye contact, looking away, ashamed and hurt. The human sighed heavily, fed up with having the same conversation with the witch. She knew the Heiress was confused, but that had to stop.

"Thatʼs life, Amity," Luz shocked the witch with a smile, "People can get hurt no matter how much you try to protect them. Things just happen," She continued, and Amity found the courage to look the human in the eye, "Whatʼs most important is that you're here, helping me through the experience," She added with a smile.

"O-okay…" It was all Amity could choke out.

"But promise me one thing, okay?" Luz's expression became stern again.

"What is it?" The witch asked anxiously.

"Promise me, you won't go back there alone. Take with you someone who can support you, okay? Emira, Skara, Danielle… Just please, don't do it alone," Luz asked, and Amity could not recall whether the human had ever been so serious.

"I…" The witch hesitated, "I promise I won't go back alone," She vowed, and Luz's expression immediately lightened up.

"Good," The human whispered in relief, closing her eyes again.

"Do you want me to continue?" The witch lifted the novel in her hand.

"Yes, please," Luz smiled brightly, "The best part is on the next page," She added and noticed how Amity's expression faded. The pointy ears suddenly twitched while the witch's breathing increased, "Amity?" The human asked worriedly, trying to sit up and failing miserably.

"N-no…" Amity got to her feet frantically, clenching her chest while her eyes roamed the room in panic. The book fell to the floor with a loud thud, "S-sleep paralysis…" She murmured, confusing Luz further, "F-freezing… H-h-hot…" She moved away from the bed as if it was about to hurt her, grabbing her hair and tugging it painfully.

"Mom!" Luz called as loud as she could.

"T-this has happened before…" Amity whispered, looking into the void. Her breathing was uneven and heavy. Pearls of sweat appeared on her face, beading on her forehead, "N-no, no, no, no… I can't be here, I'm a Blight…" She muttered the moment Danielle entered the room with Eda in tow.

"Huh, it worked," Eda said with a hint of disbelief.

"Great, now help me," Danielle snapped, ensuring her headscarf covered her ears. She worried about the young witch who stood frozen in the middle of the room, hyperventilating and panicked with the sudden vision she experienced.

"I can't…" Amity fell to her knees, suffocating, unable to take a calm breath.

"Mom, hel..." Luz could not finish her plea when she began to share her fiancee's panic, discomfort and unblocked memory.

"Amity, you're safe," Danielle tried to calm the witch. But before she could even touch her, Amity stiffly fell to the floor, "iMija!" The human exclaimed, quickly approaching the panicking woman, turning her to her back and loudly gasping when she noticed the gold eyes covered in a bright, magenta glow.

The pale body stiffened, and the witch yelled in pain, just like during her first attack. Eda and Danielle shared a frightened look and understood that whatever the young witch remembered was big.

Luz and Amity shared the pain of the witch's struggle with what she should do. Should she be the good daughter, a Blight Heiress her mother wanted her to be, or a good person and disobey?

That was a breakthrough. Amity recalled that before, whatever happened to her, she was not the Heiress her mother wanted her to be. She understood that whatever wiped her memories also removed crucial parts of her personality.

"You will obey!" Odalia's voice was the last thing Amity could hear before the pain rose to a level so high she passed out.

"Amity…" Danielle helplessly whispered when she noticed the spasms of the pale body getting duller and less frequent, "Mija…" She added, holding back a sob as she watched the witch's sweat-covered body turn limp.

The magenta glow left the golden eyes as they rolled up weakly. The pointy ears stopped twitching, relaxed, and lay limp. The stiff limbs ceased to tremble, and the lengthened nails stopped scratching the floor before finally retracting.

"M-Mo…" Luz tried to mumble, barely holding to reality.

"Kid?" Eda was shocked her daughter was still awake. She was even more surprised to see Luz crack a smile, "What did she remember?" She asked with a sense of urgency.

"Disobeying…" Her daughter replied, "Odalia…" She could not continue. Her expression faded, and her eyes closed.

"Sleep, Kid," Eda caressed the tan face before looking at Danielle, who sat on the floor, rocking helplessly with the hurt witch in her arms, "How's she?"

"Out cold," The human replied plainly, trying to clean Amity's face from sweat and tears. The older witch's heart broke at the sight of this helplessness.

"Here, let me help," She approached Danielle, and with a small spell circle, she cleaned Amity from tears, sweat, and drool, "I know this looks bad, and they are hurting, but this is progress…" The look that the human sent Eda made her reconsider saying anything else.

"I just…" Danielle's furious glare quickly faded, "I feel so useless…" Her care-filled gaze returned to Amity, and she brushed the lavender locks away.

"Dani," Eda inched closer, trying to support the hurt woman, "I'm the most powerful witch in the Boiling Isles, and I feel just as useless…" The human looked up at the witch and roamed her expression, "That's my Kid's life on the line, and there's no amount of magic that could help her now…" She added, and Danielle nodded in understanding.

"I'm sorry for snapping…" The human replied, bowing her head humbly.

"It's okay, Dani," Eda said warmly, "I understand your frustration. I really do," She continued, "But right now, we just need to stick together and support each other," She added. Danielle nodded in understanding. She could not agree more, "Let's start by getting her off the floor. What do you say?" The doctor nodded again, and she picked the unconscious witch in a bride-like embrace.

Eda made space in the bed beside Luz. The older women delicately tucked the younger ones in, feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders. Once Amity felt the warmth of the other body, she crawled into the safety of the younger Clawthorne's embrace, snuggling closely.

Danielle smiled at the sight, wiping a small tear away. She then looked at Eda and knew the witch was just as heartbroken seeing the scene before them. They shared a glance and left Luz's room, letting the women rest as long as they needed.

Luz stirred in her bed. She could smell a familiar floral scent and feel a small hand clenching her pajamas. Her full lips cracked a faint smile, and she mustered all her strength to pull the witch closer.

Amityʼs ears twitched, and her brows tied in a sleepy frown before relaxing again. Her head snuggled into the human's chest, and she took in the citrusy scent that always relaxed her. Luz moved slightly, and the witch stirred.

When Amity realized she was snuggling into the warm body, her eyes shot open. She looked up into the warm, even though tired, hazel-brown orbs. Luz smiled warmly, and the witch could feel her face heat up and her ears slant in shame. For all the times she slept beside the other woman and hugged the human, this felt different.

"I think I knew you…" Amity whispered. Luz worried, seeing how the witch's face flushed with fear, "Did you know me…?" She asked, trying to make sense of everything she recalled. The human felt the conflicting emotions ravaging the pale body.

"Amity…" Luz whispered, but the witch was already untangling herself from the tan limbs.

Amity jumped out of bed and looked around the room. Her panicked eyes roamed the furniture, the bookshelves, the desk, and even the nightstand. She was shaking her head, not accepting the mere possibility.

Suddenly, the room felt much more familiar. Even though Amity did not see it in her vision, she knew sketches were missing from the pinboard. The witch was sure there were photo frames on the bookshelf.

"N-no…" Amity gasped, "That can't be right…" She continued before looking up at Luz, who struggled to sit in bed, "I'm a Blight… I couldnʼt have been here…"

"Amity, breathe," Luz pushed the pain to the back of her head, forcing herself to stand and approach the panicking woman, "Tell me what you recalled. Let me help you…" She pleaded, standing before the witch and placing her warm hands on Amity's shoulders.

"I…" The witch could not look Luz in the eye. Her breathing was ragged, and she shook her head again, "I was in this room…" She gasped, trying to explain.

"Yeah, you were…" The human confirmed.

"Before the accident…"

"Oh…?" Luz was confused. She did not recall seeing her room in the vision the witch had.

"Thatʼs not possible…" Amity shook her head again, "My mother would never allow it…" She mumbled while the human patiently held the pale shoulders, "B-but why? How? I just returned to Bonesborough… How would I end up here?" Her mind was racing relentlessly.

"Did you see this room in this memory?" Luz asked in a whisper, exhaustion still evident in her voice. Amity shook her head and looked away sheepishly, "Did you hear someone?"

"I… I'm not sure…" The witch whispered. Suddenly, she felt the hold on her shoulders slack, "Luz?" She looked up and saw a cold sweat beading on the tan forehead, despite the warm smile never faltering, "Wow, Luz," Amity grabbed the human tightly and helped Luz back to her bed.

"I'm okay…" The brunette mumbled but could not fight the exhaustion when Amity tucked her in.

"Shh, easy," The witch cooed, "Whatever happened to you left you weaker than you thought," She added and helped the human get more comfortable, "Rest… I… I need to go…"

"Amity…" Luz gasped, trying to get a hold of the witch.

"I'm so sorry, Luz…" Amity's voice trembled, "I never meant to hurt you," She straightened up, avoiding the tan, shaking hands that still tried to get a hold of her.

"Amity…" Luz gasped weakly.

"I'm so sorry…" The witch stepped back.

Amityʼs ears slanted in shame and twitched anxiously. She watched the weakened human and did not understand the emotions that ravaged her body. Everything confused her. She did not want to drag this woman down with her.

"A-Ami..." Luz slurred.

"I need to go…" The witch repeated, and she left the room in a hurry.

Everything was so unreal. Amity did not see Danielle in the corridor, she did not hear Hooty on her way out, and she did not feel the exhaustion until she returned to her studio above the Clinic, where she threw herself into her bed and started crying like a helpless witchling.

After she watched Amity run away from the younger Clawthorne's bedroom, Danielle waited for Luz to wake up. The doctor was reading a Healing Book, learning more about witches and how to treat them without magic. Until her ward finally started to stir in her sleep.

"Luz?" Danielle whispered, hoping not to overwhelm the other woman.

"D-Dani?" The brown eyes cracked open and rolled around the room before they landed on the older human.

"Yeah, Cariño," Danielle smiled, "How do you feel?" She asked, and her smile faded.

"Why is she so weak?" The doctor thought.

"I… I don't know, Dani…" Luz whispered, looking away, staring at the window of her room, watching the sun travel across the sky, "This is so weird… How long ago did Amity wake up in the Clinic?" Danielle watched her ward worriedly, but she did not interrupt. Clawthorne balled the quilt with her fists, "She hated me, then she was scared of me, then she longed for me… It changes so often… I know she's fighting the spell and clawing out of it…" Her breathing hitched, and she blinked rapidly.

"Luzita, Cariño, I can only imagine how difficult it is…"

"I donʼt know what to do, Dani," Luz interrupted, looking at the woman, her eyes watering. Rapid blinking did not help anymore. The tears roamed free, wetting the tan cheeks, "I want to be there for her, but…" She choked a sob.

"Cariño," Danielle sat on the side of Luz's bed and pulled her ward into a powerful hug.

"Mamá, no sé qué hacer…" The younger woman muttered she did not know what to do, crying into the womanʼs shoulder, "N-no puedo…"

"Shh, shh…" Danielle hushed worriedly, caressing the curly hair, recalling that Luz did not know how to speak Spanish anymore. She knew the young woman was distressed, "It's okay, just try to rest… You need your strength," She added, humming and lulling Luz to sleep.

"Dios mío, you can be twenty-plus years old, but you're still the same little girl I helped raise," Danielle thought, watching Luz's tear-stained face as she fell asleep with a clogged nose.

The doctor did her best to control her emotions. She tucked the sleeping woman in the bed and kissed the crown of Luz's head after delicately stroking her hair. She took her book, left the room, and hid in her bedroom, trying to control her racing heart.

"Cami, I promise, I'll do all I can to keep her safe…" It was the last thing Danielle thought before she fell asleep.

Eda cawed Emira, informing her about everything that transpired at the Owl House. The Healer hoped to assist Amity in getting through the experience. With all the memories her sister had already unlocked, she hoped they were closer to breaking Odalia's spell.

"Emira?" Amityʼs voice pulled the Healer from her thoughts. The green-haired woman smiled and straightened her posture.

"Hey, Sis," Emira smiled warmly, "How do you feel?" She asked, taking note of Amity's ragged appearance.

"Annoyed," The younger woman spat and sat up immediately before leaving the bed hurriedly.

"Wow, Amity, where are you going?" She asked, getting up as well. She watched her sister pack a small backpack with rations and scrolls, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Yeah," Amity faced her sister rapidly, her face filled with determination, "Come with me to the Catacombs…" She said, watching the Healer's face. Reading faces was difficult for the Heiress, but she could see the multiple emotions ravaging her sister's soul, "Please?" She added, her expression softening.

"Okay," Emira finally agreed, "But I need to know more," She added.

They packed lightly, left the note for Viney, and the Healer followed her sister out of the Clinic. They did not waste time, heading straight to the place they feared, each one for a different reason.

"I went through Odalia's books and journals I found at the Manor, and I couldnʼt find anything about what could have happened to the Industries… Or me," Amity said. Her sister noted how she used Odalia's name instead of calling her a Mother, "I thought that she may have left something in her Laboratory, but…" She bit her lip nervously, recalling her last visit, "I promised Luz that I wouldn't go back alone," She added after a moment of thought.

"I'm glad you decided to keep your promise," Emira said warmly, smiling at her sister supportively.

They stopped in front of the ominous building. The top of the entrance held their family crest, and stone chimeras guarded the sides of the doors. The sisters gulped nervously. Emira looked at Amity, whose gaze did not leave the entrance, and her ears were slanted in anxiety.

"Let's go," The lavender-haired woman whispered, and she guided the path.

Emira followed her sister without another word. She watched the back of the younger witch. She hoped for the best, but mentally, she was already preparing for the worst. The Healer knew what happened to Amity behind their Mother's 'study's' closed door.

With Willow out on the mission, Luz felt down about their monthly get-together not happening. She was looking forward to this month. She had so much to discuss and share her progress with Amity. Maybe grab some beers along the way and try to relax.

"Just go alone, geez," Eda murmured from above the thick book when she saw her daughter pace the living room nervously. The witch was trying to relax on the couch.

"Or I can go with yooooou, hoot!" The house demon opened the front door with a thud.

"Hooty, scram!" Eda closed the book and approached Luz, "Kid, take your drawing supplies, eat something that won't upset your stomach, and try to relax a little," She smiled warmly, and the human snickered.

"Yeah, right," Luz laughed, "You just want the house all to yourself and Dani," She tied her hands on her chest and smirked at Eda's flustered expression.

"I do NOT!" The Owl Lady squeaked, embarrassed like a teenager caught in the act, making Luz laugh out wholeheartedly. The pointy ears slanted, covered in pink.

"Next time, just tell me you want a date night," The human smirked, "It would make it easier for both of us," She added, hiding her hands in the pockets of her jacket.

"Youʼre really okay with this?" Eda's ears perked up. She could not believe how comfortable Luz seemed with the sudden turn of events.

"Mom," The human looked at her mother and smiled warmly, "Youʼve always been there for me. You had your fair share of problems…" Eda's ears slanted again, waiting for the following words to leave her daughterʼs mouth, "You deserve to be happy, too," She added.

"But you aren't…" Eda whispered sadly.

"Mom, it is not a condition for you to be happy," Luz retorted, "Dani is here, and she wants to… Whatever it is that you're doing," She chuckled, trying not to overthink it, "Just because Amity isn't, shouldn't stop you."

"Um… Thanks, Luz," Eda stammered, watching her daughter with wide eyes, "When the hell did you become so wise?"

"Probably when I've become the Owl Lady," The human chuckled, turning on her heel, imitating Hooty's antics, making Eda laugh, and lightening the atmosphere.

"Youʼre a tad too young to be called Lady, my Owlet," She added and offered her daughter a hug, which Luz returned gratefully.

They stood like that momentarily. Even Hooty did not dare interrupt that wholesome moment. Eda pecked the curly hair and caressed her daughterʼs back soothingly until they felt the moment was ready to be over.

"I'm gonna stay out for the night. You two have fun," Luz said once she pulled away, looking up at her mother mischievously, "You take good care of her," She added and sent her mother finger guns, teasingly winking before she ran to her room to pack, leaving the witch blushing fervently in the middle of the living room.

"LUZ!" Eda hollered in embarrassment at her giggling daughter.

"At least she finally cackled like her old self…" Eda thought when she heard Luz pack.

"Okay, I'm gonna be back tomorrow afternoon," The human called out, gesturing for Ghost to join her. The Palisman transformed into the staff, and Luz left the house, "You kids have fun, byeeee!" She called, flying away on her fiancée's staff.

"Meow?" Ghost asked teasingly.

"Nah, I let them off easy," Luz replied, smiling widely, "Amity would have made even more fun of them," She added, and her expression faded.

"Meow?" Ghost was worried, but Luz did not reply.

"Hoot?" The demon chimed.

"Yeah, sorry guys…" The human finally snapped out of her stupor, "I just really miss her, you know," She said, flying above the Boiling Isles, heading away from Bonesborough and toward the Right Armpit.

No one said another word until they reached their destination. Luz looked at the crowded establishment and gulped. Coming here alone felt weird, but she was determined to make the most of this evening. If not for her, then for her Mother.

Amity could not believe she was about to do what she was about to do. With the stack of books in her bag hidden under a hooded cloak, the witch walked through the filthy streets of Latissa.

She could feel the people eyeing her, and she could have sworn someone even followed her briefly. Emira warned her about Latissa, so she tried to be careful. But the Heiress was determined and was not about to give up.

Amity entered a crowded establishment and pushed through the loud crowd to get to the bar. She observed the people suspiciously while she waited patiently for her turn to be served.

"What can I get you, lassie?" A big man with a scar over his right eye asked groggily. Amity removed her hood before speaking.

"I'm looking for a human," She said coldly, looking at the man with a cold, emotionless face. The barkeep smirked.

"Just because we serve human food here, it doesn't mean there are any humans in the Boiling Isles," He replied, leaning on the bar and placing a rug on his shoulder.

"Listen," Amity looked at him with fury he had not seen in his entire life, "Just point me in the right direction, and I'll be out of your hair. I know for a fact that Lu…"

"Oh, look," A drunk man sitting a few chairs away from Amity got her and the bartender's attention, interrupting the Heiress's sentence, "This is where the great Heiress is hiding nowadays…" He approached the woman, and the lavender-haired witch faced the man. He was short and black-haired. His grayish eyes were reddened from having too many drinks, "I knew we couldn't count on you," He spat angrily.

"I highly encourage you to back off, Sir," Amity said coldly.

"Or what? You're gonna punish me?" He smirked and downed his drink, "You are personally responsible for the bankruptcy of your company and the misery of everyone who lost their jobs…"

"Leave me alone…" The Heiress hissed in a warning.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, young lady," The man wobbled on his feet, "Youʼre not getting off that easily. You have to pay…"

"Hey!" Amity heard a familiar voice right behind her, "She told you to leave her alone, so get lost!" Luz shielded the witch from the oppressive man.

"Oh, I'm sorry," The man lifted his hands faux defensively, "I didn't know the all-powerful Blight had to have a filthy human bodyguard," He snickered, "Seems about right. You Blights always liked to prove you're better than anybody else," He added.

"Last warning, man," Luz growled at the man, "Shut. Up," She practically hissed.

"Luz, don't…" Amity tried to de-escalate the situation.

"Yeah, you better control your animal…" He could not finish the sentence. Everything happened so fast that no one really knew what transpired.

Amity felt strange protectiveness toward the human, triggered by a man calling her an animal. She jumped forward with lengthened nails. Luz quickly grabbed the witch, stopping her from shredding the drunk man to pieces. Clawthorne was never more glad the witch was slightly shorter and much lighter when she picked the Heiress up and carried her a step away.

THUD!

A sudden punch drew everyone's attention back to the bar and the drunk man. Luz still held Amity in a tight embrace. Their expressions faded to ones of shock and disbelief. The bartender's right hook knocked the man down.

"Out of my bar!"

"Wow," Luz whispered in awe, letting Amity to the floor.

"Out! And ban for life!" He yelled before facing the embracing women, "And you…" He squinted, eyeing them, "You should have started with that you're a friend of Luz," His expression lightened up immediately.

"Whatʼs… Happening?" Amity whispered in shock.

"So what can I get you?" He asked, and when he received no answer, he addressed Luz, "Luz, what can I get your girlfriend?"

"What?!" Amity squeaked in shock.

Her ears fluttered, and that was when the witch realized she was still clenching Luz, keeping her close before she jumped away as if she were burned. The pale face was covered in crimson red blush.

"Just some soda and fries for her," Luz replied, chuckling at the situation and the witch's flustered reaction.

"Right on. Your order should be out shortly," The barkeep confirmed, and the human guided Amity to her table.

Luz had reserved an entire booth for herself. A half-empty glass with a black-colored drink waited for the human to return. Amity noted the pencils and sketches spread across the table. She caught a glimpse of a drawing of someone looking like her. The way the human jumped at it to hide the picture made her feel it was indeed another portrait of the witch.

"Soooo," Luz gestured for Amity to sit in the booth, "What brings you here?" She asked with a slight blush, hiding her sketches hurriedly, "Don't tell me you missed the human food that much?" She teased, diverting the witch's attention from the drawings and back to the human.

"Um, no," Amity replied sheepishly, her face still covered with a blush. The waitress brought the witch's drink and smiled at the two women before disappearing into the kitchen again, "How the hell did you two meet?" She asked, watching the big man behind the bar.

"Oh, Salty? We had a few adventures on the sea together," Luz said dismissively and snorted when she saw the witchʼs shocked expression, "Anyway, after finding a massive amount of Selkigris, he decided to open this bar. We helped him by providing some exotic ingredients. In exchange, we can come here for free once a month," Luz explained, smiling at the woman before her.

The way Amity looked at her reminded Luz of the expression the witch wore when she heard this story for the first time. She listened to every word that left the human's lips with awe, and soon, she put her head in her palm, loving the way the human rambled.

"Anyway…" Luz interrupted her story, taking note of the witch's expression, "What brings you here? Okay, stupid question. How did you know I was here?" She asked and watched Amity look away, her ears slanted in shame, and her entire face darkened with a deep blush.

"I went to the Owl House first…" Amity choked out, and her slanted ears twitched, making Luz laugh.

"Hahaha! I'm sorry, I guess you have seen some things…"

"Thank Titan, no!" Amity exclaimed, facing Luz again, "But before Hooty told me where you are…"

"No! Don't say another word, Blight," Luz interrupted with faux-irritation, "I have a very vivid imagination, and I don't need a picture of my mother…" She paused, staring through the witch. She blinked a few times and lowered her head to the table with a thud, "And it's too late…" She added. She was happy to hear Amity giggle at her antics, "Glad you find it amusing," She turned her face to the side and looked at the witch.

"She looks so comfortable…" Luz thought, sat up straight, and returned the smile.

"Youʼre such a dork, you know that?" Amity asked, giggling, wearing a wide, fanged smile that melted Clawthorne's heart.

"What can I say?" Luz shrugged, smirking, "I love that I can make you smile that easily," She said. Her mischievous expression faded when she realized what she had just said, noting how Amity blushed again, "A-anyway, why were you looking for me?" She struggled to change the topic.

"She loves to make me smile? She must have misspoken…" The witchʼs brain buzzed with uncertainty and hope, but she knew she could not allow herself such thoughts.

"Um…" Amity choked, "Emira and I went to the Catacombs and found some things…" She said and noticed how Luz's expression changed at the sound of the location, "But I don't want to spoil your appetite. I can leave if you want…"

"Don't," Luz interrupted, and then she smiled warmly, "Please, stay. We can talk about it later, okay?" She asked, and she was relieved when Amity nodded.

"Um, okay," The witch agreed reluctantly. Even though her voice was hesitant, her heart raced with joy at the prospect of staying, "Thank you," She added with a small smile.

"Come on, I hate eating alone, and your fries are coming right up," Luz said with a smile when she noticed their food coming out of the kitchen.

The strangely-looking, orange-colored, stripe-shaped food was presented before the witch. While Luz was already excitedly rubbing her hands, eyeing her meal, Amity was unsure what she was looking at.

Ultimately, it did not matter to the Heiress what the human ordered for her. She could not deny the adorableness of Luz's expression when the human looked at her food as if it were an answer to all her prayers.

"W-what's that?" Amity asked with a reluctant smile, feeling more at home than ever.

"This?" Luz pointed at her meal and warmly smiled when she noticed the witchʼs expression, "Thatʼs pizza," She said, knowing it would not explain anything, "It's a tomato sauce with special cheese on a dough," She said, pushing the plate toward the center of the table, "You enjoyed the tomato soup so go ahead," She looked up at the witch, "See if you like that, too," She offered, and Amity's ears slanted.

"I couldn't…"

"Well then," Luz did not give up, "Try the batatas," She pointed at the orange-colored fries.

"Batatas?" Amity echoed in confusion.

"Yeah. It's a sweet potato," Luz explained, shocked to see the witch scoff with a smirk.

Amity looked away for a second. Her ears slanted in embarrassment before she found the courage to look Luz flirtatiously in the eye. She bit her lower lip hesitantly and grabbed one fry.

"Youʼre a sweet potato," Amity retorted, and she chuckled at the human's dumbfounded expression.

"Is she…? Is she flirting with me?"

It took Luz a moment to get over the shock of the way the witch teased her before she could finally start her meal. The atmosphere was so calm, simple, and serene that the human could not believe it was real.

Amity kept asking about the human food, and Luz was more than happy to tell her everything she knew about it. They ended up sharing the pizza and the fries and ordering another round of sodas. It was not long before they realized they were talking nonsense, having the time of their lives.

While Luz felt everything was back in order. As long as they had not mentioned the past events, the witch behaved like the fiancée she lost. At the same time, Amity could not understand why or how she felt so calm and comfortable around the human. No matter which topic they discussed, it felt just right.

"No, no, no, no, no, you can't be serious," Amity interrupted, extending her index finger, smiling teasingly, "Youʼre telling me there was a moment in your life when you had a cheerleading outfit!?" She asked, unable to control the blush that crept upon her face and slanted ears.

"Oh?" Luz leaned on the table, mischievously looking deep into the gold eyes, "Do I hear that right? Would Miss Blight like to see a human cheerleader?" She teased, reveling in the way she embarrassed the witch.

"What!?" Amity squeaked, "No, I DO not!" The human arched her brow and tied her hands on her chest, "Shut up!" The witch looked to the side, her, reddened by blush, ears twitching rapidly. Luz laughed wholeheartedly at the Heiress's behavior.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," The human lifted her hands defensively, "Iʼm not teasing anymore… For now," She added with a smirk, reveling in the challenging glare Amity sent her, "Iʼm never the first one to blink, Blight," Luz lowered her face, resting her chin in her hand, sporting a crooked smile and eyeing the golden orbs.

"Oh, we'll see," Amity accepted the challenge, their faces inches away.

The liquid gold bore into the hazel-brown in the match of a lifetime. It did not take them more than a few seconds when they started grinning at each other, unknowingly leaning closer and closer.

"Youʼre going down, Blight," Luz teased in a low, husky voice.

"You wish, human," Amity retorted with a smirk, and she felt her ears twitch at the sound of the human's laughter.

"Your drinks," The waitress interrupted their match, bringing more sodas to their table.

Amity jumped away instantly while Luz chuckled at the witch's antics. The lavender-haired woman immediately busied herself with her drink. She looked away from the human, feeling the intense hazel-brown gaze.

Luz chuckled, sipping her soda and enjoying her time with Amity, when suddenly something began to change. The lights dimmed a little, and the music became louder. The human worried about the volume, watching the pointy ears twitch at the change.

"Are you okay?" Luz asked worriedly, leaning over the table, but she was shocked by a wide, bright smile. The fangs shone eerily in the dark but colorful light.

"Come on, Clawthorne," Amity said teasingly, "I owe you a dance," She explained and grabbed the human's hand, pulling her up, not waiting for a reply.

Luz could not fight against Amity's sudden burst of positive energy. The way the witch smiled at her and giggled happily made all her worries disappear. With a slight wobble and a pain in her right leg, she followed the lavender-haired woman to the small dancing floor.

"Since when you are this bold?" Luz chuckled when she stood before the witch.

"Since I learned…" The witch hesitated, "Since I left all my commitments in Bonesborough," The human arched her brow in disbelief, and Amity immediately looked away, "Just… Try not to overthink that," The Heiress looked back up at the hazel-brown eyes, and Luz's expression softened when she noticed the deep blush.

"As you wish," Luz said, taking a hesitant step forward, "Princess," She teased, and Amity did not reply.

The witch looked up with fierce energy and smirked when she noticed Luz's confidence faltering. She met the human halfway and placed her slender, pale hands on the tan neck, flushing their bodies. Amity barely held in a gasp when she felt the heat of the other person.

"Titan, this was a bad idea," The witch thought, feeling overwhelmed by the sensation of the other body against her, trying to recall if she ever was this close to anyone.

"Are you okay?" Luz asked, unbeknownst to the witch, feeling her emotions.

"Y-yeah," Amity stuttered, mustering a small, nervous smile. Her gaze roamed the tan face, anxiously trying to reconnect with the hazel-brown orbs, "S-sorry, I don't think I have ever danced with anyone out of my free will," She explained sheepishly and stiffened when she realized that Luz leaned toward her ear.

"It's okay, Amity," The human husked delicately at the pointy ear. Amity did her best to ignore the electric jolts that ran down her spine, "If it's too much or you want to stop, just let me know, okay?" She added warmly, hesitantly placing her hands on the witchʼs lower back, and was surprised by the wide, fanged smile that made her heart stutter.

"Thank you, Luz," Amity pulled the other body even closer, "But I think I'm good to have at least one dance with the person who turned my life upside down," She added, wearing a devilish smile.

Suddenly, she pushed Luz away, her wide, fanged grin never faltering. The energy radiating from Amity was nothing but a shocking mixture of positivity and confidence. The pointy ears perked up.

The human had barely any chance to react. The music changed. It became more rhythmic and swing-like, with a clear melody line played on the trombone. At the last moment, before falling too far away, the human grabbed Amity's smaller hand and pulled her in, making her turn.

The lavender hair swirled in a circular motion as Luz pulled the woman into the embrace. Amity had difficulty controlling her behavior when all her senses could do was focus on the other woman who held her tightly.

Luz stopped the witch in a close shadow hold, and Amity looked up. Their eyes met, and while the music guided their lower bodies in rhythm, their upper bodies were close as they tried to keep their hands to themselves. Yet, the witch could not stop a sensual caress she left on the tan face.

The human could not help but glance at the pink lips she had longed for so much. She was shocked to realize Amity had returned the sentiment. The golden eyes roamed from the brown eyes to the full lips. Regaining the remains of her self-control, Luz changed the hold and guided the witch to the side of the dance floor in a close promenade position.

They moved together in perfect sync. The saxophone, trombones, and drums made an amazing background, complimenting their racing hearts and anxiously roaming eyes, yearning for each other.

Amity could not understand how she could predict every decision and every move that the human made. She considered it a different kind of magic. Something so pure and powerful that even the Titan themself could not explain it. Another song had passed, but neither Luz nor Amity stopped. They were in a trance.

Their minds were filled with nothing but the intuitive pull toward each other. They could feel their shared heartbeats with their chests flushed closely. They shared their breaths with lips barely inches away, and the entire world ceased to exist when their eyes locked together.

"Last call!" The sudden yell from the bar broke the spell.

They stopped their dance, and Luz noticed how Amity's eyes roamed frantically, from her eyes to her lips, while her slanted ears twitched nervously. It was abundantly clear the witch was fighting her desire to close the gap.

"Something has changed since the last I saw her…" Luz thought, realizing how the witch behaved the entire evening.

"Titan, I didn't know it's so late!" Amity suddenly exclaimed under her breath, "I need to catch the last transport worm to Bonesborough," She explained, moving away from the human, even though everything urged her to stay.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Luz stammered, "I didn't even think about it…"

The human looked away, slightly embarrassed, realizing how close she was to the other woman. She wanted to pull Amity back into a tight hug but knew she could not. She did not want to take advantage of the Heiress's Mind Gaps.

"Can… Can I walk you out?" Luz hesitated, and the witch immediately smiled, relaxing at the prospect.

"I wouldnʼt want to inconvenience you," Amity said sheepishly.

Just as Luz was about to say something, the witch placed her delicate index finger on the luscious lips, immediately regretting touching the soft muscle, which touch would most probably haunt her for the unforeseeable future.

"That would be nice," Amity finished her sentence and was relieved the human smiled warmly at that.

"Let's go," Luz replied, guiding the witch while unknowingly holding her hand.

Luz thanked Salty for the food and bid her farewell before joining the lavender-haired witch, who waited for her by the front door. Amity watched the human interact with the demons. She could not deny that Clawthorne was at home despite being a different species.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Luz approached Amity, wearing a broad smile, "I don't like to leave without thanking for the service," She added sheepishly.

"Thatʼs very considerate of you," Amity replied with a small smile.

"Something on your mind?" Luz warmly asked as they exited the establishment.

"Emira always tried to teach me that you can tell who the person is from the way they treat their inferiors," Amity said, and her expression faded, "Youʼre always so kind and respectful…" She looked up at the human, "While I was taught how to intimidate and instill fear," She added. She was shocked to see the full lips crack a smile.

"You may have been taught that, but you're better than that," Luz said, earning a questioning look, "Now that we established how powerful you really are, you could have easily taken down that drunkard, but you decided not to act on it," She added and delicately leaned on the witch, earning a small smile.

"Thank you, Luz," Amity replied, "But that's not entirely true," Her face hardened.

"If you keep saying mean things about yourself, I may point out how you got protective of me," Luz teased, earning an immediate response.

"I did NOT!" Amity squeaked, her ears slanting and her face burning with deep blush. She faced Luz and noticed the smug smile, "Shut up," She whispered embarrassingly, pushing the human playfully, earning a small chuckle before Luz's right leg acted up, making her wobble.

"Dang," The human hissed. The Heiress was instantaneously beside her, holding her up.

"Are you okay?" Amity asked worriedly.

"Yeah," Luz chuckled again, hiding her embarrassment. Their eyes met, "It happens occasionally since…" She stopped herself, realizing what she was about to say.

"What happened to you?" The witch asked.

Luz looked down at the pale face. Amity wore the same worried expression before the accident, which made the human wonder how much the Heiress remembered. It was all too confusing.

"I'm afraid we don't have time for this story this time," Luz smiled, pointing toward the end of the street at the transport worm.

"Oh," Amity's expression faded. She knew she still had a few minutes before her departure.

"Come on, Blight! Now or never!" The witch encouraged herself.

"I would be happy to repeat this outing with you… Some time," Amity stuttered nervously, her ears fluttering, making Luz chuckle.

"Are you asking me out, Blight?" The human tied her hands and arched her brow teasingly.

"Well," Amity cleared her throat, looking away, "What if I am?" She tried to sound confident, but Luz knew her too well.

The human slowly lowered herself, looking deeply into the golden eyes, challenging her. She was equally scared and proud that Amity was finally speaking her mind and following her desires.

"Let me get this straight," Luz said teasingly, "The Amity Blight wants to go out with Luz the human?" She added, and the witch blushed.

"Do you really want me to repeat myself?" Amity asked through clenched teeth, realizing she had forgotten what kind of tease Luz was.

"I just want to be sure I didn't misunderstand you," Luz smirked, "You bit me when you learned I was human, so I want to be sure you know what you're doing," She added, her voice softening.

"Luz Clawthorne," Amity straightened herself and moved closer, "Would you like to go out with me?" She asked, clenching her tunic nervously.

"Amity Blight wants to go out with a lowly human?" Luz returned the smile, "The scandal of that," She smirked.

"Youʼre insufferable, human," Amity teased.

"I'd be honored," Luz finally replied with no mock or tease, but she was frightened as to how to proceed, "But you need to go now," Luz added sadly, seeing how the transport worm was about to start its route soon.

It was clear that the witch did not want to return home. She did not want to leave the human. No matter how it went against all her beliefs, she wanted to stay with Luz. She wanted to stay happy.

"There she is!" They heard a sudden yell, making their eye contact break.

Luz and Amity faced the voice and noticed the drunkard from before, who emerged from the shadows of the nearby alleyway. This time, he was not alone. Three demons and two witches approached them, led by the black-haired man.

They carried heavy planks ending with rusty nails. Their balance was compromised, letting everyone know they had more to drink since Salty banned the man from his bar. They stopped a few yards away from the two women.

"Get the Heiress," He slurred to his companions, "It's payback time," He added, placing the plank on his shoulder, readying to attack.

"Why is he blaming me for everything?" Amity wondered, whispering in defeat.

The witch did not want to fight. They were all weaker people who were bitter and angry. At the same time, they were out for revenge, bloodthirsty. The Heiress was conflicted on how to proceed.

"Walk away, now," Luz stepped before Amity, shielding her.

"Luz, what are you doing?" The witch hissed in shock and fear.

"I know you don't want to hurt them, and I'm not going to let them hurt you," Luz explained dryly, her all joking mannerisms gone.

"Luz, that's crazy…" Amity tried to oppose her, but the angry, drunk man interrupted her.

"Move aside, human. We have no reason to hurt you… Yet," He growled at her.

"You want to hurt someone I happen to care about," Luz hissed in reply, getting into a fighting stance, shocking the witch behind her, "If you don't move away, I WILL have a reason to hurt you," She threatened them.

Luz did not know how the Heiress eyed her. A strange feeling of pride and safety emerged in Amity's chest, swelling with each passing moment. And yet, she felt unworthy of the human's protective act.

"Fine," The man from the bar hissed and nodded at the rest of his gang, "We're gonna beat you all the way to the Human Realm until we get to this coward hiding behind a bile sac-less being," He continued. Luz could not control a growl that escaped her lips.

Amity did not understand what was happening. One moment, she was enjoying a serene moment. Suddenly, the human was protecting her from the entire gang of drunkards who wanted to hurt her, getting revenge for something she was not to be blamed for.

SNAP!

Luz's right hand stopped the flight of the wooden plank, which was directed at her face. The human's posture crunched, and her back shook in low, grim laughter, surprising everyone. Amity gulped, feeling strange energy emanating from the other woman.

"Just because I have no bile sac doesn't mean I have no magic," Luz growled in a distorted voice, shocking everybody, including Amity, "And I suggest you don't threaten Miss Blight when I'm around," She added, straightening up, barely controlling her fury.

"Move, idiots!" The man struggled to retrieve his plank from the human's hold, "Attack her!" He ordered, and his comrades snapped out of their stupor.

Everything sped up. Luz let out an inhumane, feral growl, shocking Amity, who took a fearful step back. The human stopped another plank with her forearm as it approached her face from the left. She kicked forward, pushing one of the demons away and making them fall to their back.

"You, bitch!" Another demon cursed. He took a mighty swing at Luz and was lucky enough to strike the right side of her abdomen, making her let out a pained yell.

"Luz!" Amity exclaimed, afraid for the human who took beating for her, "Stop!" She added, distracting the human enough for another witch to land a hit on her.

"I can't attack them… What should I…" Amity's thought was interrupted.

"Enough!" Luz suddenly roared, letting out a whirl of golden energy.

"What the hell?" The Heiress thought in shock. Luz turned around, shocking everyone, and took hold of Amity, lifting and pushing her away.

"Run!" The human added in a soft yet still distorted voice.

Before the Heiress could understand what was happening, she realized she was locked in a transport worm, being taken away from Luz, who smiled warmly at her before her right leg was hit hard, making her fall to the ground, pain contorting her face.

"LUZ!" Amity roared in panic, watching the human disappear as she was taken away. She turned around and noticed people looking at her like a lunatic, "Stop the worm!" She yelled, running toward the front where a tiny demon was driving the giant monster, "I said, STOP!" Amity roared, unknowingly releasing her magic, suffocating people close by, "Oh, Titan, I'm so sorry," She immediately got herself under control, "But please, you need to stop," She added, practically begging.

"Get her out!" Someone yelled as they regained their breath from the Heiress's outburst.

The tiny demon tickled the inside of the worm's mouth, forcing it to stop, opening just one door and letting the witch leave. Amity immediately jumped out and ran to where Luz was left alone, hoping she was not too late.

Luz felt a painful hit on her right thigh, which made her fall to her knees. She watched Amity being taken away, glad the witch was safe, returning to Bonesborough. Another plank landed on her right shoulder, making her fall to the filthy pavement.

"Hoot?" She heard in her mind urging her to fight back.

"They don't threaten Amity anymore. If we fight back, we might hurt them…"

"Screech!"

"They'll get bored…" Luz argued, trying to control the pain. She started to realize the demon was right. She had to fight back. Now!

"The Boss-Lady was right, human," The dark-haired witch hissed sinisterly, "You always interfere, destroying everything!" He added and kicked Luz's face before pounding it with his fists while his companions kept hitting the fallen body with their planks.

"I can't…" Luz waited for the pain to end, unable to move anymore.

Another screech echoed in her head, adding to her pain. The human could not understand anything until suddenly she heard rapid footsteps. She was shocked to hear someone run toward her until they stopped a few yards away, followed by the most unexpected voice.

"Everybody move away from her," Luz barely could distinguish the heaving, lavender-haired witch who clearly ran a few blocks to return to her. Yet, no one reacted, "I said STOP!" She roared, pained by the image of the human lying on the filthy pavement.

The witches did not stop smashing Luz with their planks, and Amity could not comprehend how it hurt her to see the human weaker by a second. Watching the hazel-brown eyes lose their spark did something to the witch. She felt a need to save the woman, unable to lie to herself anymore that she did not care for her.

"I said - STOP!" Amity repeated, and she let out a powerful wave of her aura. She took a step forward, and with Luz's well-being in mind, she let out slightly more energy, illuminating the street, "Move away from her," She hissed. The Heiress noticed how the witches and demons beat the human less enthusiastically, "Don't make me do it…" She whispered, almost begging them not to force her hand.

"A-Amity…" Luz whispered weakly when she realized the witch returned for her, "L-let go…" She gasped, making the witch understand it was a plea for help.

"Thatʼs enough," Amity said as she took another step forward.

The witch released more magic, and she noticed how the weak witches and demons fell unconscious and to the ground, overwhelmed by her power. Amity knelt on the ground, wanting to lift Luz, and she was shocked to see the human awake.

"Luz!?" The witch asked in surprise, immediately getting her magic under control, "How are you awake?" She asked and noticed the human's bloodied lips crack in a smile.

"You can't overwhelm me that easily, Blight," Luz tried to joke. A coughing fit interrupted her, "Shit," She hissed, grabbing her stomach, her face contorted in pain.

"I need to take you somewhere where I can heal you…" Amity whispered, trying to inspect the hurt body, realizing that most injuries were concealed, "Can I help you up?" She asked hesitantly.

Luz nodded, and the witch slowly brought her to the standing position. Practically, the entire weight was leaning on Amity, but she did not care. The witch was just glad she had made it in time.

"I have room at Salty's," Luz whispered, struggling to retrieve the key from her jeans.

"Okay, just hold on to me," Amity replied, taking the key and leading the human back to where they came from, leaving the unconscious witches and demons behind.

Luz could have sworn it was one of the longest walks of her life. She had held the witch for her dear life, and she could feel how the situation confused Amity, who helped her to the third floor above the restaurant. She found the room and let them in.

"Hold on," Amity whispered, helping Luz onto the bed.

The witch returned to close the door and then approached the windows. She shut the blinds, turned on dim lights, and created a small spell circle before joining Luz in bed to heal her.

Amity helped the human lie comfortably against the pillows in the center of the queen-sized bed before she started analyzing how the beat-up body behaved — the ragged breathing, high temperature, unable to focus her sight or speak.

"Luz, I need to heal you," Amity whispered, but Luz did not say anything. She nodded in consent, "That means I need to take off your Concealment Stone," She explained, and that got the human's attention.

"N-no…" Luz tried to oppose, pausing when she coughed, leaving a bloody stamp on her hand.

"Luz," Amity said sternly, fed up with her anxiety, "I respect your wishes, but this is a matter of life and death," She explained and unknowingly caressed the human's left cheek, hoping to make her more confident, "We've been through enough for you to know I won't judge you…" She added and noticed how the hazel-brown eyes roamed her face.

"I…" Another bloody cough interrupted Luz's attempt to speak, "I'm ashamed… But… I trust you…" She added, and the way she said it did something to the witch.

"Okay…" Amity whispered nervously, not believing she had received permission to remove the illusion.

"Okay, come on, she trusts you… You've known her for weeks, so it won't change anything…" Amity thought, leaning forward to grab the necklace.

"She literally asked you out just an hour ago. No more hiding," Luz reasoned with herself, watching the witch grab the gem hesitantly.

Their eyes met, one pair more nervous than the other, while Amity slowly pulled the Concealment Stone away. A slight poof echoed in the room, and the witch's gaze immediately traveled to Clawthorne's right cheek, where the three deep scars resided.

Luz knew there was no disgust nor malice. It was a mark Amity was aware of, but she had never seen it. Yet, the darkest thoughts taunted the human, making her increasingly self-conscious.

"Luz, I need to lift your tee and see your abdomen," The witch dragged her out of her thoughts, and their eyes met.

Luz tried to analyze the expression on the pale face. There seemed to be no hate, malice, or disgust. Just worry. The human nodded in agreement, and the witch helped her out of her jacket before lifting the tee.

"Wow…" Amity whispered, her ears twitching widely, unsure if she could help the human, "Try to relax, please," She added before looking up, linking their eyes, "They got you pretty bad," She explained.

"Worth it…" Luz whispered with a strained voice, glad to see how she made the witch smile at that.

"Dork," Amity commented before she drew a large blue spell circle, which she directed toward the human's stomach.

The witch ignored Luz's appearance, too shocked and scared about her life. She knew she needed to act when she noticed the deep purple markings on her abdomen and trickles of blood leaving shallow cuts. Amity guided the spell toward the organs and patched the human up from the inside.

"Ah!" Luz let out, clenching the bedsheets with her fists, startling the witch whose ears twitched at the sound.

"S-sorry…" Amity whispered, but she did not stop, "Hold onto something. This will be tricky. I cast a Sound-restricting Spell on the room so you can let it out," She added and poured more magic into her spell.

Luz practically howled, feeling her insides rearranged by the Healing Spell, bringing everything to the correct place. She could feel her ribs crack, returning to the proper position. The human's breathing hitched when she felt a sharp pain above her hip. She watched the witch move the spell around, looking for injuries.

"Can you help me remove your tee?" Amity asked, dropping the spell. Luz looked at her dumbfoundedly, sure she had misheard, "Your lungs are bruised, and your shoulders look hurt…" The witch argued softly, explaining herself to the woman.

"Oh…" Luz gasped, "S-sure…" She added, moving her shaking hands from the bed covers to the hem of her tee.

Amity helped the human, doing her best to ignore the half-naked woman in the bed. Once the garments were all gone, leaving Luz's upper body obscured only by her sports bra, the witch drew a spell circle, and a delicate light blue glow entered her golden, focused eyes.

"How's your breathing?" Amity asked when she noticed severe bruising on the side of the right lung.

"Peachy," Luz huskied in a reply, trying to joke, but a coughing fit told the witch everything.

"It's okay, you'll feel better in a moment," Amity reassured softly, unaware of a slight smile that cracked her lips.

"Why does this feel so natural? I shouldn't be able to heal this dense body…" The witch wondered, realizing how simple it was for her to heal Luz despite the differences in cellular structure, "Have I done this before?"

"F-fuck…" The human's gasp dragged Amity out of her thoughts, making her realize Luz's back arched in pain as she released a pathetic, weak whimper.

"It's okay, just a little more…" Amity tried to sound reassuring while she moved the spell toward the hurt joints, "Why didn't you fight back?" She decided to try to distract her patient.

"For the same reason you didn't…" Luz whispered, trying to keep her breathing steady, "They were angry and armed but weak. I didn't want to hurt them," She explained, and Amity hummed in understanding.

"I just wish you didn't let them hurt you," The witch whispered absentmindedly, making Luz smile at her.

"I couldn't let them beat you. I knew you wouldn't fight back," Luz explained before she understood how that sounded, "I… I mean… You wouldn't want to cause a scene and let the journalists exploit it as a story," She rambled, trying to hide her embarrassment, "Can you imagine? 'The Blight Industries Heiress attacks ex-employees'. It's begging to be a cover story," She added. Amity snorted, dropping the Healing Spell, and their eyes met.

The mischievous golden gaze roamed the panicked hazel-brown. The witch smirked before helping Luz put her tee back on. Her expression faded when she noticed a deep, round scar on the human's chest, right above her bra. The pale fingers unknowingly traced the shape, and the pointy ears twitched nervously.

"Love is weakness!" Odalia's voice echoed in Amity's mind, surprising her.

"Are you alright?" Luz's soft voice dragged her out of her thoughts.

The witch realized her position. She was touching the human's scar, inches away from her breast, while she was supposed to help roll the tee back and cover her body. Amity's face immediately flushed with a deep crimson blush while her ears slanted in unspeakable embarrassment, unable to look Luz in the eye anymore.

"Y-yes!" The witch squeaked, "Iʼm s-sorry," She added, quickly covering Luz's upper body, "Let me take a look at your leg," She said, recalling how a hit to her thigh took the human down.

"You don't have to do it…"

"Thatʼs the least I can do," Amity interrupted, finally finding the courage to look up at Luz, "Then I'll take care of that nasty cut on your face," She added and was surprised by a warm smile the human sent her.

"Thank you," Luz whispered softly before her expression hardened again, "Please… Don't judge me…" She added, and she started opening her jeans.

Amity moved down the bed, watching the human remove her trousers. They both tried to hide their embarrassment, failing miserably at the attempt. When the garment passed the hips, the witch helped remove it further.

"Shit…" Luz hissed in pain, clenching the bedding again.

"I'm sorry," Amity whispered an apology. Her brows tied in concentration when she noticed blood pooling inside the trousers, "It seems they got you with those nails," She added, analyzing the wounds.

"It's okay…" Luz tried to sound strong, but her pain was adamant.

"It will be better in a moment," Amity reassured her softly and drew a bright spell circle.

The witch corrected her position and hovered above the human's lower body. The spell worked quickly, closing all bleeders and disinfecting the wounds. Once that was done, Amity moved the spell toward bruised muscles before ensuring none of the bones were broken. It lasted just a few minutes, but the time seemed frozen for both women, seconds barely ticking away.

"Okay," Amity finally let Luz know she was done, helping her trousers up, trying to ignore all the scars littering the tan skin, "Let me finish with your face, and I'll be out of your hair," She added, getting up from bed.

"You don't have to leaf…" Luz said, but the witch ignored that information.

"Sit up against the headboard," Amity instructed when she came to sit on the other side of the bed, closer to the wound, "Here, let me help," She added and placed some pillows against the bed frame, hoping it would improve the human's comfort, "Okay, try to relax. It's a sensitive area," She added, kneeling closer to the patient.

"I hope I'm not firing you too much…"

"Luz," Amity interrupted sternly, "I want to do this for you," She added before applying a Healing Spell to the left side of the brunette's head.

"Ah!" Luz gasped when she felt the stinging sensation enter her body.

"I'm sorry," Amity whispered, leaning closer, "There's something wrong," She added, moving the energy to her right hand, taking hold of Luz's face with the left one, "It's like…" She could not find a word, "A small bleeder, right below your Broca's…" She paused momentarily, her brows tied in frustration and her ears slanted.

"Whas yoo doin'..." Luz slurred, worrying the witch further.

"I should have started with her head! Idiot! Idiot!" Amity thought, but she quickly regained her calm, knowing her emotions could affect her healing.

"Please, stay still," The witch instructed sternly.

Amity straddled the human's hips without realizing what she was doing, trying to get closer to the wound. Her left hand held the head steadily while her right manipulated the healing energy.

"Come on, come on," Amity whispered, frustrated with herself.

She took another calming breath and directed more power into the spell. She could have seen how the bleeding slowed and finally stopped, helping Amity fully relax, knowing the human was no longer endangered.

"Talk to me, Luz," The witch asked, still holding the human in the same position.

"Um," Luz hesitated, worrying Amity, making her ears twitch, "I donʼt know what you want me to say?" She added, surprised to see the witch smile.

"You had a brain bleed. I'm sure you weren't even aware of how you slurred," Amity explained with relief.

"Oh…"

"Yeah," The witch confirmed, "Don't worry, I'm almost done," She explained, moving her spell to the human's face.

Luz felt a delicate pinching in her lower lip, and she watched Amity heal her. She was sure the witch was unaware of their position, knowing how easy it was to fluster the Heiress. The human had a hard time ignoring it as well. She wanted to pull the other woman closer and feel more of her.

"Titan, control yourself!" Luz scolded herself.

"See?" Amity dropped the spell, pulling the human out of her stupor, making her realize how the witch looked at her lips, "All better now," She added, pulling the tan chin closer and softly closing the gap between their lips.

To say that Luz was shocked would be an understatement of the century. Her eyes widened in shock when she felt the delicate, soft, pink lips on her own. She saw Amity's ears slant in relaxation and twitch in pleasure. She could not fight it anymore. The human closed her eyes and gasped softly into the affection, hesitantly placing her warm hands on the slender waist.

The kiss was chaste, delicate, full of warm emotions. A strange tingling erupted in their necks, and the action increased its pace. Amity parted her lips, and Luz's self-control was gone. She pulled the witch's waist, wanting her closer, and their tongues met for the first time in weeks.

Amity did not seem to mind. The touch of the other, warm muscle on her own, caressing her while the strong hands pulled her further, turned off her logical thinking. The witch could not stop herself when her instincts took over. She could not hear her mind scolding her for such behavior. The only thing she knew was that she needed more and that she did not want to stop.

A delicate, low moan left the human's throat, burning the pointy ears with a fiery passion. The warm hands started traveling up and down the witch's waist and back, sending jolts of pleasure so intense it almost hurt the Heiress.

Amity did not realize when her hips bucked forward. The way Luz's body applied pressure to her spread open, clothed folds sent paralyzing electricity of ecstasy through her spine up to her twitching ears, making her moan loudly, flooding her core with arousal, and scaring her at the same time, making her realize what she was doing.

Amity immediately pulled away, scaring Luz as well. They both looked at each other like deers caught in the headlights. Their eyes, darkened with lust, roamed each other's faces. The wide pupils quickly shrank, and their heavy breathing quickened in fear.

"I'm so sorry…" Luz was the first to break the silence while the witch still comprehended her position, straddling the human.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no…" Amity started panicking. She quickly jumped away and shook her head in disbelief, still staring at Luz with fear.

"Seriously? Nine 'nos'?" Luz asked, slightly offended.

"I'm so sorry!" Amity stopped herself, and the human immediately realized this was not about her, "I didn't want to take advantage of you! I donʼt know why I did that…"

"Because you did that before," Luz thought, knowing the witch always kissed her healed wounds better, but she did not interrupt.

"I know, I shouldn't have… Fucking, filthy animal!"

"Woah, woah, woah," Luz immediately jumped out of bed, joining Amity in the center of the room, grabbing her shoulders and rubbing them soothingly, "Whereʼs that coming from?" She asked, realizing the witch was scared.

Amity breathed heavily. The pointy ears twitched nervously while the golden eyes roamed the space before the witch. Luz noticed how the pale hands shook, and she knew what that meant.

"Amity, please talk to me," Luz said, mustering the softest tone she could, "Iʼm not angry or anything. You didn't take advantage of me," Amity managed to look into the hazel-brown eyes at the sound of that reassurance.

"I… I didn't?"

"No, Amity," Luz smiled at the witch, "I wanted it just as much. I'd push you away otherwise. Not encourage you," She added, glad to see the shaking hands relax a little.

"I still shouldn't have done that…" Amity shook her head, and Luz tied her brows worriedly.

"Why?" Luz husked out, making the witch gulp at the sound of the low tone.

"Because I'm a Blight!" The witch angrily exclaimed, "I shouldn't have come here. I shouldn't have danced with you! I endangered you! I shouldn't have asked you out. I shouldn't have kissed you! Fuck!" She roared, tugging her hair, furious with herself and frustrated from the interrupted action.

"Amity, take a deep breath," Luz asked, using the same low voice. The witch looked up at her and stepped back, "Do you regret coming here?" She asked, stepping forward and following Amity, who shook her head, "Do you regret dancing with me?"

"I never felt happier…" The Heiress whispered, unaware of her response, taking another step back.

"Do you regret asking me out?" Luz took another step forward, and the witch shook her head, "Do you regret kissing me?" She asked when Amity's back made it to the wall, yet she did not feel trapped.

"I donʼt…" The witch gasped out nervously.

"Then what are you afraid of?" Luz asked softly, caressing the witchʼs right cheek.

"I'm afraid because I know I shouldn't have done that…"

"Says who?" Luz arched her eyebrow, and Amity realized the human was right. There was no one to forbid her anything anymore.

"I think that's something engraved into my mind…" The witch whispered, and her eyes roamed from Luz's eyes to her lips again.

"Do you want to kiss me?" The human asked sultrily, delicately lowering her face.

"Y-yes…" Amity was sure she could not breathe, "Is that wrong?" She asked fearfully but was shocked to see the human smile at her.

"No, Amity," Luz trailed the shape of the witchʼs lower lip with her thumb, earning a small breathless gasp, "I just wanted to make sure it's consensual," She explained, reveling in the way Amity's eyes darkened and her pupils widened.

The witch was shaken with the pleasure of the warmth of another body. She did not realize up until that moment how much she wanted Luz. She eyed the human's scarred face and discovered that the woman holding her close looked to her like the most beautiful being in any Realm.

"Amity Blight, may I kiss you?"