The Last Deal

by MrSova

The final part of The Entanglement Saga. Luz and Amity need to heal after all they have been through. They thought they were safe. However, they learn they need to pay for Odalia's last deal before they can have their happily ever after.

5. Chapter 5 - Back to Black

AN1:

Forgive me if this chapter is chaotic. I had a lot on my plate lately, but I didn't want to make you wait too long for the next chapter.

We're getting dangerously quickly to the part of the story where I have half of a blank chapter with no idea how to continue xD

Well, I hope you enjoy it anyway.

While Amity and Luz focused on regaining their lives, Danielle tried to complete her responsibilities in the Human Realm. She felt a sense of belonging for the first time in her life, but she still had cold feet.

"You know, we can stage your death or something," Eda offered, standing in the middle of her girlfriend's living room back in Gravesfield, "If we do it right, we can make money from it," She added, trying to lighten the mood, but the other woman was quiet.

Danielle stood frozen, holding a large album in her hands. Her eyes gathered tears, and she tried to recompose herself. Finally, she lifted her gaze and looked at the witch. Her full lips cracked a smile, and she realized how well her life had turned out.

"Nah, I'm happy just to let go," Danielle admitted, "It's been almost three months, and I would like to give us a chance," She added, and the witch's playful gaze disappeared as she approached the human.

"Dani," Eda whispered, taking hold of the warm, tan hand, "I wouldn't want to uproot your life for me," She added, lifting her right hand to caress the tan cheek, making the human smile.

"Dumbass," Danielle giggled, "I have no roots to uproot," She smiled warmly, returning the gesture, caressing the pale face, "The Nocedas were my roots and my home, and they are gone," Her expression faded as she saddened, "With the strangest twist of fate you raised the last Noceda as a Clawthorne. You did one hell of a job at that," She tried to sound optimistic, "I just can't believe it…" She admitted.

"That by some chance, twisted, cruel fate, you were reunited with Luz, your not-a-witch-but-really-a-witch girlfriend, and you found a daughter?" Eda teased, smirking mischievously.

"Yeah," Danielle admitted, looking aside dreamily, "I found a family," She added, noticing tears in the golden eyes, "Are you crying?" She asked when she saw the pointy ears twitch.

"Shut up! You're crying!" Eda turned around to wipe her face.

Danielle hugged her tightly from behind and snuggled her face into the fluff of gray hair. The witch smiled, feeling her heart melt. Eda slowly turned around and looked at her girlfriend, unable to believe the human was ready to start her life with her officially.

"Let's pack some boxes before Hooty decides to owl-pellet everything to the Owl House," Eda offered with a teasing smirk, earning a giggle from Danielle.

The human pulled the witch closer and pecked her crimson-red lips. The pointy ears fluttered, and a small purr escaped Eda's chest. No matter how messy their life was, it was just perfect in its imperfection.

Amity slowly started waking up. She stretched her limbs, extending her nails before they retracted, and delicately yawned, showing off her fangs. Ghost mimicked her witch and shook her head afterward.

The golden eyes cracked open, and she noticed a warm smile on the full lips. Amity blinked a few times and saw Luz sitting at the edge of the bed, watching her with a loving, warm, hazel-brown gaze.

"Good morning, Hermosa," The human whispered, mindful of sound sensitivity, "I got your breakfast," She added, presenting a food tray.

"Luz," Amity murmured gratefully, her smile softening, "You don't need to do this," She made her way to a sitting position in bed.

"I wanted to," Luz replied, placing the tray over the witch's lap and watching her eat, "Besides, I want to make sure you're strong enough to survive your first day back," She added, and Amity's ears fluttered at that.

"I'm excited but also extremely nervous," The witch admitted. Luz leaned closer, listening carefully, "I mean, I can barely do a simple Light Spell. How am I supposed to deal with Advanced Abomination Engineering?" She asked frustratingly, looking at her fiancée with worry, "We have practical classes with Darius Daemon this week! Even my father respected his abilities-!"

"Amity, easy," Luz tried to calm the witch down, interrupting her fiancée's panic, "Every Professor was informed that you are still recovering. No one would expect you to go back to the level of power that literally broke the delicate balance of the Boiling Isles' nature," She tried to joke, but the witch suddenly saddened.

Amity set the fork down. She looked aside, and her ears slanted. She recalled the last moments before she was trapped in the Everlasting Dream. Luz wanted to ask what was wrong, but she stayed quiet. A pale hand traveled up to the right, gold eye, and the tips of the witch's fingers trailed the newest marking.

"I…" Amity hesitated, "I haven't looked into the mirror yet," She admitted, her voice heavy and full of shame. Clearly, this information weighed on her, "I couldn't…" She added.

"Are you afraid of what people would think?" Luz asked, and her fiancée reluctantly nodded, "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked worriedly, touching the witch's bony hand.

"I knew what you would say. Especially around you, I didn't feel…" Amity hesitated, closing her eyes in shame.

"I got it," Luz said supportively, "I remember how difficult it was for you to get used to your neck and hands' scars. Odalia always wanted you to be immaculate, but none of these markings make you any less perfect…" She explained, "Not in my eyes, Baby," She added, and the witch finally looked up at her.

"Thank you," Amity smiled at Luzʼs loving expression.

"Well, maybe you'd feel more confident with that on your finger," The human retrieved a small black velvet box from her back pocket.

Amity's expression fell just like the fork that left her hand, clattering on the floor. The Heiress looked from the human's face to the box that slowly opened, revealing the white-gold ring with a mesmerizing amethyst. The golden eyes roamed frantically between the ring and her fiancée's face.

"Are you okay?" Luz asked with a tease and borderline worry.

"Are you sure about that?" The witch replied in a high-pitched voice. Her ears fluttered nervously.

"I didn't change my mind, so if you didn't as well…" Luz scooted closer to the witch, "I would be honored if you would accept it as a symbol of my undying love," She added with pathos. The pointy ears fluttered again, and the witch's shocked expression faded when Amity burst out laughing.

"Youʼre such a dork, Luz," The lavender-haired woman said with a giggle.

"Is that a yes?" Luz needed to be sure.

"It's a hell yes, Luz," Amity confirmed, offering her right hand with a wide grin plastered on her face.

The human returned the expression and grabbed the thin hand lovingly. She caressed the knuckles with her thumb and delicately slid the ring on. It looked too big, but the human knew it was because Amity was still regaining her proper weight.

"There you go," Luz beamed at the sight, "Exactly where it belongs," She added, looking up. She was surprised to see Amity barely containing her tears of joy.

"I love you so much, Luz," The witch whispered, pulling her fiancée into a tight hug.

Luz giggled a little and gladly returned the affection. She caressed the pale back, and the witch let out a delicate purr, letting her ears relax, slanting slightly. It did not last long enough when the human started to pull back slowly. Amity's content purr stuttered as she did not want the embrace to end.

"We need to get ready if we don't want to be late for classes," Luz explained, smiling sheepishly.

"Youʼre right, sorry," Amity agreed, and she quickly returned to her meal.

The human packed their bags, glancing at her fiancée occasionally, catching the witch staring at the ring with adoration. Luz could feel that this was not just a piece of metal to Amity. It was a promise of a happy life with a woman who had been beside her through the worst days of her life.

Luz and Amity arrived at the Academy early enough to visit Bumps's office together. The Dean wanted to ensure the young witch would feel secure on the campus and ready to continue her education.

"Ah, Miss Blight," The older witch greeted them in his office, gesturing to sit in the chair on the other side of his desk, "Iʼm so glad to see you feeling better. Once Miss Clawthorne and López told me about what happened to you, I was worried you would not be able to continue your studies this year," He said with a worried expression.

"I tried to catch up on all the studies…" Amity said, shocked to hear Bump giggle at that.

"I expected you would push yourself despite the near-death experience," The Dean explained his reaction, "But please, try to take it easy. We know your natural talent, and if you have been covering theory extensively, then you have nothing to worry about," He said with a soft yet stern voice.

"But the exams are in two months…" Amity tried to argue, but Bump glared at her.

"That means you have two months to recover enough to pass the practical exam, Miss Blight," The Dean pointed out, "Try to take it easy for now, and I'm sure you'll be back to your full performance in no time," He added, standing up and gesturing toward the door. Amity nodded, taking a hint. Without as much as a goodbye, she left the office.

"Um, Miss Clawthorne," Bump got Luz's attention, "I have been teaching Miss Blight for many years now, so I know she will push herself," He said with a delicate smirk despite worried tone, "If by any chance you would need to skip classes to take care of Miss Blight, know that your absence would be excused," He added. The human nodded in understanding, smiling slightly in appreciation.

"Thank you, Princy B.," Luz said, turning around to catch up with her fiancée.

"I told you not to call me that!" She heard Bump's irritated voice behind her.

The human trutted slightly, catching up with the lavender-haired woman quickly. She grabbed the pale hand in her own, earning a shocked look before Amityʼs expression melted into a grateful, loving expression. They walked together toward the witch's locker, where Skara and Willow were waiting for them.

"Welcome back, Amity!" They exclaimed, and out of nowhere, the confetti fell off their heads, disappearing when it made contact with solid objects.

"What the?" Amity wondered, watching the illusion.

"Surprise!" A happy male voice called out behind the lavender-haired witch, who immediately turned around.

"Gus?! What are you doing here?" She asked, not believing her eyes.

"I'm catching up on my magical education," Gus explained with a wide smile, "I have one day off in the Human Realm, so I decided to give myself a chance if I ever decide to come back," He explained and was shocked when Amity pulled him into a tight embrace.

"It's good to see you," The Heiress whispered softly, "It's good to see you too, guys," She addressed Skara and Willow, encouraging them to join the group hug.

Luz watched them from a distance, leaning against her locker, happy for her fiancée, glad the witch felt safe and comfortable enough to let the people into her life. Amity was not pushing anyone away anymore. She did not care about public opinion and was finally happy.

"Come on, show me that rock," Skara was the first to pull away, and the rest followed her example, letting the recuperating witch breathe. She grabbed Amity's palm and lifted it to inspect the engagement ring, "Nice! Suits you so well!" She exclaimed, barely containing her excitement. Amity blushed fervently, slanting her ears that burned too, "Great choice, Luz!" The white-haired witch addressed the human.

"Thanks, Skara. It was my mother's," Luz said, beaming with joy.

"I didn't know Eda was married," Skara said with shock. Willow laughed wholeheartedly at that.

"Um, no," Luz said sheepishly, "I meant my biological mother," She explained and looked at Amity lovingly.

"Oh…" Skara did not know how to react, "So how did you propose? I gotta know the story," She tried to change the topic to something more pleasant. It was Amityʼs turn to chuckle.

"There's nothing to say. I said yes, Luz was kidnapped, and I lost my memories," The Heiress said, shrugging, trying hard to enjoy the current happiness, not overthinking her past.

"You guys have the most unbelievable story a person could tell," Skara noted, earning a grim chuckle from the young couple.

"We do what we can," Luz said, smirking slightly.

"AAAAA!" The school bell interrupted their conversation.

"Time to go," Willow said excitedly, "We have a Demonic Bladderwort dissection today," She explained.

"Let me walk you to class, Amity," Skara proposed, and the lavender-haired witch nodded in agreement.

"Please, take it easy, Amity," Luz stepped close to her fiancée, "If you feel unwell, just call me, and I'll find you, okay?" She begged, and she received a delicate nod as an answer.

"I promise, Luz," Amity pecked the tan cheek, "Try not to worry about me," She added with a teasing smirk.

"Well, I can't promise that," Luz chuckled a little.

They parted ways, and everybody left for their respective class. Despite being extremely happy and excited, Amity worried if she could keep up with the other students, but she was not about to be discouraged. The witch kept in her mind that she was safe for the first time ever and had a complete mind and soul.

"Here we go," Amity whispered nervously, entering the empty classroom.

The first four classes passed in a flash. Amity was glad it was finally lunchtime. All classes were theoretical, yet the witch felt spent as if she ran a circle around the Fallen Titan. Maybe it was the stress or the looks the other students sent her. Either way, she ignored everything about the proper behavior when she made it to the table, where she plopped her head, trying to rest a little.

"Gottcha Kraken stew and some Apple Blood," Luz's kind tone was a blessing. Amity groaned, and her ears twitched slightly, "That tired?" She asked, sitting in front of her fiancée and watching her worriedly.

"Exhausted," The witch mumbled, slowly rising, "I'm not sure I'm hungry," She added, looking down at the bowl. Her stomach growled loudly.

"Are you sure?" Luz asked mockingly, "Try eating, Baby," She encouraged the witch.

Amity knew her fiancée was right. She needed energy, and Luz was thoughtful enough to give her something easy to digest. The witch sighed in defeat and started eating just before Willow, Gus, and Skara joined them.

"Wow, Amity," Willow exclaimed when she saw her friend, "You don't look so good. Are you feeling okay?" She asked worriedly.

"Just tired," The Heiress admitted, eating her meal slowly, "I didn't expect to be so exhausted from just a few lectures," She added, looking up at her friend, who nodded in understanding.

"And how are the other students treating you?" Skara asked, worried that some people may give Amity a hard time.

"I feel them stare, I hear them whisper, but no one dared to act on it," The Heiress said, smiling softly.

"Good, let me know if that changes," Willow said with a murderous glint in her eye.

The short witch poked Luz with her elbow when she noticed some students glaring at them. The human tied her brows. Amity noticed their expressions and turned around. Her ears immediately slanted, and she refocused on her meal.

"Who are they, Amity?" Luz asked, feeling protective of the witch.

"My classmates. They were always a little hostile toward me…" Amity explained and fell quiet.

Luz noticed how the witch's ears twitched, and she looked aside, clenching her jaw. She took a deep inhale, trying to ignore everything and to finish her meal before the lunch break was over.

"Amity, what do you hear?" The human asked, feeling frustration rising in her system.

"Nothing," Amity said, and her right ear twitched.

"Youʼre a terrible liar," Willow pointed out. Her green eyes returned to the group, who decided to approach them, "Oh… This will be interesting," She warned her friends about the confrontation.

"Hey, Blight," The tall man with short black hair, light complexion, and bright blue eyes said. He wore an elegant turquoise robe over a semi-casual white shirt, "Is it true that you're powerless?" He asked with amusement, "How much did you pay Bump to let you attend the Academy? Do you even have that kind of money? You bankrupted your mother's company, after all," He continued, and Luz's gaze was frozen on her fiancée, trying to determine when to intervene.

"Dude, do yourself a favor and leave," Gus said, trying to remain calm. He hated seeing his friend treated like this.

"Shut it, kid," The blue-eyed man hissed before refocusing on Amity, "You know you shouldn't be here, Blight," He lowered his voice, "You killed Boscha, ruined lives of dozen of lives, and now you use your dead mother's influence to buy your way into the prestigious Hexside Academy. Have some decency and leave," He added.

Luz shot up and was ready to throw herself at the man without Willow's strong hold on her shoulders. At the same time, Amity did not move an inch. She sat frozen. The memory of burning Boscha alive haunted her.

"Leave… Now…" Skara ordered the man. His friends patted him a little.

"Come on, Harvey," One of his friends suggested.

"I'll see you in class, Blight," The blue-eyed bully whispered venomously, leaving them alone.

"Amity, are you okay?" Luz immediately refocused on her fiancée.

Amity was still frozen in her seat. She did not hear or notice anything. Her mind kept replaying the day she earned her facial scar. The wound, because of which she was still too scared to look at her reflection. A sudden touch on her shoulder pulled her back.

"Huh? Skara?" Amity seemed surprised to see her friend by her side.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Willow asked worriedly. The Heiress immediately smiled, pulling on her most optimistic mask.

"Why, of course. Why wouldn't I?" She asked cheerfully, faking her optimist.

"Amity…" Willow tried to reason with her friend.

"I'm not gonna talk about this!" Amity said sternly, her cheerful expression fading, "At least not here," She added, and her friends accepted her decision.

Luz watched her fiancée worriedly, trying to understand what was happening. She knew being stuck with the Blight name was hard for Amity, but the human felt she did not understand the entire picture.

"Thank you for sticking up for me, but I think I'll head to class earlier," Amity surprised everyone, breaking the silence, "Thank you, Luz, for making sure I'd eat," She added.

The Heiress's voice was cold. Luz knew it was nothing personal. On the contrary, despite her overwhelming need to be defensive and distant, Amity wanted to assure the human of her gratitude, which was greatly appreciated.

"I'll see you after class," Luz said softly, and the witch nodded.

The pink lips twitched, and Amity tried to smile in appreciation, but it looked like she was having the hardest time after everything Harvey had told her. Her friends watched her leave and were all worried about the Heiress. As soon as the lavender-haired woman was out of the hall, Luz jumped forward to inspect the bowl.

"Dang it, she barely ate anything…" The human worried. Luz did not notice Skara summoning her scroll.

"I have a friend in Abomination Engineering," The white-haired witch informed, "I'll ask her to inform me if anything goes wrong," She explained, and Luz smiled in appreciation.

"Come on, you know how stubborn Amity is," Willow pointed out, "She will ask for help when she's ready," She added, and Luz nodded in agreement, "But don't worry. I have Darius's scroll number," She said with a smirk.

"I appreciate your help, but I just have a bad-" Luz tried to say, but she lost her voice.

"No!" Skara interrupted, muting her friend with a Bard Spell.

"Don't you dare, Luz!" Willow agreed.

"Whatʼs wrong?" Gus asked, being out of the loop.

"Whenever Luz says she has a bad feeling, bad things happen…" Willow explained quickly, and Skara removed the Silencing Spell.

Luz left her friends to tell Gus about her past bad feelings while she could not stay seated. She cleaned her and Amityʼs food trays before heading to her class earlier, hoping that this time her bad feeling would be just that — a feeling and nothing else.

Amity entered the classroom and took a seat at the very back. She did not know why she had chosen this desk instead of her usual one in the front. Maybe she did not feel confident enough. Or perhaps it was something Luz would do, and now it was a part of her preference, too? However, she knew she chose the seat on the far right to look at the rest of the class with her unscarred eye, hiding her deformity from others.

Either way, she watched the door on her left as the class slowly filled in. The students watched her. Some were shocked to see her, some glared at her, and a few colleagues even smiled warmly. It made Amity anxious. She could feel the old insecurities arise.

"Who am I if not the best in school? Would Luz want me if I weren't the best? Would she even love me?" The intrusive thoughts rushed through the lavender head, "No! Come on! You know her! She's not like that…"

"Hello, class," Darius's calm, deep voice dragged Amity from her stupor.

The Coven Head did not wear his usual elegant cape. He wore dark purple work overalls and heavy boots. He glanced at the Heiress but did not make a deal out of her presence.

"Iʼm here today to shed some light on a more practical approach to Abomination Engineering," Darius continued his introduction. He turned around, summoned an abomination slime that grabbed some chalk, and wrote on the blackboard the topic, "Who can tell me the nominal pressure in the main manifold? Any type of main manifold," He asked, not even looking at the class, "Nobody?" He asked when the silence became unbearable. Amity sighed in defeat.

"Twelve megaparacs," She said quietly. She sounded almost ashamed of her need to answer the question while trying to stay invisible.

"Excellent, Miss Blight," Darius praised, still facing the blackboard, slowly filling it with mechanical equations, "Now, who can tell me what would happen if the pressure exceeded twelve megaparacs in the main manifold?" He asked another question, and the situation repeated itself. No one dared to answer, and Amity could not leave the simple question unanswered.

"Given the manifold is perfectly sealed - it would explode," The Heiress answered, and Darius slightly chuckled.

"Perfect, Miss Blight," The Coven Head said with a small, proud smile. Finally, he faced the class. He noticed Amity looking away to her right while other students glared at her. The tension was unbearable, "You can all guess today's assignment," He said, drawing a spell circle.

An abomination slime appeared on every desk, summoning a model of a fluid manifold connecting four pipes to the main one. Every desk but Amityʼs. The Heiress looked at Darius questioningly and noticed how the Coven Head averted her gaze.

"You have exactly one hour to make your manifold work. Your goal is to push abomination from the canisters at exactly twelve megaparacs. Not enough, it won't move, too much, it will blow. Start now," He said and approached Amity's desk, "Miss Blight, I have a different assignment for you," He said and sat on the empty desk beside her.

"Is it because I can't…" She wanted to ask, but Darius interrupted immediately.

"It's because you've been doing that exercise with your father since you were a child," He explained, smiling softly, "Now, you need a different exercise to help you improve," He added, drawing a spell circle.

A magenta spell created a wide circle surrounding them, only to disappear momentarily. Amity looked at the Coven Head confusedly. She sat stiffly, afraid to hear what the man was about to tell her.

"Now that no one would hear us," Darius said softly, "Hunter told me about your condition and that you need to train your bile sac. I know you can't summon an abomination of your own, but let's work on manipulation," He offered, and the pale, pointy ears slanted in shock, "Do you want to give this a chance?" He asked, and Amity nodded hesitantly, "Great," He smiled, removing the sound barrier.

Amity pulled away from her desk and sat before the Coven Head. She noticed the glares the other students sent her. Harvey eyed her constantly, and she did not like that. The golden eyes refocused on her task and noticed Darius summon a small blob of abomination slime. It was not bigger than his fist, but for some reason, it intimidated the young witch.

"Now, Miss Blight," Darius addressed the nervous witch, "Take a deep breath. I will pass the slime over to you, and I want you to take full control of it and return it to me," He instructed, and Amity nodded again, "Not very talkative, are you?" He tried to lighten the mood.

"Sorry," The Heiress muttered, "It's been the most exhausting first day back," She explained. Her lips twitched slightly, but she had no energy to smile.

"Understandable," Darius said, eyeing the young woman before him and noting how exhausted she looked, "While people without the bile sac are not used to magic coursing through their veins, for us, magic is an essential part of our blood. Without it, we die, which you know best," He kept talking to distract Amity as he slowly passed the slime.

The pale hands rose, and the golden eyes focused on the abomination. Accepting the slime was something so natural Amity did not think about what she was doing. Her chest started throbbing, but she pushed through the pain and passed the slime to Darius.

"Very good," He praised, "Now try to do it slower," He suggested but was interrupted by an explosion, "That was fast," He smiled, earning a small snort from Amity.

The young witch accepted the slime, and her chest ached again. She knew that it was a matter of training. She needed to push through. She passed the slime again. By the third round and fourth exploded manifold, Amity was shocked to realize she could not only pass the abomination but hold it in place by herself.

"Very good," Darius said with a wide smile, "Now try manipulating the slime into different shapes while I check on the rest of the class," He said, and Amity nodded in agreement.

She ignored the looks the other students gave her, happy with her progress. None of the other witches understood what she was going through. Amity concentrated on the slime and started to change its shape. A cube became a cylinder, and a sphere became a torus. Her pride outweighed her discomfort, making her smile slightly.

Luz held a scalpel in her hand. She stood above the carnivorous plant with Willow on the other side of the table. The witch was so excited about this class that the human barely recognized her friend.

"Now, class, take the blade and slowly cut through the main vessel," The professor instructed.

"Alright," Luz whispered, encouraging herself, "Here I- Shit!" She exclaimed, dropping the scalpel and grabbing her chest.

"Luz!?" Willow exclaimed in a whisper, "Are you okay?" She asked, watching her friend with worry.

"I am…" Luz answered, massaging her chest.

"Amity?" Willow asked, and Luz nodded, taking deep breaths to calm herself.

"Okay, it's passing," The human said, retrieving her scalpel. Willow nodded in understanding and refocused on her Bladderwort, "Oh, come on!" Luz exclaimed, dropping her scalpel again. She leaned heavily on the table, trying to control her sensations.

"Luz?" Willow asked worriedly.

"It's okay, Willow," The human replied, "It just took me by surprise," She explained and shook her head, trying to refocus on her task.

"Titan, Baby, don't push yourself…" Luz thought, hoping Amity would feel her plea.

Amity was so happy she had managed to manipulate the abomination. For the shortest moment, the entire class disappeared. It was just her and the slime. She thought about her father, who had taught her the basics, and smiled warmly at the memory.

"Sir, this is ridiculous," Harvey's voice broke Amity's concentration, making the slime lose shape, fall, and pool on the floor, "Why is she even in this class?" He pointed an accusatory finger at the shocked, lavender-haired woman, "She can't even do a high-school-level magic…"

"Mister Brash," Darius said with a warning tone, "You are way out of line," He warned the student, but Harvey did not back down, "You wonder about her level. Miss Blight managed to maintain perfect pressure in the main manifold by the time she was ten. You are almost twenty-two and broke four manifolds already," He continued. Amity was shocked to hear some classmates giggle at the expense of the blue-eyed man, "Then are we good here?" Darius ended the discussion, turning his back on the student.

"No! We're not good here!" Harvey yelled.

"Wow, he's losing it," One of the students whispered, rolling her eyes.

"Sheʼs disgracing this Academy with her presence," The furious man continued, taking a step in Amityʼs direction, drawing a bright, magenta spell circle, "Filthy, human-fucking, magic-less murderer!" He roared and sent an abomination in her direction.

Amity's thoughts shut down, and her body reacted instinctively. She lowered herself, leaning forward, and pushed her chair to the back with her foot, creating more space around her. She lifted her hands, immediately intercepted the slime, and stopped it mid-flight, straightening her posture slightly. She did not notice how Darius and the students looked at her.

"I killed Boscha defending my future wife, paying the ultimate price," Amity growled in a voice so sinister her classmates stepped back, "You can say about me what you will, but don't you dare insult my fiancée," She added in a feral hiss.

Amity did not realize a delicate gust of aura circled her feet, lifting her lavender mane slightly. She divided the abomination into dozed sharp objects. She had no idea she had created perfect copies of Danielle's knife.

"Miss Blight," Darius tried to calm the defensive witch down, knowing how dangerous straining her bile sac was to her, "Don't let…"

"You worry about my magic," Amity continued, her monologue, unable to control her anger. She lifted her chin in superiority, "My power will return, but you will remain a sad, pathetic shadow of a man," She was unaware of the embers of fire appearing above her palms.

"Miss Blight, you need to stop," Darius tried to talk the witch down when he noticed blood trickling down her nose, but Amity could not hear him, "Amity!" He raised his voice, finally getting the Heiress's attention.

"What?" Amity whispered in shock. Her eyes roamed the room, and she finally realized what she was doing, "Titan!" She gasped in panic.

The abomination lost its shape and fell to the floor. Her aura and embers disappeared, and she finally felt a throbbing, pulsating pain in her chest that made her fall over. She leaned heavily on her desk and grabbed her chest, understanding she overdid it.

"Luz is going to kill me…" Amity thought in panic when she noticed a drop of blood fall on the tabletop, "Shit…" She wiped her face and saw bright blood at the top of her palm.

"Let me take you to the Healer," Darius offered, and Amity threw her head up.

Her golden eyes filled with tears. Her breathing was rapid and shallow, and her ears slanted in panic, twitching slightly. The lavender head shook in disagreement, and Amity straightened herself. She grabbed her chest and whimpered quietly. Everyone looked at her — some with disgust, some with fear, and some with worry.

"Miss Blight," Darius stepped forward, trying to support the young, scared witch.

"No," Amity gasped and winced in discomfort, "Don't…" She tried to speak, but the pain in her chest was too much.

Amity looked at Harvey, and the man gulped nervously. The hurt woman rushed forward. The black-haired witch stepped away and did not want to admit how relieved he was that the hurt woman headed for the door.

"Shit…" Amity thought, groaning in discomfort as she leaned hard on the wall.

"Ghost…" She gasped hoarsely, "Help…" She pleaded.

The Palisman appeared out of nowhere, looking at her worriedly. The cat turned into a staff, and the witch leaned hard on it. The Palisman helped Amity walk, feeling the need to get to safety.

Luz was halfway through the dissection. With all the interruptions, she was significantly falling behind. She did not expect Amity to push herself so hard during this class, but she was relieved to feel a sense of happiness and pride swelling in her chest despite the discomfort.

"Now, class," The professor pointed to the blackboard, "We're getting to the most important part. You need to incise the bile vessel of the Bladderwort and extract the fluid. Remember to be careful and leave enough to let the plant regenerate," They instructed.

"Thatʼs ironic," Luz chuckled grimly, and Willow understood what her friend had in mind.

"Still hurts?" The witch asked worriedly.

"It's getting better," Luz said with a delicate smile. She incised the plant and started to retrieve the bile, "But dang, the feeling of happiness, pride, belonging — it's all worth it," She continued, and Willow snorted.

"Youʼre not exactly selling Bonding as something positive," The witch chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Oh? Did you consider Bonding with Hunter?" The human teased, wiggling her brows playfully.

"Shut up," Willow hissed quietly, blushing slightly.

They continued their work, and suddenly, the witch noticed her best friend was quiet — so quiet that it was unlike her. The green eyes looked to the side from above her round spectacles, and she noticed Luz frozen mid-movement.

"Luz?" Willow asked with worry, "Dude, talk to me," She pleaded, letting her tools rest.

"Will," Luz gasped, "Something's very wrong," She placed her tools on the tray, "Professor Roland, Sir?" She raised her hand, looking up.

"Yes, Miss Clawthorne?" He asked, quickly approaching the human.

"Can I please be excused? I need to go to the Abomination Engineering classroom?" She asked, trying to ensure her voice was not shaking too much.

"Oh," He said, eyeing the human and then looked at Willow, who nodded slightly, "Of course," He agreed.

"Thank you," Luz gasped, quickly removing her apron, "The bile is in the jar. I'll be back later to clean up," She added, running out of the class.

"Come on, Amity, hold on," She thought, rushing through the corridors.

Luz hopped whenever she felt pressure in the femur as she tried to get to Amity's class as fast as possible. It could not have been even two minutes, but she feared she was taking too long. The human did not even knock when she noticed the class before her. She barged in, gasping for air, roaming the class, looking for her fiancée.

"Luz?" One of the students addressed the human.

"She must be Skara's friend…"

"Where is she?" Luz asked the witch she was unfamiliar with, "Why is her stuff here?" She pointed to the desk with worry.

"She ran," The witch explained, "There was a confrontation, and Darius took Harvey to Dean Bump…"

"He let Amity out alone!?" Luz roared in fury.

"When he wanted to help her, she was already gone," Someone else said, "It all happened so fast. One moment, she threatened Harvey with a burning abomination, and the next one, she…"

A student had no time to finish their sentence. Luz was out of the class and running to where they always hid from other people. In every reality, there was one place in school that was remote enough to give them a fake sense of safety.

Luz carefully entered the remote bathroom and closed the doors behind her. She heard heavy breathing, interrupted by familiar pained whimpers from the middle stall. The human gulped nervously and pushed the doors open.

Luz was not ready for the sight before her. She froze momentarily when she noticed her fiancée curled up on the closed toilet. The witch's back rested against the stall's left wall. The golden eyes cracked open, weakly looking up at the human. The pale hands, wearing smeared blood, clenched the hurt chest.

"Titan, Amity," Luz finally snapped out of her haze, "Baby, can you talk to me?" She asked, falling to her knees and getting close to the witch, worried about how her fiancée stiffened.

"I'm s-s-sorry," Amity gasped, tears rolling down her cheeks, "I know you're angry…"

"What?" Luz interrupted, "Baby," She caressed the pale cheek, "Why would I be angry? I'm just worried," The human spoke softly.

"I wasn't…" Amity choked, trying not to cry, "I failed you," She could not control herself. Her sobs grew in strength.

"Amity, you didn't fail me," Luz reassured, "Come here," She grabbed the witch, using her current position to hold her in a bride-like embrace. The human pulled her close to her heart and sat on the toilet, letting the witch curl in the embrace and let out a panicked wail, "Youʼre safe, Baby. I love you so much, Amity," She reassured, and the witch cried harder.

Luz started rocking them, and she brushed the lavender hair away from the pale face. She knew there would be time to learn what happened. For now, Amity needed her fiancée to be her safe harbor in the storm. The witch kept holding one hand on her chest while the other balled up Luz's shirt until the witch fell asleep.

"How's she?" Willow's sudden whisper startled the human.

"Hurt and exhausted," Luz replied, not looking away from the hurt witch, still rocking them a little, "Iʼm gonna take her home. We need to check if she's been hurt," She explained.

"I brought your bags and called Em," Willow said matter-of-factly, "They would be expecting you soon," She added, and Luz smirked slightly.

"Thanks, Willow," Luz whispered, standing up carefully. Amity whimpered in pain, tying her brows in discomfort while her hands clenched harder.

"Take care of her, Luz," Willow replied, smiling softly, "I'll see you both in the afternoon," She added, opening the bathroom window.

Luz nodded in agreement, and, with a few bone snaps, she transformed into her Harpy form. Ghost jumped on her shoulder, and the human collected their bags with her hind claws. After sending one last look at the sleeping witch, ensuring Amity was safe, she jumped out the window and soared the skies toward the Bonesborough downtown.

Danielle was halfway through her shift at the Clinic. She was grateful for the chance to work under the guidance of Emira Blight. The human was glad she could find work despite having no magic.

"Dani, are you wrapping up in here?" Emira's head popped into the room where Danielle was bandaging a young witchlet.

"Yes, we're almost done," The human replied cheerfully, winking at the child and making it giggle.

"Great, please come up to the studio upstairs once you're done," The Healer said, leaving in a hurry. Danielle's expression immediately faded.

"Whatʼs wrong, Miss Danielle?" The child asked worriedly, their voice filled with innocence and empathy.

"I think my daughter had an accident at school," She explained patiently, delicately wrapping up the bandage.

"Then you must go to her," The child offered with a smile.

"I'm on it, Amelia," Danielle replied, returning the expression, "You take care of yourself too, okay?" She asked, winking at the child.

"No promises!" Amelia giggled.

Danielle's soft and cheerful expression faded immediately as she left the exam room. She rushed upstairs with fear, afraid of what she would witness. She was scared that something terrible had happened during Amity's first day back, but she did not want to fall into the pit of the worst-case scenario.

"Luz, what happened?" Emira's voice was heard from inside of the studio.

Danielle entered and froze at the sight of a harpy carrying the blood-covered witch. Amity looked exhausted and hurt as she leaned into the warm, feathery embrace. The older woman approached the bed and removed the bedding, allowing Luz to place her fiancée on the mattress.

"I donʼt have the entire picture," The harpy said in a distorted voice, "They told me that she used abomination and fire magic," She added, returning to her human form and wincing in discomfort.

"What? Why would she push herself like that?" Danielle exclaimed, looking at her daughter.

Amity's face looked paler than usual, but it might have resulted from the crimson blood smeared on her face, contrasting her complexion. The golden eyes rolled up weakly as the witch was regaining her strength.

"I think her bully provoked her," Luz whispered, looking at her fiancée.

"Bully?" Emira was shocked.

"I'm here!" Viney called, running into the room. Luz, talk to me," She instructed as she approached the lavender-haired witch. She cast a quick spell to clean her off the blood.

"Overuse of magic at school," The human said, knowing the Healer needed quick information.

"Okay," Viney said, drawing a blue spell circle, "Emira, I need you to call the Academy and get more information," She instructed.

"But…" The green-haired woman tried to oppose it. Danielle took that as a sign to act.

"Come on, Cariño. Everyone has a way to help Amity," The older woman offered, "We'll get information about what happened at school and let Viney work," She added, and Emira knew she was right. As a Healer. But as a sister, she did not want to leave Amity alone, "Alright, come on," Danielle urged the witch to go with her.

With that, Viney applied the spell to Amityʼs chest. The hurt woman let out a pained whimper and shot her eyes open. The golden orbs roamed the room frantically. Her ears fluttered in panic. Luz grabbed the pale hand, getting her fiancée's attention.

"It's okay, Amity," The human whispered, "Youʼre back home. You're safe, Baby," She reassured. Amity slightly nodded, squeezing the tan hand, "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere," She added, and the witch relaxed a little just in time for Viney to increase the spell's power.

"Oh, you overdid it a little," The Healer said softly, "But you're gonna be fine," She added to ease the nerves, "The nosebleed was a result of a sudden rise in blood pressure. It caused a minor vessel to break. But you're gonna be okay," She added, dropping the spell.

"I'm sorry…" Amity croaked, her breathing hitched, "I shouldn't have let them get into my head…" She added, closing her eyes in defeat, trying not to cry again.

"It's okay, Honey," Viney sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her sister-in-law, "So… Do you want to tell me what they said that triggered you?" She asked and noticed how Amity glanced at Luz reluctantly.

"Oh…" The human understood it was about her. The hurt witch took a deep sigh and tried to calm down.

"He called…" Amity paused for a moment, "He called me a human-fucking, magic-less murderer," She admitted, looking aside with shame. Luz blinked rapidly, taking time to process what she had just heard, "I just lost it…" She added.

"I understand," Viney said, her expression fading, "Let's keep it between us for now. Emira is freaking out as it is," She added and was relieved to see Amity crack a smile.

"Will I be okay?" The lavender-haired witch asked worriedly.

"Oh, yes. Think of it as a strained muscle, as if you went to play Grudby without a proper warm-up. But just like with a strained muscle, it could have ended badly," Viney explained, regaining her soft expression, "So just rest and let me know if you need anything," She added, getting up.

"Thanks, Viney," Luz whispered, dragging her look away from her fiancée.

"Take good care of her," The Healer said with a smile, leaving the room.

"Luz, I'm so sorry," Amity said when they were left alone.

"Shh, Baby, stop apologizing," The human whispered, kissing the pale palm, "It's understandable. I would have done the same in your… Oh…" The sudden realization hit her, "I would have done the same," She said, looking knowingly at Amity.

"Oh…" The witch understood, "So you're not angry," Amity smiled a little, realizing she had gained an impulsive part of Luz's personality from the Bond.

"Amity, of course, I'm not angry. Why would you even think that?" The human asked.

"I think…" Amity looked away with shame, "I think once I returned to school and after everything Harvey said, my old insecurities resurfaced," She explained.

"I get it," Luz explained, "Let's get you cleaned up. What do you say?" She offered, and the witch nodded, "There we go," She pulled her fiancée up and helped her sit, "Are you dizzy?" She asked, and the lavender head shook.

"All good, thank you," Amity said, trying to get out of the bed herself.

"Na-ah! Don't force yourself, Baby," Luz opposed, "Let me help you," She added with a smile.

Amity blushed but accepted the offer nonetheless. She grabbed the tan hands and let the human walk her to the bathroom. Luz noted how the witch looked away from the mirror when they turned on the light and decided against commenting.

"Do you want me to stay and help?" Luz asked, afraid to cross a boundary.

"I think I'm okay," Amity replied. Luz let go of her, and the witch almost fell to the floor.

"Woah, gotcha," Luz tightened her hold again.

"Okay, I'm not okay," Amity whispered with a small, sheepish smile.

"Do you want me to help you, or should I call someone?" Luz asked worriedly, "I donʼt want you to feel uncomfortable," She explained.

"Youʼre the only person I trust to see me naked," Amity admitted.

"Oh, okay," Luz gulped, "If you change your mind at any point, just let me know," She added, and the witch smiled.

"Thank you, Luz," Amity whispered.

"Mister Brash," Bump looked at the young man before him. Darius was standing in the corner of the room, fuming, "Your behavior today disgraced the good name of the Academy. Attacking another student verbally before the Coven Head was not very smart…?" He pointed out.

"I just told the truth," The young witch argued.

"But assaulting an already injured witch was just unacceptable!" Bump continued.

"Yeah, right," Harvey huffed, tying his hands on his chest.

"You will be suspended. You may come to the final exams and be allowed to attend the next semester if you get a passing grade," Bump said sternly.

"But…!" The young man tried to oppose. Darius smirked.

"This is my final decision!" The Dean roared, standing up.

"Don't argue, boy," Darius joined, "Or I will personally ensure your career ends before it even starts," He added with a vengeance.

Harvey knew he lost. The man clenched his jaw, understanding that the Blight family paid for Abomination Coven and the Hexside Academy. He was not about to win in this uneven field. He had to find an advantage elsewhere.

"Alright, there we go," Luz whispered, helping her fiancée out of her tunic, "Does it hurt?" She asked, noting how the witch winced.

"A little," Amity admitted, "It's getting better," She added, helping Luz relax.

"Okay, then…" Luz choked a little, "Removing your underwear," She said in a Healer-like manner, trying to remain professional. The witch snorted at it.

"Luz, it's okay," Amity whispered, "Iʼm your fiancée, not your patient. I'm grateful you want to ensure I feel safe, but you don't have to pretend…" She paused to groan when she removed her bra.

"Okay…" Luz squeaked in a high-pitched tone, earning a small giggle from the witch.

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" Amity asked, her face filled with mischief, "Seeing me all wet? And naked?" She wondered, facing Luz, leaving a delicate peck on the tan cheek.

"Someone's feeling better," Luz noted with a smirk, "Are you sure you need me here with you?"

"I'm not sure it would be safe to leave me alone just yet," Amity teased, pulling Luz closer and connecting their lips.

"Mmm…" Luz gasped, embracing her fiancée, "Youʼre confusing me a lot," The human whispered, her breathing quickening.

"So you don't want to shower with me, help me clean?" Amity teased.

"Baby, you know I do. A lot," Luz tried to remain calm and not peek at the naked breasts.

"Oh, no… Don't look, don't look. Show some decency…" Luz swallowed hard, noting hard, pink nipples before she quickly averted her gaze.

"Baby, you need to stop testing my self-control," The human smirked, feeling the heat in her face as she blushed hard.

"I'm sorry…" Amity whispered, looking aside, "I must be losing my mind…"

"I know it's been long…" Luz admitted, "We'll get there…"

"Over three months is a long, long time…" Amity added, and Luz chuckled.

"I know, Baby, but we can't rush it," Luz caressed the pale cheek, "Let's get you clean, okay?" She asked, and Amity nodded in agreement, "No distracting me with your sex appeal," She added with a wide smile.

"I can't promise that," The witch teased, wiggling her brows in a weak attempt to flirt.

Luz snorted, removing her clothes before helping the witch into the shower. It cost them everything to stay calm. They kept intense eye contact as they washed, trying to avoid unnecessary excitement, too scared to worsen Amityʼs state.

The next few days passed in a calm bliss. With Harvey suspended, no one else dared to approach Amity. During her practical classes, she was couched by professors more in the form of a bile sac Physical Therapy rather than her regular classes. It did not cause any inconvenience, thanks to her previous experience in both Abomination and Healing Magic.

The first week took a toll on Amity. She slept through every afternoon after classes and every day off she had. The second one seemed slightly more manageable. At least during the day. During the nights, Luz was frequently woken up by her fiancée's nightmares.

The human had seen bits and pieces before she woke up. One night, the witch was scared of killing Danielle, and another of Emira kicking her out. Her fear of rejection was weighing her down. Until one night when Luz woke up feeling hot and bothered.

"Luz…" The sleeping witch mumbled.

The human shook her head, blinked rapidly, and focused her gaze. Her fiancée was deep asleep, mumbling and moaning her name. Luz turned her head to the left and finally realized the sleeping witch was not having a nightmare the first time she was woken up.

"Baby," Luz whispered, but she was not heard.

"Ah! Luz," Amity continued, her hips bucked a little.

"Oh…" Luz could feel herself blush.

Her ego swelled, knowing the witch dreamed of her in that way, but she could not let it escalate. She moved slightly away, but the witch suddenly grabbed her, rubbing her head on her collarbone.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no… I need to wake her up…" Luz thought, gulping nervously.

"Amity, Baby, wake up," Luz caressed the pale cheek.

Amity's dark brows tied, and her pointy ears twitched. She let out a groan, and with another facial caress, she began to wake up. She smacked her lips delicately, earning a small smile from Luz.

"Titan, you're so cute," The human whispered in disbelief.

"Mmm… Luz?" Amity muttered, leaning into the embrace, "Are you okay?" She asked, making the human scoff.

"I'm sorry, Baby, you had a dream again," Luz mumbled, trying to lull the witch to sleep.

The pink lips cracked in a soft smile, and she rubbed her head on the human's collarbone again, spreading an electricity-like pleasurable sensation across her spine. Another small moan escaped her lips, and the images from her dream flashed before her eyes.

"Oh, no…" The golden orbs snapped open. She looked up at Luz and blinked rapidly, noting how the human looked at her knowingly, "Another dream, huh?" The witch asked irritably. She removed herself from the embrace, sat in bed, and grabbed her head, "Iʼm sorry. I didn't mean to snap," She said apologetically.

"It's okay, Amity," Luz whispered supportively, sitting up as well, "It's difficult on either of us, but we'll get through it," She added.

Luz was shocked to hear Amity scoff angrily. The witch removed herself from the bed and rushed to the balcony. The human followed her fiancée, hoping to help. The lavender head was bowed as the pale woman leaned on the baluster.

"Ami?" Luz asked, hoping to help. The witch lifted her head and looked at her fiancée with wide-blown pupils.

"I'm sorry, Luz," Amity whispered, shaking her head, hating herself, "I'm disgusted with myself. I feel bad doing this to you…"

"Amity," Luz interrupted, approaching the witch and pulling her into an embrace. The tan, warm hand caressed the pale cheek, "It's normal and natural. It's been a while since you had relief, and having a nice, warm, incredibly sexy body beside you isn't helping…" Luz said, making Amity snort loudly.

"Don't forget 'humble'," The witch teased.

"Why, of course," Luz admitted, smiling widely, "Feeling better?" She asked, noting how the pupils shrank in the golden eyes.

"A little," Amity admitted, "Thank you, Luz… For everything," She added.

The human pulled Amity closer, soothing the lavender hair, and they melted in the safety of each other's presence. It did not take long for the witch to start purring so loudly that Luz felt vibrations in her chest.

"Luz," Amity pulled away, their lips an inch apart, "I should… Not…" She gasped, but the human could not pull away.

The hazel-brown eyes roamed from the golden ones to the pink lips. The human's breathing hitched, and her hands unknowingly caressed the delicate, pale waist. The witch pushed herself forward, demanding to feel more of the other body.

"I want just as much," Luz assured that whatever her fiancée felt was not one-sided.

"I need to go," Amity gasped, forcing herself away from the warm body, "I'll take a cold shower. Try going back to sleep," She added, leaving a delicate peck on the tan cheek.

"I need to cool down, too," Luz replied with a smile, "I'll see you in ten minutes," She added, quickly transforming into a harpy.

Amity looked at her fiancée with wide eyes. Her ears slanted, her lips parted in shock, and her face was flushed with a deep crimson blush.

"Oh, I did NOT need that!" The witch thought, feeling even hotter than before.

Luz gave her a mischievous, fanged smile and left to cool herself, soaring through the sky. Amity clenched her pajamas and followed her example. She walked into a freezing-cold shower, hoping to banish the images of her fiancée and try not to think about the touch she craved.

Emira prepared a small breakfast in the morning. Viney sat by the table, trying to wake up. A small groan left the brunette's lips, making her wife smirk slightly. A cup of Brew appeared before the sleepy Healer, and a smile cracked on her lips.

"Youʼre the best, Hun," Viney croaked, accepting the drink with gratitude.

Two pairs of steps suddenly appeared on the staircase, joining Amity's studio and the rest of the living quarters. The young couple joined the witches in the kitchen. Emira eyed her sister and then the human.

"Another rough night?" The green-haired woman asked, offering them some Brew.

"Yeah," Amity admitted, glancing at Luz, who seemed half-asleep.

"Luz?" Emira asked worriedly, "Are you okay?" She placed her hand on the tan shoulder, scaring the human.

"Wh-what?! Where? Um…" Luz looked around, blinking rapidly, "Sorry…" She wiped her eyes, "I may not have slept too well," She explained with a sheepish smile.

"I donʼt remember you coming back to bed…" Amity muttered into her cup of Brew. Viney and Emira exchanged looks.

"I'm sorry, I lost track of time," Luz explained, "Sunrise surprised me," She added shamefully.

"Guys, are you okay?" Emira asked worriedly. The young couple looked hesitantly at each other and smiled softly.

"We'll be fine," Amity confirmed, and Luz nodded in confirmation.

Emira got to her feet and prepared small portions of food for the younger women. She also fetched Luz's elixir and Amity's pain medication. They shared a quiet meal, during which the Healers shared knowing looks throughout the breakfast.

"Thanks for the meal, Em," Luz said, picking up the empty plates and taking them to the sink to do them.

"My pleasure," The green-haired woman replied, glad she did not have to clean.

"Are you ready?" Luz asked, looking at her fiancée. The witch nodded absentmindedly, "Let's get going then," She offered with a soft smile.

The older witches watched the women leave. They shared a look before Viney noticed that the pain-killing elixir Amity was supposed to drink was untouched. She tied her brows in concern, hoping it would not be a problem for the young woman.

"They don't look so good," Emira noted, biting her lower lip hesitantly.

"They're on edge, Hun," Viney explained, "They want to be close after being separated for so long but know they can't," She added, cracking a teasing smile, "With your Blight libido, I'm impressed by their self-control," The brunette giggled at her wife's flustered expression before becoming serious again, "Iʼm more worried that Amity did not take her pain medicine. Have you noticed if she skipped her doses before?"

"What?" Emira looked at the dining table with shock, "Shit," She got to her feet, retrieving the flask, "I need to get…"

"If she needs it, she'll call us, Em," Viney interrupted, "Knowing her, she's fed up with being sick all the time," She explained.

"So, do you expect me to let her suffer?"

"Em, Hun," Viney said, grabbing her wife's hand to try to calm her, "I've been treating your sister for a long time now. She won't cooperate if she's not backed to the wall," She explained. Emira lowered her head, releasing a growl, knowing her wife was right, "Well, I'm glad we agree here. Let's get to work," She added.

"You mean, you go to work while I sleep?" Emira asked, yawning slightly.

"Precisely," Viney kissed the top of the green head, "Love you, Hun," She added, picking up her belongings.

"Love you, too," Emira mumbled, fighting an urge to sleep at the breakfast table.

The Healers parted for yet another day. Getting used to running the fast-expanding Clinic was tiresome, but Viney could not be more proud of her wife. They just missed being close and working beside each other.

The lunch break could not come soon enough. Amity could feel herself getting more jittery. Her joints were aching, and she began to think that deciding against taking her medicine this morning might not have been her brightest idea.

"Luz will figure it out soon…" The witch thought, slowly walking to the dining hall, "Shit, that hurts…" She grabbed her chest.

Amity slowly sat at her usual spot, wincing in discomfort. She did not even notice that Luz was already there, watching her patiently. The witch looked up and saw the intense hazel-brown look at her.

"Please, don't be angry," Amity pleaded, her voice weak. Luz rolled her eyes.

"I'm not angry. I'm worried," The human said in defeat.

"I'm sick of this…" Amity said weakly.

"I know, Baby," Luz grabbed the pale hand in hers. The witch noticed the black ring on her fiancée's finger, understanding why she was not affected, "But you can't stop taking medicine. Going from a high dose to nothing is not very clever. As a Healer, you know that…"

"I'm sorry," Amity interrupted pitifully, closing her eyes in shame. The human leaned away, fishing something from her pocket.

"Here," Luz placed the elixir vial on the table, "Take it, and we'll talk with Viney about incrementally lowering your dose, okay?" She asked, and the lavender head nodded.

"I'm sorry," Amity repeated weakly, trying not to cry.

"It's okay, Baby," Luz said with a supportive smile, "Do you need some help?" She asked, seeing how the witch struggled to open her vial.

Despite the ring blocking their Bond, the human could feel the discomfort coursing through the pale body. Amityʼs hands were shaking, and with each passing moment, it became more difficult for the weaker woman to move. The warm hands surprised the witch, scaring her enough to jump in her seat and lengthen her nails.

"Do you want me to help you with the medicine away from the prying eyes?" Luz asked, noting how people looked at them. Amity nodded reluctantly, "Okay, let's go," The human retrieved the vial, walked to the other side of the table, and helped the witch up, "Hold on to me. The Plant Track Homeroom should be relatively empty," She said.

"S-sorry…" Amity gasped again, wincing in discomfort, "I hate worrying you," She added, and the human smiled.

"Don't worry. I would be just as much of a pain in the ass," Luz joked, helping the witch to the classroom, "Willow!?" She called out, confusing Amity.

"In here!" The familiar voice replied.

"Get me a chair. We have a situation," The human informed.

Willow popped her head out from behind a long row of ferns. Her clothes were covered in the ground. She corrected her glasses and smirked when she saw Amity leaning heavily on her fiancée.

"On it," The short witch acted quickly.

They helped the hurt woman sit, and Luz swiftly opened the vial with the pain-killing potion. Willow fetched a small jar of strangely-looking, greenish gel and applied some of it to her friend's primal nails, making Amity hiss in pain.

"It's okay. This has a delicate numbing effect," Willow explained. The golden eyes looked at her with unspoken gratitude.

"Open up, Baby," Luz gestured to the witch to drink the potion, "Very good," She praised, her voice soft and encouraging, "Now we just wait," She added, grabbing a seat to let her fiancée lean on her.

Amity let out a delicate, pained whimper, her ears slanted in defeat. She was glad she had these amazing people in her life, tired of keeping up her defenses all the time. She smiled, thinking of how Luz changed her life for the better.

"Thank you…" Amity whispered weakly.

"Youʼre very welcome," Luz replied quietly, planting a delicate kiss on the lavender head.

Willow noticed how Amityʼs nails slowly retracted as the hurt woman started purring, reveling in the sense of safety. The short witch smiled, feeling she could leave her friends alone for a moment.

"Hey, Ami," Willow returned. The pale witch opened her eyes weakly, "If you choose to stay for the remainder of classes, take these rations. The lunch break is almost over," She explained, and the pink lips quivered.

"Thank you, Willow," Amity gasped, "Iʼm so sorry for worrying you. That was so stupid of me," She added, and the other witch chuckled.

"Don't worry, Blight," Willow said teasingly, "Thatʼs what we get for you Bonding with an impulsive human who never thinks things through."

"Hey!" Luz opposed it with faux heartbreak.

"You know I'm right," Willow grinned. They were shocked to hear Amity chuckle and soon laugh at their interaction.

"Thank you," The lavender-haired witch whispered once she calmed down, "I donʼt deserve your kindness," She added.

"AAAAA!" The school bell interrupted any further conversation.

"I'll walk you to class," Luz offered, "It's on the way to the Potions Homeroom anyway," She added, and Amity nodded in agreement.

"What about the ring?" The witch asked, feeling guilt gnawing at her.

"Don't worry about it, Baby," Luz said with a smile, "I'll take care of it after school," She added.

The human ensured her fiancée had at least a few bites of the ration Willow gave them. Luz had to power through until the end of the day since eating this kind of food was unsafe for her.

Amity patiently waited for Luz in front of the Academy. She kept fidgeting, feeling responsible for her fiancée's weakened state. Luz finally exited the building, and the witch's ears slanted with guilt. The human looked so weak, like she was on the brink of collapse.

"Hey, Baby," The brunette greeted her fiancée with a soft smile.

"Titan, Luz. I'm so sorry," Amity quickly helped the human lean on her, "We need to take you to the Clinic and get you fed and rested," She added. Luz tried to wave her hand dismissively, but her movement was blocked, "How long was the ring glowing?" She asked worriedly.

"A class… I think," Luz murmured, her expression filled with discomfort.

"Okay, hold on," Amity said sternly.

The witch summoned her Palisman and helped Luz onto the staff. She held her fiancée tightly before her as she sped toward the Bonesborough downtown, hoping to get there before it would be too late.

Once they landed, Amity quickly grabbed Luz and rushed her into the building. The witch could feel her fiancée getting weaker by a minute, the pain gradually returning to her with a vengeance. Finally, they made it to the second floor.

"Woah, what happened?" Viney asked when she noticed Amity's panicked expression.

"She needs a magic-restricting room," The younger witch gasped, and the Healer knew it was not the time to ask questions.

They hurried up, earning worried and curious looks from everyone they passed. They rushed into the first empty room covered with witches' wool and helped the human onto the bed.

"Amity, you need to leave now," Viney instructed, but her sister-in-law did not move, "Honey, I'm gonna take care of her, but you need to leave," She urged, but Amity was frozen, watching Luz groan in pain.

"Cariño," A soft, familiar voice made it to the worried witch. She turned to the side and noticed Danielle standing beside her, "Let's Viney work, and we'll talk outside," She added, hesitantly embracing Amity to guide her out of the room.

They walked slowly toward the empty room down the hall. Danielle suspected her daughter did not want to break down for everyone to see her. The human closed the door when Luz's yell erupted from the magic-restricting room. Amity froze immediately, covering her lips to stifle a sob while her eyes gathered tears.

"Cariño, talk to me," Danielle approached the witch and delicately guided her to a chair, "What happened?" She asked.

Amity started rocking in distress. It took her a moment to remove her hands from her lips. She hugged herself and tried to take a deep breath in a sad attempt to calm herself, but she could not.

"It's m-m-my fault," The witch admitted shamefully. Danielle tilted her head questioningly, "I was sick of taking the elixirs… I thought I donʼt need them anymore," She tried to explain. Her breathing hitched in panic, and tears escaped her eyes.

"Ay, Cariño," Danielle whispered, wiping the tears from the pale cheeks with a tissue, "The pain got too overwhelming, so Luz put on the ring to be able to care for you?" She guessed, and Amity nodded in confirmation, letting out a panicked sob.

"I'm so stupid…" The witch cried, "She's hurt because I was impatient and stubborn and…" She paused when she suddenly felt herself being pulled into a powerful hug.

"Shh, Cariño. It's okay," Danielle hushed, rubbing soothing circles on the witchʼs back, "Everyone messes up from time to time…"

"But I mess up all the time," Amity interrupted, sobbing into her motherʼs embrace, "Because of me, Luz hasn't been sleeping well, she missed her lunch, and I'm just a burden to her…" She cried harder, feeling guilt paralyzing her.

"Amity…" Danielle tried to speak.

"Now she's hurt because of me!" The witch exclaimed, wailing like a child.

Danielle decided against saying anything. She pulled Amity closer, letting her cry for as long as the witch needed it. The pale hands finally let go of herself, and she reluctantly returned the embrace, balling the human's robes.

Danielle continued to soothe her daughterʼs nerves, and soon the witch started slipping off the chair. The human pulled her into her lap and let Amity curl into the safety of her hold, tightening the embrace.

"Just like back in the Human Realm," Danielle thought, smiling delicately, recalling those first moments when she realized she cared for the young woman.

Once Amity felt safe, her wails quickly toned down into delicate cries and sobs. She was out like a light in no time. Danielle ensured the witch slept soundly, with her pointy ears relaxed, before she got up.

"I will never stop being grateful you guys have hollow bones," The human thought as she carefully approached the door.

Danielle stepped outside and slowly headed toward the Blight's living quarters. Somewhere along the way, she met Emira, who opened the doors for her and helped her into Amityʼs studio. They helped the young witch into the bed, and with a small spell circle, the Healer cleaned her sister of tears and other fluids and changed her into her pajamas.

"What happened?" Emira asked once they left Amity to sleep everything off.

"She was impatient," Danielle said with a smirk, "Let's have a cup of Brew and talk," She added.

The Healer gladly agreed to a short break before a stressful day. Danielle told Emira everything she knew and understood from her daughterʼs panicked cries. They still needed more information to have a full picture, but that required Viney to join them.

Luz watched her fiancée leave with a heavy heart. She knew Amity did not want to hurt her, but the human was hungry, tired, frustrated, and in pain. It was too much. Her patience was at the end.

"Luz, talk to me," Viney pleaded when Danielle escorted Amity out.

"I… Can't…" Luz cried out, tears leaving her eyes, "Too much…" She gasped, wailing helplessly, "All the time…" She continued.

"I get it, but I need to remove that ring, Luz," Viney said sternly. The human could not reply. She extended her hand, looking at the Healer pleadingly, "Okay, here we go," Viney grabbed the tan hand.

"Just… Do it… And run!" Luz gasped hoarsely, taking deep breaths between words.

Viney nodded and focused on the shaking hand. She grabbed the ring and freed the human from the magical object with a few grunts of struggle. A powerful golden blast of energy erupted from Luz's body, pushing the Healer away.

"AAAAA!" The human screamed her lungs out.

Luz turned to the side, trying to control her sensations, and fell off the bed. Once the golden aura weakened, Viney noticed her friend writhing on the floor. Her screams were interrupted with screeches.

"Luz!" The Healer exclaimed worriedly.

She did not think twice about her safety. Viney knelt by her friend and tried to help her up. Luz's body was paralyzed in powerful muscle spasms. Her fingers and nails lengthened, scratching the floor. Her teeth grew into sharp fangs, snarling in exhaustion, and her bones started to break in a slow, pain-induced transformation.

"Ruuuuun!" Luz roared, keeping her friend's safety in mind.

"Let me help," Viney pleaded, but she could not do anything once the human pushed her away.

While Luz tried to keep distance between them as delicately as possible, she accidentally threw the Healer against the wall. Once she realized what she had done, her panic increased. The tan limbs started to break with more power and speed.

"SCREECH!" The demonic call deafened the Healer.

Luz turned to her back as her ribs started to crack and expand. She tried to remove her clothes, scratching her body in the process, panicking, afraid to hurt Viney, who was just as stubborn as the Blight sisters, refusing to leave.

"LEAVE!" Luz roared, looking at the Healer.

"Not a chance," Viney said with determination, "Hold on! I'll get your elixir," She added, running toward Luz's backpack, knowing the human always had a spare.

Another screech echoed in the room, and once Viney retrieved the elixir, she realized the sounds of struggle had started to die down. The Healer faced the human and paled when she noticed a partially transformed body. The right leg and hand were already covered in feathers. One eye was pitch-black, and the other one was black-gold. The feathery ears slanted in defeat.

"I can't… Take over my body. I'm done…" Luz thought in defeat, too tired to fight.

She closed her eyes and was ready to be thrown into her subconsciousness while the Owl Demon roamed free. She did not expect to hear an entirely understandable whisper.

"Stay strong…"

She opened her eyes in distress and noticed a blurry image of Viney above her. The Healer seemed to be talking to the human. A golden elixir burned her throat. With every gulp, she could feel the pain of her limbs reforming into the proper shape.

"Luz, hold on!" Viney exclaimed, helping Luz drink, "Easy, easy," She cooed when the human choked a little on the medicine.

Once she emptied the vial, Luz lay on the floor, gasping heavily. Viney pulled back and examined her patient. The hazel-brown eyes rolled around the room, unable to focus. The full lips were parted in heavy, uneven gasps.

The Healer pulled further away and noticed a bruised body covered in shredded clothes that left little to the imagination. Viney immediately cast a levitation spell, transporting Luz to the bed, and then cast a Healing Spell to see if she was not badly hurt.

"Luz, can you hear me?" Viney asked softly. The human let out a pained, incomprehensible whimper and nodded slightly, "Youʼre gonna be okay," She assured her patient, "Usually we don't do it, but Iʼm gonna cast a Sleep Spell on you, okay?" She asked and could not believe the amount of gratitude that entered Luz's eyes, "Okay," The golden spell circle illuminated the tan face, "Sleep tight," She added.

Luz was out immediately. Viney sighed heavily and shook her head in disbelief. Witnessing the pain of the transformation and comprehending what the human was living with was about to haunt her for the unforeseeable future.

Viney wiped a rogue tear that escaped her eye and, with a small spell circle, changed Luz into a Clinic pajama, knowing the human would probably need to be admitted for a day or two. She felt sorry for the human, but at the same time, she respected her even more.

Luz felt a dull ache in her joints. She took a deep breath and felt a jolt of pain in her chest. Her full lips parted, letting out a whimper, and her tan hands twitched a little. The human felt someone holding her right palm. She moved her thumb and recognized the delicate ring on the bony finger.

"Oh, Amity… She must be blaming herself for everything," Luz realized, trying to squeeze the other hand.

"Chirp?" She heard a teasing demon in her head.

"No need to be an ass. She did not think her actions through," Luz defended the witch, realizing she must have acted cold and bitter before she was put under the Sleeping Spell. A delicate, sleepy moan escaped the pink lips, "She must be exhausted…"

A small groan followed, and Luz wanted to smile at the image of cuteness Amity unknowingly displayed while waking up. A fluttering sound let the human know that her fiancée woke up and shook her head while her ears were still too sleepy to stay stiff.

"Luz?" A soft yet hoarse whisper made the bile sac-less heart skip a beat, "Youʼre awake, aren't you?" She asked worriedly and slapped her lips when she felt a thumb tap her knuckles three times, "Luz, I'm sorry for hurting you. I should have known what it would do to you…"

"Shhhh…" Luz managed to let out, "ʼS okay…" She added, her voice weak. The witch grabbed a glass of water and helped the human take a few sips.

"I promise, I'll do better, I'll be better…" Amity rambled in panic.

"Ami…" Luz tried to speak hoarsely.

"I'm shutting up now," The witch squeaked.

Luz's lips twitched as she attempted to smile. She lay down quietly, slowly regaining her senses while caressing the pale hand. After what felt like an eternity, the hazel-brown eyes cracked open. The human blinked rapidly, forcing the blurriness away. The room was dim, letting her know the dawn was approaching.

Luz focused on the witch, who sat immobile, staring at their intertwined hands. The pointy ears slanted in distress while Amity rocked herself, trying to remain calm. When Luz noticed the waterfall of tears rolling down the pale cheeks, she could have sworn her heart broke into a million pieces.

"Amity," Luz gasped hoarsely, getting the witch's attention, "I love you…" She said, smiling through discomfort, "Nothing's gonna change that," She added. She did not expect Amity to throw herself into a powerful hug, stealing the last bits of oxygen from her lungs, "Shhh, it's okay," The human whispered, leaving a peck on the lavender head, forcing her limbs to embrace her fiancée, "Come here, Baby," She added, pulling the Heiress closer.

Amity understood the suggestion. She threw her boots off and crawled under the covers with the human, snuggling in close. Luz caressed the sob-shaken back to the best of her ability, slowly helping them both to sleep the remainder of the night. They have yet to discuss what happened, but she knew recovery was never easy. But as long as they had each other, they would make it.

Danielle entered the room where Luz was resting, pushing the food trolley and hoping her ward was feeling better. She was glad she had taken the job at Emira's Clinic. Given the number of times the young Clawthorne had been hurt, it was the best job to keep her safe.

"Amity?" Danielle blinked rapidly when she noticed the lavender hair fanned on the pillow, "Awww," She thought when she saw the witch snuggled into the human.

"Cariños, wake up. It's time to eat something," Danielle whispered delicately.

The pointy ears immediately fluttered under the fluff of the lavender mane and the dark brows tied on the pale face. Danielle smiled at her daughterʼs sleepy expressiveness before her expression faded when she realized Luz was not responding.

"Luz, Bebé, can you hear me?" The worry in the human's voice made Amity snap her eyes open.

"Luz?" The witch sat up in bed and watched her fiancée with worry. Danielle touched her ward's neck and was relieved to feel a strong and regular pulse. She looked at her daughter and smiled, "Come on, don't scare me like that," Amity addressed her mother.

"Come on, Cariño. Eat something before she wakes up," Danielle suggested. The witch nodded, untangling herself from the sleeping body, "Are you feeling better?" She asked, helping her daughter with some Brew and a small plate of food.

"Yes, thank you…" Amity replied sheepishly, "No, not really," She changed her answer, looking at the surface of her drink.

Danielle snorted and pulled another chair. She sat beside the witch and looked at the pale woman softly. She brushed the mauve, lavender hair away from the sleepy face and offered a supportive look.

"What is it?" The human asked worriedly.

"Luz…" Amity admitted. She glanced at the older woman before averting her gaze, "My idiocy hurt her, my impatience, my heritage, my…" She paused, blinking rapidly, trying not to cry again, "My presence has hurt her since the day I returned to Bonesborough…" She whispered weakly, her voice breaking.

"I pursued you…" Luz's hoarse voice surprised the other women, "I wanted to free you from Odalia's spell. I asked to Bond with you, and I proposed to you…" She added, slowly cracking her eyes open. Her voice and expression softened when she noticed her fiancée's hurt gaze, "So get it to your cotton-candy-haired head," Her full lips cracked a smirk, "Iʼm not going anywhere, and I don't mind some discomfort, Princess," Her expression faded. Her eyes closed for a moment, "As long as we're together," She added and was surprised by a loud sniffling.

The hazel-brown cracked worriedly again. She suspected Amity would cry again but never expected Danielle to break a waterfall of tears. The young women exchanged confused looks, and the hurt human snorted a little.

"Sorry, you're so damn cute together," Danielle gasped, wiping her face with her sleeve. Amity blushed fervently, and Luz cracked a lopsided smile, letting her eyes rest again.

"Thatʼs something we weren't called before," The hurt woman said, giggling while the witch tried to recompose herself.

"Whatʼs this?" Amity asked, changing the topic and noting the newspaper on the food trolley.

"Oh, no, Cariño…" Danielle was not fast enough.

The witch retrieved the newspaper in an irritated huff, disliking her mother's attempt to forbid her from reading it. She straightened the Daily Isles and looked at the main article on the front page. She froze immediately. Her hands started to shake, and the humans exchanged worried looks while Danielle already knew what the article was about.

"Amity?" She asked, trying to connect with her daughter, "Cariño, talk to me," She added, gulping when she noticed the primal nails slowly extending.

"Baby, what is it?" Luz asked, forcing herself up in bed. She needed to support her fiancée and felt the witch's emotions, "Ami…" She paused in time for Amity to lower the paper.

The tan women noted the distress on the witchʼs face. The pointy ears twitched widely while the pupils shrank in the golden eyes. Amity tried to keep herself calm, but it was not easy. She looked at her mother and then at her fiancée, wondering how they could look at her with so much love and affection.

"I…" The Heiress choked, forcing a cold facade on herself, "I need to go…" She whispered, unknowingly releasing a small whirl of her aura. Her nails still lengthened.

"Cariño, what's wrong?" Danielle asked worriedly, not understanding how an article about a few strikes could have angered her so much.

The humans watched the witch get up and leave the room. She looked frozen, hurt, and broken. Whatever worried her a moment ago was now gone. Luz could feel the extreme emotions running through her fiancée, but she did not understand what caused them.

"Ami…" The human gasped, raptly sitting up, hoping to stop the witch from leaving. But it was too late.

"I donʼt get it…" Danielle whispered.

"Show me that newspaper," Luz groaned urgently. Her guardian did so immediately and noted how her ward paled a tone, "Oh, no…" She gulped and slowly transferred her gaze to the green worried eyes.

"Luz, what is it?" Danielle asked confusedly.

Luz closed the newspaper and presented the main page to the older woman, tapping it to ensure she looked at the picture. Danielle retrieved the gazette and saw the right, three-quarter profile portrait of the Heiress, who defensively looked at the journalist. While her golden eyes looked ready to kill, people who knew Amity could recognize a gaze filled with pain and fear.

"She hasn't seen her scar yet…" Luz gasped an explanation.

"What?!" Danielle's head shot back up, looking at Luz with painful disbelief.

"I need to…"

"Rest," The older woman interrupted sternly, getting to her feet immediately.

Danielle let go of the newspaper, pecked the brunette's head, and left the room without another word. She hoped to find her daughter before it was too late. She wanted to be there for Amity in her time of need, knowing it would not be easy to accept her appearance.

"Take care of her, Tía Dani," Luz thought, watching the woman leave her room.

AN2:

Feel free to let me know if that's not what you expected. I feel like I'm losing the vibe of this story, but I will not abandon it. Not when I have 14 chapters done and ready... More or less xD

I appreciate you guys sticking with me for all that I have already written :)