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.

8. Chapter 8 - The Exams

AN1:

I apologize for not posting for so long, but life has happened.

A big thank you to everyone who pinged me, asking if I was doing alright.

It's an amazing feeling that even though we don't know each other, we are giving support.

Between my work-related stuff and mourning my late cat Lucian, I just couldn't force myself to edit and correct the chapter.

The interesting thing is that this chapter was finished around June 2024 :)

I hope that 60 pages of good angst will make it up to you for waiting for over a month.

Amity and Luz flew together to the Academy. Ghost landed delicately in front of the building's entrance. The human grabbed the pale hand supportively, and she watched the other woman worriedly.

"Nervous?" Luz asked, leaning slightly on her fiancée, trying to support her.

"Just like the first time around," Amity admitted.

"Come on, you're gonna do great," Luz kissed the lavender head, "Just let me know if you don't feel well, and I'll pick you right up," She added, making Amity smile fondly.

"Thanks Luz…" The golden eyes bore into the hazel-brown ones, "But I feel better than in the past weeks, so I'm optimistic," She added.

"Then I'll see you at lunch," Luz replied in time for Willow to join them.

"Heeeeey, guys!" The short witch butted between her friends, breaking their hand-hold, hanging on their necks, pulling them into a close embrace.

"Um, Willow?" Amity stammered, glancing worriedly at Luz, who tied her brows in concern, "Were you drinking?" She asked, analyzing her friend's expression.

"Will is not the one to party before exams," The human pointed out, "Willow, when was the last time you slept?" She addressed her best friend.

"I'm not sure," Willow replied, "I was watching over the Bloodmoon Rose for Professor Roland…" She explained, and Luz understood.

"How do you expect to survive exams today?" Amity asked. Her voice was equally worried as it was stern.

"Hush, Mooom," Willow mocked, making Amity blush, "I have three free periods before the practical exam. I'll be as good as new," She added.

"Okay, I'll take care of her," Luz offered, taking hold of the short witch, "You just worry about your exams, and I'll see you at lunch," She added. Amity pecked the tan cheek, smiling slightly.

"I'll see you there…"

"You guys are the cutest!" Willow exclaimed, holding onto Luz tiredly, "Youʼre gonna be the best parents…" She blabbered, making the other women blush and avert each other's gaze.

"Come on, you big baby," Luz addressed Willow, helping her walk toward the Plant Track Homeroom.

Amity watched her fiancée leave, taking care of their friend. She shook her head in amusement before looking at the Academy entrance with determination. She tied her brows, took a deep, calming breath, clenched her fists, and stomped toward the Healing Homeroom.

The first two exams passed in a flash. Neither Luz nor Amity knew when it was finally time for lunch. The human was relieved to see her fiancée enter the dining hall with a bright smile, looking more like her old self.

"Whereʼs Willow?" Amity asked when she noticed the short witch was missing.

"Sleeping in the Homeroom," Luz explained, "She passed out after the written exam," She added with a chuckle.

"Oh…" Amity did not know what else to say, "Will she make it to your practical exam?" She asked worriedly.

"I'll make sure she does," Luz giggled.

Suddenly, the expression on the tan face faded. The thick brows tied, and the look in the hazel-brown eyes hardened. Amity turned around hesitantly, and her ears slanted aggressively. She eyed the tall, black-haired man as if she were stalking prey.

"The hell he's doing here?" The witch growled, feeling a mixture of anxiety and anger, "The abomination exams are not until the day after tomorrow," She explained, eyeing the man.

"I heard he's meeting the counselor today," Skara's sudden appearance scared the lavender-haired witch, "Sorry," She apologized when Amity faced her, "He's on probation since attacking Danielle, and he has to report daily to his Parole Scout," She added, earning a questioning gaze from Luz.

"How do you know that exactly?" The human queried, squinting suspiciously.

"You remember my friend from Abomination Engineering?" The Bard asked. Luz and Amity nodded, humming in confirmation, "She broke off all contact with him after that stunt in the class," She explained.

"Oooooh," Amity realized, "He blamed me for losing a girlfriend, so he took it out on Danielle…" She explained her realization.

"I'm not sure that's it since she wasn't his girlfriend, but that idiotic move guaranteed him a Parole Scout," Skara said.

"You know a lot of things…" Luz noted again.

"Don't blame me for missing all the parties," The white-haired witch shrugged, "By the way, how do you feel, Amity?" She surprised the other witch by addressing her.

"Oh…" Amity looked away sheepishly, "Much better, thank you… I don't know how much you heard, but I'm off my meds," She added.

"I may have heard something," Skara confirmed, "I understand it was a very private thing that made you miss school… I'm just glad you're okay," She added. Amity smiled at that, glad to have people who cared for her in her life.

"Thanks," The Heiress smiled, "Iʼm glad, too," She added, looking fondly at Luz, who returned the affection, "It wasn't easy," The bell interrupted their conversation.

"Oh, I gotta run to wake up Willow!" Luz exclaimed, alarmed.

"I'll see you at home, Luz," Amity informed, "I have the Healing Practical today," She explained. Luz pecked the delicate pink lips affectionately.

"Youʼre gonna do great, Baby," The human smiled, "You have more experience than anybody else, so relax and take it easy," She added, leaving the witches alone.

"If you can heal a human, then you have nothing to worry about," Skara encouraged her friend.

"Thanks, Skara," Amity smiled with gratitude, "Are you heading toward the west wing too?" She asked.

The Bard witch nodded in confirmation, and they cleaned their food trays before heading out. Amity held her chin high as she walked out of the dining hall. People steered clear out of their way—all but one. The Heiress felt a powerful shove on her right arm, forcing her to step back.

"Soon, Princess," She heard a vicious, familiar voice.

Before Amity could react, Harvey disappeared into the crowd. The witch growled quietly until she felt a delicate hold on her shoulder. She faced the owner of the hand, touching her body. Skara smiled warmly, making the Heiress lose her defensive pose.

"S-sorry," Amity mumbled, looking away in shame.

"Nothing to worry about," Skara replied warmly, "You didn't beat the shit out of me this time," She giggled, leaning on the witch jokingly.

"Oh… I sincerely apologize, Skara," Amity looked into the dark orbs. Skara's playful expression faded, "I never wanted to hurt you…" She paused, knowing it was not entirely true.

"But you wanted to hurt me…" Skara finished her thought. They strolled toward their exams, a dark cloud hanging above them, "Amity, you were hurt. You just lost your best friend. You were sent away, knowing you were controlled every step of the way…" The white-haired witch paused before her classroom, "I understand that. You have proven a million times over that you're a different person now…" She smiled at the pale witch, "So thank you for your apology. I accept it, let's move on," She added. Amity snickered at her friend.

"I'm happy we could fix what Odalia broke, Skara," The Heiress said softly, "But it won't change how bad I feel about what I did," She added.

"Just don't do it ever again," Skara replied. Another bell hurried their conversation, "And take care of Luz. She's one of a kind," She added.

"Hah!" Amity burst out a chuckle, "That's a deal!" She replied, grinning widely.

They bid each other goodbye, and the lavender-haired witch headed to her Healing Exam. She was filled with conflicted feelings. She was anxious about Harvey's ominous warning but was also excited about her exams since she was feeling strangely well.

While Luz somehow managed to wake Willow and get her to the practical exam, she could feel her fiancée's excitement. The human hoped it would not distract her during her evaluation. She was more glad than ever that she practiced controlling the Bond-related sensations.

At the same time, Amity was given a magically enhanced mannequin. Except for the fact they had no face or sex, they were imitating a perfectly alive patient. The Heiress gulped nervously. She was not informed about their task since she skipped the last classes that prepared them for the exam.

"Listen carefully," The Healing Track Professor called out.

Amity looked up at the tall, lean woman in blue robes. Her long limbs made her look eerily, and her low, soft voice made her sound like a ghostly specter. The long, dark hair contrasting her pale complexion finished the image.

"Each of you is to examine and heal your patient. The wounds are nothing but what we have been through this semester. Yet, be informed. There's a twist," The tall witch added, smiling ominously, "Take a place at your workstation and begin. You have until sundown," She concluded.

The students shared a hesitant look, unsure of what was to come. Amity decided to be the first to step forward, choosing her mannequin. It looked like nothing but a dummy they used to practice the Healing Spells.

Amity looked around and realized that other students followed her example. She refocused on her task and hesitantly drew a spell circle. Assessing the internal injuries, she identified bleeding in the abdomen and a few broken bones. The witch smirked, knowing that it was nothing she could not handle.

"Ah-Amity…" The Heiress froze when she heard Luz's voice. She looked at the mannequin's face and realized it morphed into her fiancée.

"Looks like Miss Blight learned the first twist," The Professor giggled.

Pleading for help began to emerge right and left. The students' brothers, sisters, boyfriends, girlfriends, and best friends started to beg for help. There was one thing Amity could not get out of her head.

"The first twist?" She thought.

"Am-Amity… H-help…" Luz gasped before choking on blood. Amity smirked.

"Nice try, Professor Galen," The Heiress thought, recalling all the times she healed the human.

"Take it easy, Luz," Amity said, knowing that her bedside manner was also judged, "Try to relax while I heal you," She added, drawing a Healing Spell circle.

The mannequin gasped in pain, and the Heiress continued with her task. The Professor watched her closely. While other students were anxious, shaking nervously, or crying, Amity was the only one unphased with healing the person closest to her.

"This is equally fascinating and disturbing…" Professor Galen thought, drawing a greenish spell circle.

Two hours had passed since the exam began, and she decided it was about time for the second twist. While the first was to heal a romantic partner or a sibling, the second was supposed to be more conflicting.

"¿M-Mija?" Amity gulped when she saw Luz shapeshift into Danielle.

"¿Mamá?" The witch barely kept onto the Healing Spell.

"Fascinating," The Professor was standing right beside Amity's workstation, trying to understand the enigma that the Valedictorian was.

"No te preocupes, Mamá. I'm gonna heal you," The Heiress reassured and continued her task, moving from the internal bleeding to the broken bones.

While Amity continued her work, she did not see how some students left the exam crying. Some stood frozen above their close ones, and others failed, fainting. But the Heiress carried on, ignoring everything. For the first time ever, she was glad life did not spare her.

"Pathetic…" Amity froze when she heard a long-gone voice.

The pale hands shook deliriously, unknowingly lengthening the nails, barely holding onto the spell. The Heiress looked aside to face the mannequin and looked directly at the perfect copy of the late Odalia Blight.

"N-no…" Amity gasped shakily.

"Oh no… That's not good," The Professor thought, stepping forward, afraid of what might happen.

The Professor attended Odalia Blight's trial, so she knew what the older witch did to her children. Her best friend worked at Blight Industries and told her what kind of violent person the older Blight was. She did not know if she feared more for the other students or the young Heiress herself.

"Youʼre going to let your real mother die again?" Odalia taunted. Amity clenched her jaw but pushed through.

"Deep breaths. You need calm to heal," Amity thought forcefully, reminding herself it was just an exam.

"You let those pathetic humans kill me once, and now you can't heal me?" Odalia taunted, "Or don't you want to heal me?" She continued.

A loud snap echoed in the room, and Amity wrapped up the Healing Spell. She immobilized the broken bones and placed Healing Glyphs. Despite knowing it was just a trick, she lowered herself above Odalia's body, not knowing what guided her actions.

"You were never my mother, and there is no reality where you deserve to be saved," Amity growled in a low, feral, sinister voice. Her ears slanted, and her pupils dilated, "If it weren't for Danielle, I would be happy to be the one to kill you. You killed my brother and father. You maimed my mentor, and you crippled my fiancée for life," She continued, unaware of how her magic erupted from her body, "Emira was the one to teach me how to be a good person and Healer, so you will not die on my table. Still, I enjoyed seeing you die at the hands of my REAL mother - Danielle López," She added.

Amity did not realize how heavily she was heaving, angry, and frustrated, releasing a powerful magical aura. The Professor looked at her student with equal fear and awe. The golden eyes were covered by a thick fuchsia glow. The Heiress's ears practically hugged her head, and her nails were still partially lengthened.

"Thatʼs enough, Miss Blight," The Professor said, hoping to help the witch center herself.

Amity looked up, and once she realized how scared her teacher looked, she turned around. The Heiress noticed how the other students looked at her, realizing what had just happened. She gasped in panic and tried to leave the classroom, but her breathing was heavy and sharp.

"Oh no… No, no, no, no," Amity thought, realizing this was bad.

The lavender-haired witch took another breath to get more air, but her lungs felt empty. She saw the faces of her classmates and the Professor's fearful expression. Everything began to spin faster and faster. The judging looks flashed before her eyes, and Odalia's words echoed in her mind. Suddenly, the familiar hazel-brown gaze looked at her worriedly from above.

"Amity!?" The witch heard a familiar, warm, caring voice, "Baby, look at me!" The human continued, trying to calm the panicked witch writhing on the classroom floor.

"N-no…" Amity mumbled, trying to move away, "Youʼre not real…" The golden eyes rolled up weakly while the pink lips trembled, taking in sharp gasps, "It's a spell…" The witch ignited her hands, "N-n-not again!" She tried to fight back, but her attempts were futile.

Luz's face above her became blurrier, and her words became less understandable. The warm hands cupping her face seemed to disappear. Amity tried to read the full lips, but before she could react, everything turned black.

Luz was on her way out of the Academy, satisfied with her practical exam, when she felt a strange sensation. She stopped mid-step, earning a worried look from Willow. The human looked at her friend and analyzed her face.

"Will, go home. Get some rest," Luz suggested.

"Are you sure?" The witch asked, taking note of how worried the human looked.

"Yeah, I'll let you know once we're home," Luz promised, and when Willow nodded in agreement, she rushed toward the Healing Track Homeroom.

"Come on, Baby. Stay calm," Luz hoped to reach her fiancée.

She rushed as fast as she could, taking turns recklessly, passing the corridors until she reached her destination. A familiar scream and fuchsia glow underneath the door made her gulp nervously. She rushed in without thinking, freezing immediately with a squeak of her sneakers.

Her lips parted in shock as she took in her surroundings. A dozen tables filled the room, each with a living patient prepped for a Healing Spell. But that was not what worried Luz. What bothered her were the students crying in panic.

"What the…?" Luz wanted to ask when she finally noticed her fiancée in the center of the commotion.

Amity was trying to walk away from her workstation. The human felt panic filling the pale body. It explained the magic that left the witch with no control. The hazel-brown eyes looked behind her fiancée and noticed the Heiress's workstation.

"Hoot!" The Owl Demon urged the human to act, seeing Odalia.

"Drop the spell, now!" Luz roared at the Professor with so much raw anger her eyes flashed black with golden irises.

"Shut up!" Amity roared, getting the human's attention.

The witch gasped hoarsely. Her eyes roamed the room, unable to focus on anything. Her slanted ears twitched unevenly. Her nails lengthened, and her hands shook deliriously, igniting and extinguishing purple flames in panic. The Professor drew the spell circle and stopped the exam in time for the Heiress to fall to the floor.

"Amity!?" Luz jumped forward, barely catching the witch. She softened her fall and helped her lay on her back, "Baby, look at me," She tried to reach her fiancée, but Amity was not calming down.

"N-no…" Amity mumbled. Luz barely understood her, "Youʼre not real…" Her golden eyes rolled weakly, and her pink lips trembled, taking in sharp gasps. The fangs peeked out, "It's a spell…" The witch ignited her hands, scaring the human, "Not again!" She tried to fight back, but her attempts were futile.

Amity tried to push away, kicking her legs against the floor. Her boots caught the closest table, making one of the deactivated mannequins fall limply to the floor. Luz grabbed the scarred wrists, directing the witch's hands toward the heaving chest, using her instinct to force her to extinguish the flames.

"Amity, you're safe," Luz tried to calm her fiancée, "Amity!?" She called, realizing the witch was no longer gasping so hard.

The fuchsia glow left the golden eyes, the wild aura disappeared, and the pale hands turned limp in the human's hold. Luz carefully released the wrists and ensured Amity was safe. The witch finally breathed calmly as she lost consciousness.

"What…?" Luz growled before clearing her throat, slowly looking up at the Professor, "What the hell happened?" She asked, trying to remain calm and composed.

The Professor looked scared. Miss Galan took a deep, calming breath before looking around the class. No student was performing any Healing Spell anymore. Luz followed her gaze and realized that everyone looked more or less on the verge of a panic attack.

"What the hell was their exam about?" The human wondered before looking back at the Professor.

"Everyone is dismissed. Your results will be posted by the Dean's office in two days," The Professor said softly yet sternly.

The students slowly walked out, leaving Luz alone with her fiancée's unconscious body and the older witch. The human looked up with an angry frown once the last of Amity's classmates was gone.

"What the hell happened? I thought you were informed she was still recuperating," Luz asked. Her tone was full of accusations, and she barely kept the Owl Demon's anger on the leash.

"Miss Clawthorne, please, calm down," The witch drew a spell circle and summoned one of the Healing Track gurneys, "I was informed about Miss Blight's situation, but what happened surprised me just as much."

"Care to explain?" Luz asked, lifting her fiancée's body and placing her securely on the gurney, "Forgive my tone, but I'm fed up with seeing her hurt," She explained.

The Professor passed a blanket, which Luz accepted with gratitude. She covered the pale body with love and care. She caressed Amity's scarred cheek before facing the other witch, eyeing her angrily and waiting for an explanation.

"I'm very sorry, Miss Clawthorne," The Professor said softly, "The exam was supposed to teach the students a lesson," She continued, gesturing for them to sit down, "The mannequins are enchanted. During the first part of the exam, they shapeshift into the students' close ones. A girlfriend, boyfriend, best friend, or a fiancée as I presume," She pointed toward Amity's right hand where the engagement ring reflected the light.

"Oh… She had to heal an imitation of me?" Luz asked, her voice, like her anger, faded.

"It was really fascinating," The witch said excitedly, earning a glare, "I have never seen a student heal their partner with such ease…" She explained, and Luz scoffed. The human shook her head in amusement.

"We've been through a lot," The brunette explained, "Amity healed me so many times that I believe she laughed at your attempt to shock her," She added, and they laughed.

"I suppose. Then there came another twist," The Professor's expression faded, "In the second part of the exam, the mannequin was to shapeshift into the student's closest parent. I suppose that it was the mother for Miss Blight…" She paused, seeing how the human's expression had faded.

"Thatʼs when Odalia appeared," Luz whispered, looking down at her fiancée.

"Not at first," The Professor said, shocking the human who looked up at her, "At first, it was a middle-aged human woman. She was very much like you," She added.

"Danielle…" Luz whispered barely audibly, looking back at the unconscious woman.

"Yes! Miss Blight used that name!" The witch exclaimed, "But only when Odalia appeared," She said, her voice saddening. She shook her head, and her expression faded, "That human woman shifted into Odalia and then…"

"That was too much?" Luz guessed, returning her gaze to the unconscious witch, "I need to take her home," She added.

"Miss Clawthorne," The witch stood up, "I'm sorry. I was present at the trial…" She paused hesitantly, "No one deserved what Missis Blight put you through–"

"Stop…" Luz interrupted in an irritated huff, "We know we didn't deserve it," She looked back at Amity, "We just want to get over it and start living again," She added.

A heavy silence filled the classroom. Only Amity's calm breathing was heard. When Ghost appeared, the human nodded, agreeing that it was about time to leave.

"Thank you for your time explaining what had happened," Luz tried to remain civil, lifting her fiancée.

The Professor looked like she wanted to say something, but the words failed her. She opened the classroom doors, allowing the human to leave. She watched them go, amazed by how supportive Miss Clawthorne was.

Luz carefully carried Amity, glad it was late and no one else was present at the Academy anymore. Once she left the main building, she looked at Ghost and smiled knowingly at the Palisman.

The cat jumped and perched on the human's shoulder. Luz quickly transformed into a harpy and hurried toward the Bonesborough downtown, where she hoped Amity would be glad to wake up in her own bed.

Amity slightly stirred, feeling stiff. She let out a low groan, and her ears fluttered as she tried to return to her senses. She felt sick in her stomach, and her head kept spinning.

"Amity?" The witch heard a familiar voice but could not reply, "Honey, are you back with us?"

"Mmm… Fuck…" Amity hissed, feeling worse by a second.

"Easy," A sudden hold on her head grounded her, "Thatʼs an antinausea medicine. It's disgusting," The woman added, but Amity gulped everything as if her life depended on it, "Woah…"

"Water… Please…" The Heiress begged weakly, her head falling back to the pillow limply.

"Alright, calm down, Honey," The other woman soothed. It was then that Amity recognized Viney beside her, "Try to take small sips," The Healer asked, delicately lifting the lavender head.

"Mmm," Amity hummed when she felt the soothing coolness of water moist her mouth. She cracked open her eyes and noticed the Healer's worried expression, "Th-thank you…" She whispered weakly when Viney helped her back to the pillow.

"It's okay," The brunette smiled softly, "Em will be here soon," She added before sitting beside her sister-in-law, "Luz told us what happened…"

"Luz?" The Heiress gasped in urgency.

"It's okay," Viney smiled softly, "She's at the Owl House. She felt it would be best if she were the one to inform Danielle about your exam," She explained, and Amity relaxed.

"Danielle…" The hurt witch whispered, closing her eyes and recalling her exam.

"Amity?" The emerald-green head popped into the room.

"Sheʼs awake," Viney informed when her sister-in-law did not reply.

"Mittens, how do you feel?" Emira sat by her sister's other side, "Amity?" She asked, taking hold of the pale hand when there was no reply.

"Ugh, sorry," Amity finally whispered, "Iʼm okay, thank you," She added, trying and failing to sit up, "Just strangely weak," She said. The Heiress noticed the look the other women shared, "What is it?"

"I'm sorry, but we couldn't warn you about your Healing Exam," Emira whispered worriedly.

"Oh…" Amity chuckled, shocking her sister, "So it's always like that?" She asked, finally managing to sit up. Viney helped her up against the pillows, smirking slightly.

"You should have seen me after the first-semester exam," Amity's sister-in-law giggled, "I threw up all over myself before I finally passed out," She explained. She did so with such optimism that Amity could not help but giggle.

"I was the first one to give up," Emira said shamefully, "When my mannequin shapeshifted into Ed, I was done for," She explained, "For all the times that Ed pretended to be a dead body, when I saw him there I started laughing so hard I passed out," She added, and Amity smiled despite feeling bad for her sister.

"But Luz told us you made it to the end," Viney butted in, trying to lift the mood. Amity scoffed.

"So what? I failed," The Heiress said dismissively. Emira and Viney exchanged looks, "So what that it was like the first exam I have ever failed?" She continued, and her voice broke, "So what that I failed the exam where I had to heal Odalia…" Her lips quivered, and her eyes teared down.

"Amity?" Emira glanced at her wife knowingly before scooting closer to her sister.

"I'm FINE, Em!" The younger woman snapped.

Amity hid her face in her hands as she let herself cry shamelessly. Emira looked at her sister with understanding as she sat in the bed. She pulled the younger witch closer in and hugged her tightly.

"Amity, I know it doesn't look good, but trust me, you didn't fail," Emira tried to reassure her sister, but she was not listening.

Amity cried harder, feeling like a failure. She had seen Odalia before her, heard her voice, and despite feeling safe in her sister's hug, she could not stop how she started wailing like a child.

"Pathetic!" Odalia's voice haunted the Heiress, making her cry harder.

Emira soothed her sister's tense back and remembered the first time when Amity returned home with less than a perfect grade. She could not stop Odalia then, so at least this time, she would be there for her.

No matter how many years had passed, Amity was still her baby sister, and she felt responsible for her. Emira glanced at her wife, letting her know it was safe to leave them alone. She waited patiently until the younger woman cried her eyes out and finally fell asleep.

Luz was happy to see King return from his visit to the other Fallen Titans in time for dinner that Eda and Danielle had prepared. Once the young Titan shared all about his adventures, they looked at the younger human.

"Well," Luz gulped, knowing it was her turn to share.

By the time she was done, the dinner was gone, and Danielle was fuming. King glanced at Eda and decided to clean the table and do the dishes while the humans talked this out.

"I understand the reason behind it," Danielle huffed, trying to remain calm, "But I'm still angry. Haven't Amity had enough?!" She added, Luz's expression lightening a little.

"No one expected the mannequin to shapeshift into Odalia…" Luz explained, but her mother interrupted.

"It's because of Boots's conflicted feelings. She must have thought something that triggered the shift," Eda explained in a knowing tone, "I heard it's not that uncommon for the adoptive kids," She added.

"Still," Danielle looked aside, blushing slightly at the thought of having an adoptive daughter, "I just wish she could be finally happy. With no past looming over her shoulder," She added.

"In time, Dani," Eda encouraged her girlfriend.

"I'm doing all I can to ensure it would be sooner rather than later, Tía," Luz added.

"Oye, Cariño, I know you are. I didn't mean to place blame–"

"I know," Luz interrupted her guardian, smiling warmly, "I just–" She paused, looking aside, "Sometimes I feel like it's a lost battle," She explained.

"Titan, Kid…" Eda groaned, "Sometimes I forget how young you really are," She chuckled, earning a questioning gaze, "Thatʼs life, Luz," She looked at her daughter with care, "Do you think it was a ride in the park when I was cursed by the age of sixteen? Or when my mother looked at me like some sort of disease," She continued, and Luz looked aside.

"I get angry when I hear you keep getting hurt because it reminds me of my childhood. I always hoped you would have it easier…" Danielle butted in with her wisdom.

"Okay… But were you attacked only because–?"

"Luz, I was a lesbian in the Dominican Republic back in the eighties!" Danielle exclaimed, lifting her hands in disbelief. Luz looked at her guardian dumbfoundedly, not knowing how oblivious she was.

"Whatʼs a lesbian?" Eda asked, trying to follow.

A wholehearted laughter confused the older Clawthorne. It took them the rest of the evening to explain that in the Human Realm, the people were often persecuted based on who they loved or who they were. Luz was glad for her motherʼs innocence. It distracted her from her worries. Before heading to her new home, she was much calmer and ready to support her fiancée.

Luz knew how the Healing Exam affected Amity. Besides Emira telling her about her sister's meltdown, the human knew her fiancée too well. The nights before the Abomination Practical Exam were filled with nightmares and night terrors.

Amity woke up every few hours drenched in sweat as her mind punished her with memories of Odalia disciplining her for being a failure. At least, that was how the older Blight called her daughter, who once again believed every word.

Luz could not help but worry. She did her best to support her fiancée through the stress-filled days and nights, but she was on the brink of collapse. She needed to rest and relax.

"Just one more day," The human encouraged herself when she helped Amity calm down after another nightmare.

Luz looked at her fiancée's face. The pointy ears twitched nervously as the witch slept restlessly, mumbling incoherently. At the same time, her fingers clenched the quilt and relaxed in anxious ticks.

The human could not sleep anymore. The sun rose above the horizon, and Luz's thoughts ran rampant. She decided it would be a kind gesture to prepare breakfast in bed to give Amity a good start to the day.

Luz prepared scrambled eggs and toast for everyone, earning eternal gratitude from a very sleepy Viney. They shared morning pleasantries before the human headed back to the studio. She could not have been gone more than thirty minutes. It was enough time for her fiancée to get restless again.

"Amity?" Luz asked when she noticed how the witch groaned and growled in her sleep.

The human placed the food tray on her nightstand before approaching the panicking woman. The lavender hair was fanned on the pillow while the pale face was covered in a thin layer of cold sweat.

"Baby, easy," Luz whispered, approaching the witch.

"N-no…" Amity thrashed under her covers, "Failure… She'll leave…" Her words slurred.

"Amity, please," Luz understood what bothered her fiancée, "Time to wake up," She added, lifting the hem of the quilt. Big mistake. The pale hands immediately fought against her terrors, slicing the air with lengthened nails, "Amity!" The human called out, intercepting the delicate wrists.

"No! Don't!" Amity howled, unable to relax. Luz took a deep breath and focused. The vision of Odalia punishing her daughter, forcing her to lose against the Abomaton, flashed before her eyes.

"Pathetic excuse of a witch! How do you expect to be a Heiress to the family name!?" The vicious voice echoed in the human's mind.

"Okay, that's enough," Luz thought, taking another breath to chase the vision away.

Now that she learned what Amity dreamt about, she knew how to proceed. Luz pulled the witch into a powerful hug and started rocking while whispering words of affirmation. The Owl Demon chirped in the human's mind, and with the host's agreement, they released a warm wave of magic, hoping it would heal the anxious mind.

Minutes passed, and Amity finally calmed down. The golden eyes fluttered, and the witch found herself resting against Luz's chest, listening to the heartbeat. The pointy ears slanted and twitched in embarrassment when she understood what was happening.

"Luz?" The witch asked in a small voice.

"Good morning, Amor," Luz greeted her fiancée with the warmest smile she could muster. The feeling of inadequacy filled the witch's heart.

"Titan, I woke you up again," Amity realized. Her voice was full of self-hatred, "Iʼm so sorry–" She pulled away, feeling unworthy of the support.

"Stop apologizing," Luz interrupted, "I was up for some time, so I got you breakfast," She pointed toward the food tray, "And besides, you would have done the same for me, so stop denying yourself the support you need these days," She added sternly.

Amity looked aside, wiped the unshed tears, and nodded reluctantly. Luz placed the food tray between them, and the witch regained confidence to look at her fiancée. They ate, did not talk to each other, and felt a heavy atmosphere.

"Thank you, Luz," Amity broke the silence, "Iʼm sorry for all the inconvenience–" She paused when she noticed the look the human sent her, "Just… Thank you. I'm grateful," She added. Luz's expression lightened.

"Youʼre very welcome, my Love," The human replied and pecked the pale cheek, "Now let's get ready. We have a long day ahead of us," She added, earning a slight nod from the witch.

Luz sensed the witch's feelings. She understood the situation very well. It was exactly as she told her in the Human Realm. The pain Odalia inflicted would not be gone in a year or two - it was about to be a lengthy process.

While Luz walked Amity to her exams, Danielle met with Emira in the Healer's lounge. The human sat at the wide table, watching the Clinic owner pace the room anxiously.

"Okay, Emira, talk to me," Danielle approached the witch, "Whatʼs the problem?" She asked worriedly.

"I'm sorry…" Emira whispered apologetically, "It's just…" The Healer lowered her head in defeat, "I need advice… And neither Amity nor I had a parent to talk about… Stuff…" She explained, blushing fervently. Danielle smirked, watching the Healer's discomfort.

"I'm here, Emira," Danielle reassured, "Whatever you need," She added, taking hold of the Healer's hand. The golden eyes looked at the tan woman in shock.

"You know how Amity is bad with change, right?" Emira asked. The human eyed her interlocutor questioningly.

"Yeah, I know…" Danielle assured, "So what's the big change?" She asked, grinning widely, feeling there was a big reason behind this interaction.

"Ugh… Titan," Emira could not maintain eye contact, "Thatʼs uncomfortable," She added, chuckling nervously.

"Come on, Emira! It's not like you knocked up some random girl!" Danielle joked, trying to lift the mood and encourage the Healer to talk.

"Well," Emira blushed so fervently she brought shame to Amity's blush, "Not a random girl," She squeaked, "And I didn't do the knocking up," She added, and Danielle's jaw dropped in shock.

"No…" Danielle whispered in awe, her eyes traveling to the Healer's womb.

"Um, yeah," Emira confirmed, looking aside sheepishly.

"Nooooo," Danielle repeated with a wider smile and more excitement in her voice.

"Yes, Danielle, I'm pregnant!" Emira exclaimed. Danielle let out an excited squeak.

"¡Dios mío! ¡Eso es increíble, Cariño!" The human cheered in a strong accent, "I'm so proud!" She added, pulling the witch into a tight embrace.

Emira giggled, returning the warm, motherly hug. She reveled in the sensation, glad it was Danielle she informed first. Amity had enough on her plate, and the Healer needed someone's help breaking news to the younger Blight.

"I suppose it's not an accident?" Danielle asked, pulling away. The witch looked aside.

"It sort of was," Emira admitted sheepishly, "We were trying to conceive a few months ago. It was not working out so well, so we spent a lot of time trying, but it would seem we forgot to deactivate the spell the night you brought Amity home," She explained. Danielle blinked dumbfoundedly.

"So during these months I've been here, you didn't…?" The human asked in shock.

"There was no time," Emira squeaked in embarrassment, "And we were sort of preoccupied with Clinic and Amity," She admitted.

"Woah…" Danielle whispered, earning an amused snort.

"So anyway…" Emira returned to the topic at hand, "Would you please help me tell Amity?"

"It would be my pleasure!" The human exclaimed, overjoyed with the news.

Emira giggled at Danielle's reaction. The Healer initiated the next hug, and she let out a small purr, shocking herself with the response. She did not feel this safe and warm even around Viney's parents.

While Emira told her wife she had Danielle on board, Amity arrived with Luz for their last day of practical exams at the Academy. Just like the year before, the Abomination Engineering exam was to end before the Beast Keeping one.

Yet, before they headed to their respective Homerooms, they needed to stop by the Dean's office. Quite a few students gathered around, searching the list, hoping for the best outcomes.

"Oh, Plant results are in!" Luz exclaimed. Amity smiled at her fiancée's expressiveness.

"Go ahead," The witch encouraged, pecking the tan cheek.

"I'll catch up with you in a moment," Luz promised, and she darted toward the result board.

Amity inhaled deeply and approached the Healing Track results. Students moved out of her way when they noticed her walk. The Heiress did not like their behavior. It reminded her of when Odalia forced her to be the ice-cold Heiress. She gulped nervously and placed her finger at the bottom of the list, looking for her name.

The slender digit traveled up. Amity was equally relieved and shocked that her name was not on the list of failed students. The witch gulped, and she traveled up the list. She could not believe it when she realized there were no more names.

"No way," Amity whispered in awe. Her eyes widened momentarily when she noticed her name at the top.

"Congratulations," Someone whispered behind, making her ears twitch while her body remained frozen.

"Impossible," Amity whispered under her breath.

She turned around and noticed a student from the Healing Track. The young woman sent her a warm smile, realizing how shocked the Heiress was by her result. In the distance, Luz's exclamation was heard, but Amity could not react to it. She felt the storm of mixed feelings approach and the need to hide.

"Amity?" Luz approached her fiancée, but the witch bolted, "What the hell?" She wondered confusedly, watching the witch rush away, ignoring the human, "Did you tell her something?" She addressed the other Healing Track student.

"I just congratulated her," The witch lifted her hands defensively. Luz tied her brows at that before facing the board, "She got the top score, so knowing how fucked up the exam was, I believed the congratulations were in order," She added, and the human nodded in understanding.

The underlined 'Top Result' with Amity's name beside it made everything clear. Luz thanked the other student and darted toward the remote bathroom. She rushed as fast as she could, putting a strain on her right leg, but she could not care less.

Luz entered the secluded bathroom and rushed to the wide stall area. She found Amity pacing the floor, flapping her hands. The human froze mid-step, watching her fiancée. A small smile cracked the full lips.

"Amity?" Luz asked, hesitantly approaching the witch.

"Luz?" Amity looked shocked to find the human before her, "Iʼm sorry I bailed," She paused.

"You were shocked to have passed after beating yourself up for the last couple of days?" Luz guessed, and the witch nodded reluctantly.

"And I felt like an idiot. Because of me, you didn't sleep well for days…" Amity added, rubbing her palms nervously.

"Amity, Baby, it's okay. I understand that," Luz reassured, pulling the smaller woman into a delicate embrace, "We can rest later. Now, I want you to know how happy and proud I am for you," She added and felt the witch reluctantly return the hug.

The bell screamed, pulling them out of their embrace. Luz analyzed her fiancée's expression. She pulled the pale chin up and placed a delicate kiss on the scar under the golden eye.

"I love you, Amity," Luz whispered. The pointy ears fluttered at the sound of the profession of love.

"I love you, too, Luz," The witch replied. Yet, her voice was still full of guilt.

"Now, Amor," Luz smiled, "Go and pass your last exam, and we'll celebrate at Salty's tomorrow," She added, sending the witch her famous cocky, reassuring smile.

"I'll pick you up from the Stables once I'm done," Amity said, mustering a smile, "Thank you, Luz," She added.

"Any time, Baby," Luz kissed the pale forehead and offered her hand, "Come on, let's go," She added, and the witch took hold of the tan hand.

Luz walked Amity to the Abomination Engineering Homeroom before her Potions Exam. She felt a wave of anger when she saw Harvey in the room. Darius's supportive gaze helped her calm down. He nodded at the human with understanding, and the doors closed.

Amity approached her workstation and exhaled slowly, trying to ground herself. She looked around the classroom, and her expression hardened when she saw the tall, dark-haired man on her left.

"Don't think it's over, your Highness," Harvey hissed.

Amity did her best to ignore him, retrieving Alador's goggles from her backpack. She eyed her desk and smirked, knowing what the exam was about. Darius glanced at the Heiress and tried to hide his smile. He may have been distant toward the Blights, but he knew more about the young Heiress than he dared to admit.

"Welcome to your final exam!" Darius welcomed the students when the last workstation was occupied, "Today you will prove you have mastered what we covered this semester," He continued, "You have four hours to apply the knowledge from this semester into a working concept. Let your imagination roam free!" He exclaimed, and the panicked murmur echoed in the classroom.

Amity could not control her expression when the wide grin lightened her face. She lowered her goggles, covering her eyes when the idea popped into her head. She grabbed the pen and began sketching. She did not even notice Darius's curious gaze when her passion took over.

Amity felt the childish joy she missed for months when she sketched the miniature model of the motorcycle engine. She recalled her summer vacation and how she added snorse power to the Human Realm technology, impressing everyone. She did not notice her surroundings anymore.

Harvey glanced at the Heiress occasionally, trying to complete his task, but Amity's passion infuriated him so much that he could not focus on anything but his desire for the other witch to fail.

"Two hours remaining," Darius informed, momentarily dragging Amity from her thoughts.

The Heiress grinned, knowing she was way ahead of time. She manipulated the abomination slime into the fuel injection system, providing fluid to the two-cylinder engine. She focused her energy, and with one hour to spare, she started the model, imitating the fuel injection into the engine.

Darius stood beside Amity, watching her with amusement. He thought back to his High School days. The young Heiress was unaware of how much she reminded the Coven Head of her late father. Her smirks, passionate gaze, tiny squeals of joy when her idea worked out - it was all Amity but also so very Alador.

"Done!" Amity exclaimed with thirty minutes to spare, lifting her hands like the Human Realm chef in the cooking program she liked to watch during her vacation.

"Noted," Darius replied, "Take a rest until the end of time when we will examine all projects," He informed.

Amity could not contain her pride when she examined her final result. She did not see how Harvey eyed her with envy while he worked as fast as possible to finish his model in time. Other students were informed about their success one after another. Until only one remained.

"Time's up," Darius informed calmly, "Please stop working, Mister Brash," He looked sternly at Harvey, "I will inspect your projects now one by one in the order in which you finished," He added, approaching Amity's workstation.

Almost every student faced the Heiress with curiosity glimmering in their eyes. Amity felt slightly uncomfortable with the attention, but it disappeared when the Coven Head asked her to present her project.

"It's a model of the motorcycle engine powered by the abomination," Amity said, smiling softly, "A motorcycle is a machine that humans use for personal transport," She explained when she noticed the confusion on her colleagues' faces.

"How does it work, Miss Blight?" Darius asked, unable to hide his interest.

"The pistons in the cylinders are turning the crankshaft. The momentum of the movement is passed to the wheels. Since we need an external force to move the pistons, I combined Abomination and Fire Magic. It's a simplified Abomaton technology, really," Amity rambled passionately, forgetting that only Darius knew how the Abomatons worked.

"I would love to see it in action one day," The Coven Head said with a wide smile and an equal amount of passion.

"Oh," Amity choked. Her ears twitched slightly, covering in a delicate blush, "I can bring the motorcycle from the Human Realm if you want," She said. Darius's ears perked up and twitched at the prospect. The Heiress grinned excitedly, seeing the Coven Head's expression, "I restored one during summer vacation, increasing its snorsepower to seventy–"

"Fucking human slut," Harvey whispered under his breath, interrupting Amity's sentence. Her expression immediately faded and hardened. The class fell silent, letting him know his whisper was not quiet enough.

"Thank you, Miss Blight," Darius said. His voice shook while he tried to control his anger, "You may leave now. The results will be posted in three days by the Dean's office," He added.

Amity wanted to see what was about to happen, but she feared she would not be able to control herself much longer. She hurriedly collected her belongings and left the classroom with haste. As soon as the door closed behind her, she heard Darius's uproar, scolding Harvey for his behavior.

Luz was surprised to see Amity waiting by the Hexside Stables in time for her to finish her Potions Exam. She suspected the witch had completed her assignment earlier, but she could not approach her fiancée to ask.

Amity smiled when she saw Luz exit the Stables. She waved a little at her fiancée, wishing her luck and watching how Professor Jenkinsmeyer assigned tasks to her students. Meanwhile, the bleachers surrounding the beast run were filled with other students cheering for their friends.

The exam started. When the student that Amity was unfamiliar with had to bridle a rat worm, the Heiress looked to her right. She thought about how it was exactly one year ago when Boscha taunted her for being with Luz.

"A lot has changed since then," Amity thought, realizing how her life had changed.

Luz freed her from the Entanglement Spell, Danielle imprinted on her, Amity found her Palisman, Odalia was killed, she lost her memories, and the Heiress murdered Boscha before breaking the Everlasting Dream Spell.

"Titan, what a rollerghoaster," Amity smirked, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Thatʼs a good girl," Luz's voice dragged the Heiress from her stupor.

The witch refocused on the Beast Keeping Exam and smiled, seeing her fiancée approach a mighty chimera. Amity always admired how Luz felt confident before the beasts most people ran away from.

"Huh…" The witch snickered, "Most people ran from me, too," She thought, smiling dreamily.

"Thatʼs it," Luz said warmly, and the chimera allowed to be petted, purring loudly, "Now, let me just–" The human could not finish her sentence.

A sudden, loud bang of a powerful explosion echoed through the field. Amity straightened up and was immediately on high alert. The golden eyes roamed the surroundings, and the witch's ears slanted in fear. Someone threw the Exploding Potion to the field, scaring the beast.

"No, no, no…" Luz could not stop the chimera when the lion-like jaw opened.

The nimble, thin, and venomous tongue snapped at Luzʼs leg, breaking her jeans. Amity froze in an instant, feeling the sudden pain in her ankle. The witch shook her head to regain control over her body and jumped over the fence.

"AAAAA!" Luz's roar echoed through the field, defeating everyone in proximity.

"Luz!" Amity called, rushing toward her fiancée.

The human fell to the ground with a thud and removed her trouser belt rapidly. Luz felt her heart race. Her shaky hands struggled to move, but she knew she needed to act.

"Luz, look at me!" Amity said fearfully when she fell to her knees, approaching her fiancée.

"Chimera's tongue is venomous," A familiar, feminine voice informed. Amity looked up, surprised to see Danielle beside her, "Come on, Luz, let me help," The doctor whispered, taking over the belt to apply pressure to the tourniquet.

"AAAAA!" Luz roared and screeched, arching her back, startling the beast further.

"Stay behind me!" Amity ordered when she noticed the chimera readying for attack.

The witch tied her brows with determination. Her ears twitched at the faint sound of someone's laughter. The golden eyes roamed the bleachers, and she noticed Harvey. Amity could not say anything when the chimera sent a fireball at the Heiress.

The witch created a large spell circle that intercepted the blow. She stepped back and drew the second smaller one, releasing the chimera's fiery energy at Harvey. He stopped laughing in an instant.

"Miss Blight, that's enough," The Beast Keeping Professor called, casting a Sleep Spell on the Beast.

"¡Cariño, no!" Danielle's panicked voice got Amity's attention.

Luz could not control her movements. She shook hard on the dusty ground. Her body erupted with the demon's magic. The tan hands scratched the ground while the hazel-brown eyes turned black-gold and rolled up. Her breathing hitched, and the human body stiffened.

"I'm here, Luz!" Amity exclaimed, quickly drawing a bright-blue spell circle, "It's gonna be alright. You're safe," She rumbled anxiously.

"Cariño, easy, you're alright," Danielle hoped to help the witch calm her ward.

The pale hands shook above the tan body, applying the Healing Spell. Amity did not know what to do. She never healed anyone of poisoning. Cleaning the bloodstream of the unknown chemical was above her skills.

"Miss Blight, move aside," Miss Jenkinsmeyer dragged the Heiress from the Healing Spell, "Hold her head," She asked, uncorking a small vial.

"Whatʼs that?" Danielle asked worriedly.

"The antidote," The Professor explained plainly, forcing the potion into the human's mouth.

"N-no…" Luz gasped hoarsely, overtaken by the fever. She gulped loudly, swallowing the liquid, "St-Stop! Don't hurt her!" She croaked, stiffening again. A loud screech followed.

"Luz, easy," Amity caressed the heated, tan cheeks, covered in sweat, "Youʼre safe, I–" She paused when she heard another fit of laughter.

"Everybody, leave the stables, NOW!" The Professor turned around and faced the bleachers.

Amity noticed Harvey laughing at them despite the witch's best attempt to scare him off. She sensed it only proved his success. She hated it, but now was not the time to worry about him.

"Luz, can you hear me?" Amity addressed her fiancée worriedly, "Baby, please," Her voice shook.

"N-no…" The human tried to pull away, "Stay away…" Luz began crying. Her eyes kept turning black-gold and hazel-brown again, "Don't hurt her," She continued, overtaken by a feverish nightmare.

"Whatʼs wrong with her?" Danielle asked, looking at Amity for answers. The Heiress took a deep inhale and focused on Bond.

"You will kill her and everyone around you! Pathetic, filthy animal!" Odalia's voice echoed in Amityʼs mind.

"My birth giver," The young witch replied dryly when she shook off her fiancée's vision, "Professor Jenkinsmeyer, what's the approach with the chimera's venom poisoning?" She asked, never looking up at the Beast Keeper.

"Antidote three times a day, plenty of fluid, and body heat monitoring," Danielle answered before the Professor could open her mouth, "Sorry, that was stronger than me," She added sheepishly.

"Excellent, Miss López," Miss Jenkinsmeyer said softly, "I see Luz taught you a few things," She added, but the older human shook her head.

"I was a veterinarian in the Human Realm–"

"¡Mamá!" Amity exclaimed with frustration, "Not now," She added more softly. The green orbs roamed the pale woman.

"I'm sorry, Cariño–"

"I'm sorry for snapping," Amity interrupted Danielle, her ears slanted in shame. The older human smiled warmly.

"No, you did the right thing," Danielle assured, and they refocused on Luz.

"Keep her leg below her heart level and open the tourniquet incrementally to avoid amputation," The Professor told Amity, "Keep her body temperature two degrees lower than her normal, and don't let her fall asleep," She added, "Now go! I'll bring more antidote to the Clinic."

"Come on, Baby," Amity addressed her fiancée with the softest tone possible.

"N-no! Please, no more!" Luz cried, "Kill me already, please!" She continued, thrashing on the ground.

Amity could not take it any longer. She summoned her Palisman and forced Luz into a secure hold. The human struggled, but it was nothing the Heiress could not handle. She straddled Ghost, rushing to the Clinic, leaving Danielle and the Professor behind.

"Just hold on, Baby," Amity thought, watching her fiancée overtaken by a feverish nightmare.

Danielle watched her daughter leave in a hurry. The human felt the gravity of the situation. She hoped Luz would be safe, recalling how Wrath behaved when bit by chimera a few months ago.

"Professor," Danielle addressed the Beast Keeper.

"You can call me Jen," Miss Jenkinsmeyer said, smiling warmly.

"Danielle," The human introduced herself, "How can I help Luz? Do you have any idea how the poison affects humans?" She asked worriedly as they approached the sleeping beast.

"I–" The Professor hesitated, "I didn't take into account that she's human," She looked at Danielle fearfully, the gray eyes blinking rapidly, "Usually, depending on the individual immune system, it takes a day or two to feel better," She explained.

"Coño," Danielle cursed, biting her lip.

"Take these antidotes," The Professor said, pulling the human out of her stupor and summoning a small vial-filled wooden case, "Chimeras are usually peaceful creatures, so this accident had no right to happen," She said, watching Danielle hide the vials in her bag, "I need to deal with the student responsible for this mishap. I will join you and Miss Clawthorne in the Clinic shortly," She added.

"Thank you, Jen. I will relay the information to the Healers," Danielle replied. She quickly took her leave, hoping Luz was stronger than everyone thought.

In the meantime, Professor Jenkinsmeyer vowed to do everything in her power to ensure her favorite student would never be hurt again, dealing with the student who disregarded everyone's safety.

Everything was happening so quickly. One moment, Luz was petting the chimera, and the next one, she was bitten. In a few seconds, she disappeared from the Hexside Stables and was thrown back to the Blight Family Catacombs.

Yet, something was different this time. Boscha accompanied Odalia. They worked together, tormenting the human, cutting the tan body, beating her to a pulp. Simultaneously, Luz could have sworn she heard her fiancée call for her, trying to reassure her of her safety.

"Come on, Luz," Amityʼs voice echoed her mind, marginally soothing her nerves.

Luz did not know that her fiancée had transported her to the Clinic. She did not realize she was secured in the second-floor intensive care recovery room, where the Healers tried to remove venom from her bloodstream.

"Amity, let us work," Viney addressed the younger witch who was so reluctant to let go of the human.

"Let me help," The Heiress pleaded, but the Healer was not having that.

"Dammit, Blight, for fuck's sake! Leave!" Viney roared. Amity's eyes widened in shock, but she immediately obeyed.

"S-sorry," The Heiress choked on her way out, ashamed that the Healer had to yell for her to obey.

Viney did not have time to apologize when she realized how she snapped at her sister-in-law. Luz's feverish groan helped her refocus. The Healer drew a spell circle and focused on examining her patient.

"What the hell happened, Luz?" Viney wondered, "It's not like you to get attacked by a Mystical Beast…"

"N-no… Mmmmnnngghhhhh!" The human struggled against her fever. Her mind punished her with visions of Odalia torturing her mercilessly, "No!" She yelled, arching her back. The hazel-brown eyes roamed the room frantically, not seeing anything before her.

"It's going to be alright, Luz," Viney reassured, "Youʼre at the Clinic–"

"NOOOO!" Another yell turned into a loud screech, startling the Healer enough to drop the spell and step back.

The door suddenly opened with a thud. Viney could not look away from Luz's thrashing body. A firm hold on her shoulders, pulling her away, dragged her out of her haze.

"Danielle?" The Healer asked in shock.

"I brought the antidote," The human informed. Viney blinked rapidly and noticed Amity beside the hurt woman.

"It's okay, Luz," The young witch reassured, "Drink this," She whispered, forcing a small vial into her fiancée's mouth.

"St-Stop!" Luz choked on the medicine, spitting slightly on her chin.

"I talked to Professor Jenkinsmeyer," Danielle addressed the Healer, "She will arrive shortly to assist us. The conventional Healing Magic won't work," She explained in time for Luz to release another panicked screech.

"Danielle, Viney, get in here," Amity instructed sternly, "We need to release the tourniquet for a few minutes," She said, her voice softening.

"I'm sorry for snapping earlier," Viney said once she stood beside her sister-in-law.

"It's okay, I needed that," Amity replied plainly, knowing she would have probably done the same, "Let's get to work," She added.

"Ready when you are," Danielle confirmed.

"Viney, monitor her temperature and heart rate while we remove the tourniquet," Amity instructed.

"Should we restrain her?" The Healer asked, watching how the feverish human thrashed in bed, struggling in her nightmares.

"That might be a good idea," Amity agreed, "Let's keep her right leg free, though," She added. They worked quickly, securing Luz's limbs, "Let's make it quick."

Viney drew a spell circle and began monitoring Luz's response. Amity lengthened nails in her right hand and swiftly tore her fiancée's jeans open before nodding at Danielle.

The human opened the tourniquet, and Amity used this moment to remove the trousers from the hurt woman. They looked down at the wound and froze, seeing how it oozed slime and swelled around the bite mark.

"Tighten the tourniquet again, Mamá," Amity instructed. She took hold of her mother's shoulders, gesturing the human to change their places, "I need to clean the wound before it gets infected," She informed, placing a block under Luz's, keeping her knee bent and ankle below her heart level, "How's her temperature?"

"Still safe. You can proceed," Viney informed.

"Tell me if anything changes," Amity requested, casting a Light Spell.

Danielle pulled a stool for her daughter, gesturing to sit down. Amity's brows tied in a concerned frown when she closely inspected an oozing bite mark. She cast a Healing Spell, and her ears slanted in concentration.

"Fuck," The Heiress cursed under her breath, "Do we have forceps?" She asked, lifting her hand.

"Here," Danielle passed the tool into the waiting hand.

Amity drew another spell circle. The human and Viney shared a worried look while Luz howled in pain, struggling against the restraints. The Heiress dug the forceps into the wound and gulped nervously before pulling out with a slight struggle.

"AAAAA!" Luz howled ferally, her voice cracked as she screeched.

"Basin," Amity asked.

"Here," Danielle whispered.

The Heiress placed forceps in the bowl, and the human immediately noticed a small, wiggling, snake-like specimen. She put the basin back on the tool tray while Amity focused on the Healing Spell, cleaning and closing the wound.

"N-no! No more! Please! Kill me!" Luz mumbled distortedly, thrashing and arching her back.

"Amity," Viney said worriedly.

"I know, I know. I need another moment," The Heiress said hurriedly, "Just a little more," She added.

SCREECH!

"Shit!" Viney cursed when she noticed pitch-black eyes.

"Remo a'lit," Amity repeated in Demonic with a hard accent, hoping to calm the Owl Demon. She was shocked to see the hurt body thrash slighly less, "And done," She informed with a sigh of relief, dropping the spell.

"Whatʼs that?" Danielle asked, and Amity stood up.

"The remains of chimera's tongue," Viney said, "It's their defense mechanism. It doesn't happen often, but they can leave a part of their tongue that digs into the bloodstream," She explained.

"Let's get her out of these clothes," Amity interrupted, "We need to cool her down," She added.

While Viney fetched fresh sheets to drape Luz's body, Amity and Danielle cut off the remaining clothes, leaving only underwear. They covered Clawthorne's intimate areas before removing it.

"Mmmmnnngghhhhh… N-n-no…" Luz mumbled, thrashing in bed, fighting the restraints.

"Easy, easy," Amity whispered, casting a Cooling Spell.

A bright turquoise dome appeared above Luz in time for Danielle to return with a water-filled basin and fresh towels. They sat opposite each other and moistened Luz's body to help her cool down.

"Do you need me?" Viney asked nervously.

"We're good, Viney. Thank you," Amity replied. Her tone was filled with worry, and her eyes never left her fiancée.

"I'll check in on you later," The Healer added before leaving the room.

"Mmmmnnngghhhhh…" Luz moaned in discomfort.

While her breathing was still labored, her limbs calmed down. Amity and Danielle shared a hesitant look before grabbing a wet towel. They worked slowly and carefully. Their movements were perfectly synchronized as they cooled Luz's face.

Another moan left the feverish body. Amity and Danielle moistened the neck and cleavage, slowly moving down the body and cleaning it of the dust. The witch inspected the bite and frowned slightly, seeing how reddened it was despite her Healing Spell.

"Let's loosen the tourniquet again," Amity suggested once they were done.

Danielle nodded in agreement. They removed the dirty water, washed their hands, and returned to the thrashing body. This time, the process was much smoother. Luz screamed in pain when the next wave of venom was released, but with a constantly cooled body, she remained calm.

"Titan, that's frustrating," Amity muttered, tightening the tourniquet again.

"What is?" Danielle asked, not understanding her daughter.

"Not being able to heal her. Just waiting for it to pass on its own–" She paused, shocked by her motherʼs giggle.

"Thatʼs how it works in the Human Realm," Danielle explained. Amity's lips parted in shock, "Looks like we have time for our long overdue comparison of the healing techniques," She suggested, gesturing for the witch to sit.

"It's not like I'm going anywhere," Amity smiled, preparing a fresh compress to cool her fiancée, knowing she could use a distraction.

Amity did not notice when everyone left her alone with Luz. The hours ticked by, and the witch moistened the feverish body, maintaining the Cooling Spell, changing compresses, regularly opening the tourniquet, and helping the human drink.

"I'm so sorry, Luz," Amity whispered, trying to keep them occupied, not allowing either of them to sleep, "If not for Harvey's beef with me, you wouldn't be hurt," She said, watching the trembling body.

"Dammit," The witch thought worriedly, "Usually, she forbids me to blame myself," She stood up and cupped the tan cheek.

"Come on, Luz," Amity lifted Luz's head and helped her drink again, "Baby, you're stronger than that," She added, watching worriedly the hazel-brown eyes roaming the void before her.

"C-c-couldn't… Sa-save…" Luz mumbled in her feverish nightmare, choking on the water. She coughed, spitting on her chin.

Amity tied her brows. She helped the human lie comfortably in bed before returning to her stool and continued cooling Luz down. The brunette looked calmer, but her body was still burning up as she occasionally twitched and mumbled.

Seeing Luz hurt again did something strange to Amity. She was glad they trained on controlling their Bond-related sensations, but she could not stop thinking about all the times they cared for each other. Through all the pain, torture, Mind Gaps, and kidnapping, but also dates, trips, vacations, and movie nights, their love never wavered.

"I'm not going anywhere, Luz," Amity thought and restarted the entire process - compress, tourniquet, and few sips of water.

The night slowly faded, and the morning rounds had begun. Danielle peeked into the room and was surprised to see Amity sitting in the exact same spot where she left her the previous afternoon. She decided to call Viney before going in.

The Healer was not even surprised to see her sister-in-law stubbornly caring for her fiancée. She looked at Danielle and, seeing her equally worried gaze, approached the younger witch.

"Morning, Amity," Viney whispered, trying not to startle the younger woman, who jumped in her seat anyway, "Sorry," She added sheepishly.

"Morning," Amity replied groggily.

"Have you slept at all?" Danielle asked worriedly. Her daughter only shook her head.

"And how's Luz?" Viney asked, stepping closer to the feverish woman.

"Her temperature has been at a constant of one hundred and two since three in the morning. I loosened the tourniquet every thirty minutes. She is still out of touch, but she stopped thrashing violently around dawn," Amity informed in a plain voice.

"Did you keep the Cooling Spell the entire night?" Viney asked before sharing another worried look with Danielle. Amity only nodded in reply, "Okay, Honey, maybe someone should change you?" She asked, afraid her sister-in-law would push herself too far.

"I'm fine," Amity whispered sternly. The golden eyes looked at the wall, and she got to her feet, "I need to repeat the process, so if you don't mind...?" She added. Viney and Danielle shared another look, knowing how stubborn the Heiress was.

"I'll check in on you later, Cariño," The older human whispered.

Amity did not react. She continued caring for Luz. She tried to be polite when Willow came over to check in on them, but she could not care less. Her mind was solely focused on her fiancée while replaying the accident on repeat.

"Have you eaten anything?" Gus asked when he relieved Willow, hoping he would be able to connect with the Heiress.

"Not hungry," Amity replied coldly, restarting her process.

"Harvey was expelled," Gus said, and the other witch momentarily froze in her movements. Amity's ears twitched, and she continued.

"That can't end well for us," She said dryly.

"Mmmmnnngghhhhh…" Luz moaned in pain when the tourniquet was released again.

"How long do you have to keep this on?" Gus asked, worried about his friends.

"Until she won't react," Amity replied tiredly.

"That would mean there's no venom left?" He asked.

"Mhm," The Heiress nodded in confirmation.

"Are you sure you don't want anyone to relieve you?" He immediately regretted asking.

The way Amity glared at him made him fear for his safety. The golden eyes were underlined with dark shadows, and her complexion was paler than ever, which made Gus worry further.

"I donʼt trust anyone," Amity whispered tiredly, refocusing on Luz, "She needs to be kept cool and awake. People don't know human physiology as well as I do," She added.

"I do," Gus offered. Amity froze at the prospect. She faced the young man and blinked rapidly.

"Do you know Healing Spells?" She asked with hope.

"Um… No," Gus replied sheepishly, "Sorry, I didn't think about that," He added.

"It's okay," Amity tried to smile, "I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving her anyway," She added before refocusing on her fiancée.

"I know you're tired, but I'm glad to see you care so much about someone," Gus whispered, smiling softly.

"Mmm," Amity nodded, "Me too," She agreed, knowing what her friend had in mind.

When Gus left, Danielle brought Amity some food and more water for Luz. Knowing how stress affected the Heiress, she did not ask her daughter to eat. They sat together silently for a while, watching Luz fight her nightmares.

"If you're sure you don't want me to stay, I'll be back first thing in the morning," Danielle informed, pecking the lavender head goodnight.

"Thank you, Mamá," Amity replied absentmindedly.

Danielle sent her daughter the last worried look. Despite feeling proud and happy Luz found someone who cared for her, she worried about the young witch. Before leaving for the night, she asked the night shift Nurses to keep an eye on the Heiress.

Luz felt the pain in her wrists. Her bones felt like molten metal. She could have sworn she sweated acid. She gasped, and the feeling of expanding her chest almost paralyzed her.

"There you go, human," Luz fluttered her eyes open and saw Odalia before her, "Nice and easy," The witch continued.

"Thatʼs not right," Luz thought, not understanding why her abuser sounded so kind toward her.

"N-no… Don't touch me…" The human tried to fight her way out, but restraints held her securely in place.

"It's alright," The voice calming Luz seemed too caring to belong to Odalia Blight.

"Let me go! Please!" The human arched her back, trying to get away, when she felt the touch on her face, "J-just… Kill me!" She cried out in helplessness. Tears rushing down her face.

"I know, Baby, I know," The soft voice continued.

Luz snapped her eyes open and roamed the room. Everything was blurry and dark. But the moist smell of the Catacombs was dispersing. The human wheezed painfully. She arched her back again and lolled her head to the sides.

"Shh, you're safe, Luz," The same voice continued.

Luz forced her head to lol to the right. She blinked rapidly, and she was certain she was seeing Odalia. Her eyes rolled up momentarily, and she tried to focus again.

The green hair turned out to be the lavender hair illuminated by a turquoise dome hovering above her body. The blue eyes turned out to be gold ones. Luz's breathing calmed, and she was sure it was an illusion or another mind trick.

"Am-Amity?" The human gasped in disbelief.

"Luz," A wide, fanged, but tired smile welcomed her back, "Are you back with me?" The witch asked worriedly.

Luz opened her lips to speak, but a painful shiver paralyzed her. She clenched her eyes and released a moan of discomfort. Something touching her face shocked her. The human opened her eyes and blinked rapidly.

"Am–" Luz gasped. The witch hovered above her, eyeing her worriedly, cooling her forehead with a wet compress.

"Shh, you're safe, Luz. I promise," Amity whispered, soothing the human's nerves.

"I… Mmmmnnngghhhhh," Luz slurred, overtaken by a surge of pain in her leg, forcing her limbs and head to thrash again.

"It's okay, Luz," Amity smiled tiredly, "It's almost over. Try to stay calm," She took hold of the brunette's head, lifting her slightly, "Please, take a few sips," She whispered.

Luz's eyelids fluttered as she tried to keep her eyes open. Her gaze focused on the woman above her. She took a reluctant sip and could have sworn it was the first gulp of water she ever had.

"Thatʼs it," Amity smiled, helping her head down, "Try to rest some more. It's the middle of the night," She added.

Luz blinked rapidly. Her eyes rolled around the room as if trying to comprehend what time of night it was. A soft hand, cupping the heated face, grounded the human whose lips twitched in an attempt to smile.

Amity blinked rapidly when the day chased away the darkness of the night. The pupils shrank in her golden eyes, and her ears fluttered unevenly. She tried to force some food into her system, but even at the slightest thought of food, she felt nauseated.

It had been a few hours since Luz finally started becoming lucid. It was not much, but it meant her body was fighting the venom. The pointy ears twitched when Amity heard the morning rounds starting.

"How long has it been?" The Heiress wondered, feeling dizzy. She shook her head, refocusing on Luz, "Just a little more. We can do it…"

Amity ensured the Cooling Spell was kept at the correct level. She checked Luz's vitals and released the tourniquet after washing her body with a fresh compress. The witch blinked rapidly, not believing the human did not flinch an inch.

"Titan, yes," Amity gasped with relief.

She removed the tourniquet entirely and discarded it on the tool tray before pulling the block from underneath Luz's leg. The human moaned a little when her leg was straightened for the first time in days.

"I know, Luz," Amity whispered.

She talked to her fiancée, trying to keep them awake, following Professor Jenkinsmeyer's instructions to a T. Amity was focused on Luz so hard she did not notice anyone enter the room.

"¿Cariño?" Danielle asked worriedly when she brought fresh water for Luz and lunch for her daughter.

"Mmm?" Amity hummed, acknowledging the womanʼs presence.

"How's she?" Viney asked, joining Danielle. They noticed how the hurt woman stared into the void before her.

"Stable one hundred degrees. She became lucid in the middle of the night," Amity mumbled, having difficulty forming words.

"Cariño, did you sleep at all?" Danielle asked worriedly. Amity only shook her head.

"Did you maintain the Cooling Spell the entire time?" Viney asked, unsure whether she should be concerned or proud.

Amity nodded, unable to reply verbally, and the Healer's eyes widened in shock. The older women exchanged a worried look. Viney tilted her head, pointing toward the Heiress, urging Danielle to act.

"Cariño, Luz is stable now, isn't she?" The human approached her daughter. Amity nodded in response, "Maybe it's time to rest? What do you say?" She tried to convince the witch, but the lavender head shook in disagreement.

Amity looked at the clock and stood up without a word. She poured a fresh glass of water and lifted the brunette head, helping Luz take a sip. Once she was done, she noticed fluttering hazel-brown eyes looking at her weakly.

"Cariño, please," Danielle urged, "You haven't slept in over seventy-two hours," She argued, hoping to convince the witch to rest, "You barely ate while constantly maintaining the spell," She added.

The golden eyes roamed the tan face and finally locked on the hazel-brown orbs. The full lips parted as if trying to speak. Amity closed her eyes momentarily, fighting off the dizziness. Luz eyed her with concern.

"G-go…" The hurt woman whispered tiredly before her eyes rolled up.

"I–" Amity hesitated, helping the brunette head down.

"Let me examine you," Viney warned, but she did not wait for a response. She applied the spell to her sister-in-law's torso.

"I think–" Amity paused, feeling worse by a minute, "Maybe–" She shook her head again, leaning on Luz's bed for leverage.

"Woah," Viney whispered, dropping the spell.

"Promise to take care of her," Amity begged, facing her mother.

"I promise, Cariño," Danielle vowed in a soft voice.

As soon as Amity heard her motherʼs reassurance, she straightened up, discarded the Cooling Spell, and faced the door. She stepped forward to exit the room and head upstairs when suddenly, everything disappeared, covered in darkness.

Viney watched Amity turn her back to Luz and step toward the door. The exact moment she did, the Heiress fainted, falling hard on the floor, not giving anyone a chance to react and soften her landing.

"Amity!" Danielle and Viney exclaimed in unison, rushing toward the unconscious witch.

"Mmmmnnngghhhhh…" Luz mumbled, getting the Healer's attention.

"It's okay, Luz," Viney reassured. She drew a spell circle and concentrated on the unconscious woman, "She's fine," The Healer said loud enough for Luz to hear her, "She's just exhausted," She added, calming both humans.

"I'll take her to bed," Danielle offered. Viney nodded in agreement and approached Luz to examine her, too.

The Healer focused on her patient when the older woman left the room. Viney drew the spell circle and blinked rapidly in surprise. The venom was practically gone from Luz's system. She needed nourishment and sleep.

"It would seem everything is back on the right track," Viney thought, smiling warmly at the human.

"You can sleep now, Luz," The Healer whispered, dropping the spell. The human moaned in relief and was out instantly.

Danielle informed Emira about her sister's well-being. The Healer agreed that the human should keep an eye on the Heiress instead of caring for her usual duties.

Danielle sat in the armchair in Amityʼs studio after inserting an IV drip into the porcelain arm and watched her daughter sleep. The hours ticked by. The human read a Healing Textbook, trying to stay awake.

It was almost midnight when Viney entered the room to check in on the Heiress and bring Danielle some food. They smiled tiredly before the Healer approached Amity's bed and drew a fluorescent blue circle.

"Titan, finally," Viney whispered in relief, dropping the spell. She faced Danielle and smiled, "She's fine. Just tired and malnourished, but totally fine," She explained.

"Thatʼs wonderful," Danielle returned the sentiment, "And how's Luz?"

"Sheʼs out of the intensive care. She's been sleeping since you left," Viney answered.

"No surprise here. They both must be exhausted," Danielle said worriedly.

"Mmmmnnngghhhhh…" A sudden moaning growl erupted Amity's throat.

"Shit," Viney whispered, lowering her voice further.

"¿Cariño?" Danielle asked, noticing the gold eyes fluttering, "Did we wake you?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Mmm, yeah," Amity answered groggily. Her eyes roamed the room before she winced in discomfort, "What happened? Where's Luz?" She asked, trying to sit up. Her hands were too weak, making her fall to the pillow.

"Easy, Cariño," Danielle jumped at the witch, helping her up, securing her back against the pillows, "Luz is safe, sleeping downstairs. You fainted, and you've been asleep for the past–" She paused to look at the clock, "Fourteen hours or so," She said.

"I feel like shit," Amity admitted sheepishly.

"Headache?" Viney asked, sitting on the side of the bed. Amity nodded sheepishly, "Do you want me to get you something?"

"No," The young witch replied sternly, "Iʼm not ready…" She added, sending Danielle a shameful glance.

"It's okay, Cariño. If you change your mind, just tell me," Danielle whispered, taking hold of the smaller, pale hand.

"Don't you have a home or girlfriend to return to?" Amity tried to tease.

"Oh, Eda's downstairs watching over Luz," Viney informed, "Youʼre both fine. Just rest, and I'll see you at breakfast," She added, standing up, "I, for one, have a wife to return to," She teased.

"Goodnight," Danielle said, smiling at the Healer.

"Um, Viney?" Amity looked up at her sister-in-law, making her stop mid-step, "Thank you… For everything," She whispered. The Healer smiled widely.

"Youʼre very welcome, Amity," Viney replied, "Now sleep," She added and left the studio.

Danielle helped Amity back under the covers. The pointy ears fluttered when the golden eyes roamed the tan face above her. The human smiled warmly, recalling how she tucked Luz like that when she was younger. At the same time, the witch realized no one had ever done that for her.

Danielle noticed the grateful but terrified look in the witch's eyes and immediately understood everything. The human caressed the mauve hair before lowering herself to leave a delicate peck on the lavender crown.

"Sleep well, Cariño," Danielle whispered, "I'll be right here if you need me," She added. Her warm smile never faltered while the witch looked like she wanted to say something.

"Te quiero, Mamá," Amity whispered. She could not believe how easy it was for her to say that. Even though her racing heart disagreed with her.

"Te quiero también, Mija," Danielle replied, feeling the warmth of motherly love filled her heart.

She took her place in the chair from where she could see her daughter sleep. The human could have sworn she had seen tears escaping the gold eyes, moistening the pale cheeks. She could not react as sleep cut off her surroundings. Danielle was unaware of how tired she really was.

Amity was relieved that her arm was already missing an IV when she woke up. She groaned in discomfort, and, with Luz in mind, she rolled out of bed to slowly prepare for the day. She knew she slept well but still was weaker than she would want to.

"Buenos días, Cariño," Danielle chirped, greeting her daughter when the sleepy Heiress entered the kitchen.

"¿Mamá?" Amity asked dumbfoundedly. She blinked rapidly and noticed her sister and Viney sitting by the dining table. At the same time, the human stirred something on the stove, "¿Qué está pasando?"

"I told you we need to learn this human language," Viney snickered, making Emira giggle.

"S-sorry," Amity apologized when she realized she mixed languages, "I asked, what's going on?" She explained.

"I'm making breakfast, Cariño," Danielle said softly, "Sit down and relax," She added, but Amity did not move an inch.

"Come on, Mittens," Emira approached her sister, guiding her to one of the seats, "Your Mamá was kind enough to feed us," She said, returning to her seat. Amity blushed at the note of the woman's role in her life.

"Thank you, Mamá," Amity whispered. Her slanted ears fluttered at the strange warmth that Danielle's smile gave her.

"No hay problema, Cariño," The human replied, bringing a pot to the table.

Three more plates soon complemented the pot, and the intense smell filled the Healer's living quarters. Amity felt her stomach ramble and her mouth water. She did not know how pupils dilated in her eyes.

"Oh, wow! What's all that?" Viney asked, eyeing the plates and the pot curiously.

"¡Los Tres Golpes!" Amity exclaimed excitedly.

She grabbed the plate and rushed to help herself. Deafening silence froze her mid-movement. The Heiress anxiously looked around. Viney and Emira stared at her in shock while Danielle smiled warmly at her daughter.

"S-sorry…" Amity returned to her seat, lowering her head in shame.

"Cariño, don't apologize," The human reassured.

"You haven't eaten much in the past three days, Mittens," Emira added, smiling at her sister, offering her the food.

Amity helped herself hesitantly. She could not stop her reactions when she started eating, cursing, and moaning in delight. Viney followed her example. However, she was able to keep her satisfaction to herself. Emira and Danielle smiled, watching the youngest witch.

"I'm glad you like it, Cariño," The human said, joining the witches at the table.

"Like it?! I love it!" Amity exclaimed, helping herself to another portion, "It's so much better than what Luz prepared in Gravesfield," She added, munching down with fervor.

"Thatʼs probably because I had to use what I had here, and you're more used to the Demon Realm tastes," Danielle explained, earning a questioning look, "Thatʼs a griffin egg, spider-demon cheese, and troll meat salami," She explained, and Amity shook her head in disbelief.

"I can't believe how easy it was for you to adjust your recipes to our ingredients," The Heiress said with a smile.

"You want to hear some more good news?" Emira asked, glancing at Danielle knowingly.

"Sure," Amity replied excitedly. She was unsure whether she would enjoy the news, but her sister's expression helped her remain calm.

"Youʼre back to full health," Viney butted in. Emira's expression faded, shocked by the sudden topic change.

"Wh-what?" Amity asked, not knowing what the Healer had in mind. Viney grinned, seeing how her sister-in-law blushed.

"You heard me," The brunette witch said, "I feel confident that I can officially clear you," She explained. Amity's slanted ears were covered in crimson blush, "I examined you yesterday. If you can keep one of the most concentration-demanding Healing Spells for three days straight with no damage to your bile sac, then I have no reason to not clear you," She added.

"Um…" Amity did not know what to say.

Her brain felt fuzzy. She had so long lived in fear of never returning to full health that she did not know how to react to hearing the information she longed for. Viney glanced at Danielle knowingly.

"Cariño," The human addressed her daughter, "You will find Luz's breakfast on the heater–" She paused, seeing how Amity immediately shot to her feet, snatching the container and rushing out of the living quarters.

"Make good choices!" Viney called behind the younger witch, giggling at the Heiress's reaction.

"Viney, what the hell?!" Emira asked furiously, "This was the perfect moment–"

"Was it?" Her wife interrupted, confusing the other women, "Luz isn't here, and she's family, too," She added, "Iʼm sure Amity would want her here too. This is life-changing news, you know," She said, snatching another piece of salami. Emira blinked dumbfoundedly.

"Uuugh! Fine!" The green-haired witch groaned in agreement, "Let's just tell her before I get so big we won't have to tell her at all," She added, earning a giggle from Danielle.

"Let's just prepare a family dinner and make the perfect moment," Danielle said, amused with Emira's expression.

The witches shared a shocked look. How could neither of them think about it? They did not know. Either way, they were glad the human woman came into Amityʼs life and shared her motherly wisdom.

Amity rushed to the first floor, knowing where she would find her fiancée. She could not stop replaying Viney's words in her head. She was finally cleared.

"How do I tell Luz? I don't want to sound needy…" Amity thought, "Oh, but I am needy," She admitted, feeling a delicate shiver pass her back.

The witch opened the door, and her excited expression faded. Willow sat by the Clinic bed where the human rested. Luz smiled warmly but tiredly. She was still pale and weak, but at least she was finally lucid and conscious.

"I'll… Share the news once the time is right," Amity thought. She smiled and entered the room.

"Good morning, Luz," The witch greeted her fiancée, smiling warmly, "Hi, Willow," She added, noting the smile her friend had sent her.

"Amity!" Luz exclaimed joyfully.

"Blight," Willow whispered, smirking mischievously, "I'll let you two catch up," She added, taking her leave, "Good to see you feel better," She whispered, addressing the Heiress on her way out, not giving her a chance to reply.

"Luz!" Amity squeaked, blushing deeply, greeting her fiancée.

"Are you acting weird, or am I still sick?" Luz asked, squinting her eyes suspiciously.

"I'm fine! Shut up! I mean, sorry!" Amity panicked, "I brought your breakfast," She added, taking a seat the Willow just left, "Danielle prepared–"

"¡Los Tres Golpes!" Luz exclaimed, snatching the container from the witch's hands, "Yes, yes, yes!" She ranted, grabbing the fork that slipped her hand. Amity chuckled slightly.

"Easy, Hermosa," The witch smirked flirtatiously, "Youʼre still weak. Let me help you," She added, pulling her chair closer and helping Luz eat.

"Titan, that's so good!" The human exclaimed, gesturing to Amity to feed her faster.

"Easy, Luz," The witch giggled, glad her fiancée regained her appetite.

"I haven't eaten in days, Baby," Luz argued, sending her trademark puppy dog pout.

"And I'll get you more if you want," Amity assured with a slight chuckle, "But please take it easy," She added more sternly.

"Willow told me she postponed our celebration to the end of this week because of the accident," Luz said when she was slowly getting full. Amity helped her with a sip of the herbal tea, "It's actually perfect because it would be after Gus's first exams, so we can all go out," She added. The witch smiled, wiping her fiancée's face.

"Let's get you outta here first, okay? You really scared me, Luz," Amity admitted. Her expression faded.

"I'm sorry for scaring you–"

"It's not your fault," Amity interrupted, "The chimera was scared," She said.

"I know," Luz took hold of the pale hand, "Willow told me that Harvey was expelled for that stunt," She added. The pointy ears slanted as the witch looked aside, "Youʼre worried he will blame you for that, aren't you?"

"Yeah…" Amity admitted, "He was always hostile toward me, but something has changed since my return," She added, worried about what the man might have planned for them.

"Let's worry about that once the problem arises, okay?" Luz proposed, knowing her fiancée would overthink the situation.

"I'll try," Amity agreed sheepishly.

"Come on, Blight. Humor me," Luz giggled, trying to change the subject and lighten the mood, but the Healer entering the room interrupted their conversation.

"Good morning, Luz," Emira greeted her patient, "How do you feel today?" She asked, approaching the bed. Amity used this as an opportunity to clean after breakfast.

"Much better, thank you," The human replied politely.

"I see you have regained appetite–"

"Thatʼs an understatement," Amity whispered, interrupting her sister's question. Emira giggled, letting her know her comment was audible. "Sorry," The Heiress added sheepishly.

"No, don't apologize," The Healer said, smiling in amusement, "Iʼm happy Luz is feeling well enough to blush this intensely," She added.

"Em!" Luz covered her face, "Don't point that out," She said, muttering from underneath her palms.

"Alright, alright," Emira lifted her hands defensively, "Iʼm done teasing," She promised, "Can I check your vitals, Luz?" She asked. The human let her hands down, looking at the Healer dumbfoundedly.

"Isn't Viney my assigned Healer?" Luz asked, "Not that I have a problem with you being my Healer," She quickly added, realizing how that sounded, "Iʼm just confused," She said, glancing at Amity, who looked just as perplexed.

"Yeah, I'm confused, too, Em," The Heiress admitted.

"It's a new approach we came up with a few months ago," Emira said, sitting by the bed, "We're implementing the pilot program here, and if the results are positive, the Healing Coven may encourage other Clinics to follow our example," She explained, confusing the women further.

"Em," Luz raised her hand, "You didn't tell us what the approach is," She pointed out. Emira snorted.

"Dang, sorry," The Healer laughed at her forgetfulness, "We're implementing the Human Realm approach. Each Healer would focus on one, maximum two, specialties," She said.

"Ooooooh," Amity and Luz said in unison.

"Viney wanted to stay in intensive care, loving the thrill of the complicated procedures," Emira continued, "And since I have a lot of administrative work, I decided to focus on regular care where I can make the final decision if a patient is ready to be discharged," She explained and smiled at the human, "So, do you mind if I see whether you're ready to go home?" She asked, standing up.

"Sure," Luz replied, lying on her bed, facing the ceiling.

Emira drew a spell circle and directed it at the human's chest. Luz's breathing hitched momentarily before she relaxed again. The Healer manipulated the spell, guiding it toward the head and limbs before finally dropping it.

"Normally, I would keep you another night for observation, but since we're living together, I think you're safe to go home," Emira said with a smile.

"Awesome!" Luz exclaimed with glee.

"But take it easy for a day or two," The Healer warned, "You just had your first meal, so give yourself a day or two before picking up a fight with someone, okay?" She teased.

"No promises," The human replied, returning the sentiment.

"Oh, I'll make sure of that, Clawthorne," Amity butted in, "Iʼm sick of seeing you hurt," She added. Luz gulped nervously, seeing her fiancée's gaze, "Don't give me that look. I know it wasn't your fault. I just want you to be safe," She added. Luz smiled warmly at that confession.

"Well, I'll leave you to it," Emira felt it was her cue to leave, "See you at dinner," She added, leaving the room and returning to her other duties.

Amity sat beside her fiancée and took hold of the tan hand. She kissed the knuckles before looking at Luz. The witch smiled slightly. Her expression softened, and her ears relaxed.

"I'm sorry, Luz," Amity whispered sheepishly, "I didn't mean to sound like a bitch," She said.

"You didn't," Luz assured, "You sounded like someone who's worried her fiancée won't become her wife," She added, smiling cockily, rolling the engagement on the witchʼs finger, "Princess," The human teased. Amity snorted, unable to hide her amusement.

"Dork," The Heiress could not keep a straight face, "Let's get you out of here," She proposed, and Luz could not be happier to return to the studio.

The next day, Amity was grateful to wake up beside her fiancée. She snuggled close, reveling in the warmth the other body offered. The witch purred loudly, clenching her fists on Luz's pajama shirt.

"Missed me that much?" The human groaned teasingly, slowly waking up.

"Don't ask stupid questions, Clawthorne," Amity replied, burying her face in the crook of the tan neck, inhaling the familiar scent, "I want to wake up by your side until the last of my days, so yeah…" The witch left a delicate bite on the warm neck, "I missed you," She added, giggling.

"I missed you, too," Luz replied, facing the witch and pulling her into a delicate kiss, "Future Missus Clawthorne," She added. Amity smiled so widely that the human believed she had never seen her so joyful.

"Oh, I love the sound of that," Amity squealed and assaulted her fiancée with a shower of kisses.

"Really?" Luz pulled away, eyeing the witch questioningly, "Are you sure you don't want to keep the name?" She asked, ensuring Amity was certain.

"I want the Blight name to die with my birth giver, Luz," The Heiress confirmed sternly, "I donʼt want to have anything to do with it. It only caused me, you, and everyone else pain," She added.

"Okay," Luz nodded, sensing how determined her fiancée was, "I just wanted to make sure since–"

"I'm sure, Luz," Amity reassured, interrupting and kissing the full lips, "We may be young, and my brain has been fried since I was a kid, but I was never so sure of anything before," She added, kissing the human repeatedly between her reassurance.

"Okay," Luz replied, returning the kiss. She noticed Amity had been less restrictive in her affections than she was in the past months. Still, she chose to ignore it for now, "Iʼm glad," She added, "Do you think we should get to the Academy and check your exam results?" She smoothly changed the topic.

"Mine? What about yours?" The witch pulled away, and she arched her eyebrow in question.

"Oh, I failed the practical," Luz replied, sitting up and stretching her limbs. A loud pop was followed by a slight groan of relief when the human's shoulder returned to its socket.

"Are you sure about that? Did Professor Jenkinsmeyer tell you that?" Amity asked, not hiding her disbelief.

"Well, no, but–"

"No buts, Luz," The witch interrupted, "Let's get to the Academy and see for yourself," She added. Amity removed herself from the bed and prepared a fresh set of clothes for herself before realizing her fiancée was still immobile, eyeing her every move, "Are you coming?" She asked worriedly.

"Huh?" Luz blinked rapidly, clearly snapped out of her thoughts, "Yes, sorry. I got distracted by the beautiful goddess of my future wife," She added flirtatiously, wiggling her brows playfully. Amity snorted in amusement, grabbing fresh underwear for Luz.

"Dork," She threw the garment at the human, giggling at the dumbfounded expression.

"Oh, no, you didn't," Luz whispered, faking anger.

The human jumped out of the bed and chased Amity to the bathroom, assaulting her in a delicate tickle attack. The witch laughed and writhed in the firm hold before pulling Luz into a fierce kiss. They could not believe how long it had been since they enjoyed the serenity of a simple, calm, painless morning.

Amity and Luz decided to stroll to the Academy after breakfast. They were happy, feeling they were finally on the path to the happiness they dreamt of for so long.

"Here goes nothing," Luz muttered once they approached the Dean's office.

The human stiffened nervously. She corrected the position of the beanie on her head, tugged her bangs, and approached the result board. Amity was right beside her since the Abomination Engineering results were exactly beside the Beast Keeping.

"What the hell!?" Luz exclaimed in shock. The witch hovered above her shoulder and grinned proudly, resting her chin on the taller body.

"Congrats!" Amity exclaimed. The witch was equally surprised and proud, seeing that her fiancée received the top score, "What does that asterisk mean?" She asked. Luz touched the list, and her finger trailed to the bottom of the page.

"See the Professor," The human read aloud, "Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough. How's your exam?" She faced the witch.

"Pff," Amity waved her hand dismissively, "Top result, duh," She grabbed Luz's hand and guided her to the Hexside Stables, "I recreated my Scambler's engine and finished with thirty minutes to spare," She said, smiling widely. The human shook her head in amusement.

They chatted about bringing the Human Realm technology into the Boiling Isles the entire walk to the stables. They paused, their jaws dropping in shock when they saw Professor Jenkinsmeyer helping Danielle approach the ratworm.

"What…?" Luz gasped.

"The hell?" Amity finished her thought.

"Excellent, Miss López," Professor praised.

Luz and Amity approached the beast run. They shared an amused glance before leaning on the fence and watching the older human approach the slimy, wriggling beast. Danielle was a natural. Despite the feral hisses, the ratworm obeyed the doctor's every command.

"Thatʼs it, Miss López!" The Professor encouraged, "Now, guide her back to her box," She added, and Danielle did just that, "Ah, Miss Clawthorne!" Miss Jenkinsmeyer exclaimed, noticing the young couple, "Iʼm so glad to see you feeling better," She added, approaching her student.

"Thank you, Professor," Luz entered the run, leaving Amity leaning by the fence, "I wondered about the exam results," She explained.

"Oh, yes! You probably wonder about the top result," The Professor greeted the human.

"Un, yeah! I failed disastrously–"

"Miss Clawthorne," Miss Jenkinsmeyer interrupted sternly.

"Oh, I'm gonna enjoy that," Amity thought. A grin appeared on her face.

"Oh, that's gotta be good," Danielle's whisper startled the Heiress.

"Mamá, don't scare me like that," Amity giggled at her reaction.

"Sorry, Cariño," Danielle whispered, leaning briefly on the younger woman playfully before they refocused on Luz and the Beast Keeping Professor.

"You didn't fail because you presented more knowledge and hands-on experience than any other student, Miss Clawthorne," The Professor continued sternly.

"B-but…" Luz tried to argue, but the way the Beast Keeper glared at her made her cower like a naughty child caught stealing candy.

"You were surprised by an unpredictable scenario. One that endangered your life," Miss Jenkinsmeyer explained, "You presented perfect knowledge of Beast Keeping and Healing. How you immediately tied a tourniquet, lifted an injured leg to keep the ankle below your heart level… If someone were not impressed by this, they sure as hell should check if we watched the same exam," She concluded, making a point Luz could not argue with.

"Um…" Luz stammered.

"Congratulations, Miss Clawthorne. You became the first student in five years to maintain the top of the class for three semesters in a row," The Professor concluded. Amity and Danielle giggled at Luz's shocked expression.

"Wait," Clawthorne suddenly straightened herself, "Five years?" She exclaimed confusedly. The Professor sent her a look.

"I'm not THAT old to remember Gwendolyn Clawthorne, and your mother was never officially a Beast Keeping student," Miss Jenkinsmeyer said, smiling slightly, amused with Luz's expression, "I meant Viney Dorch. She was one of the best I have ever taught… Too bad she got sucked into the Healing Magic," She said, sending Amity a slight glance, "Between us, I think it was because of that other Blight girl," She said, making Luz giggle. The human never expected to gossip with her Professor like this.

"You keep my sister out of it!" Amityʼs sudden exclamation shocked Miss Jenkinsmeyer.

"Oh, wow," The Professor whispered in awe, "So it's true that the Wild Witches' hearing is impeccable–"

"How did you…?" Luz tried to ask. She paused when she noticed Amity approach them. She did not look happy anymore.

"Easy, Miss Blight," Professor Jenkinsmeyer stepped back, seeing how the Heiress's expression hardened.

"Why would you call me a Wild Witch?" Amity demanded to know. Danielle quickly joined them in the run.

"Miss Blight," The Beast Keeper chuckled grimly, "Anyone who's not totally cut from the natural order has seen how you broke the delicate balance of nature. The storm you created was enchanting," She added with too much excitement to Amityʼs liking. The Heiress barely contained her growl, "Miss Blight, I taught your brother when your mother was not looking. I know other Wild Witches, but your father's line is very potent," She said. Suddenly, she grinned and glanced playfully at Luz, "Keep that in mind, Miss Clawthorne," She addressed the human, making her blush.

"Professor!" Luz exclaimed, her voice rising embarrassingly.

"Come on, Luz," Danielle laughed, "You want to get married, so it's nothing–" She paused when she realized a delicate fuchsia glow appeared beside her.

Everyone smirked slightly, realizing Amity was surrounded by an uncontrollable swirl of her magic. Her face was covered with a deep crimson blush. Luz could not help but grin when she realized how flustered her fiancée became, thinking about having a human-witch offspring.

"Cariño, are you okay?" Danielle asked her daughter, worried how the usually composed woman was not the one to easily lose control of her magic.

"I'm fine!" Amity squeaked a reply. She cleared her throat, took a deep breath, and her aura died, "Forgive me for attacking you, Miss Jenkinsmeyer. I did not think that to some people–" She paused, feeling overwhelmed and ashamed.

"Miss Blight, there's nothing wrong with having a genetically stronger connection to the Titan," The Professor reassured, "Yes, in the modern world, it can be challenging to fit in, but you can achieve extraordinary things," She added. Amity looked aside in shame, recalling how her mother conditioned her to behave according to the social standards. She clenched her tunic nervously, and her ears sanded in shame, "Oh…" The Beast Keeper instantly understood everything, "Maybe you should talk with someone like you?" She offered. Amity looked back up questioningly.

"Like whom?" Amity asked, her voice shaking anxiously.

"Um…" The Professor smirked, "How about you start with your future mother-in-law?" She winked knowingly.

"Eda's a Wild Witch?" Danielle asked curiously.

"She does have an insane amount of power," Luz noted, "Though, I never thought about it that way," She said, realizing she never took an interest in her motherʼs abilities too much.

"Um, thanks," Amity muttered sheepishly, "Sorry for attacking you like that," She added, but the Professor dismissed her with a hand wave.

"With everything you've been through, Miss Blight," Miss Jenkinsmeyer said, "It's fully understandable," She softly added. She watched the young witch before her, how she nervously clenched her tunic, "You know," The Professor suddenly changed the topic, sending Danielle a knowing gaze, "I was supposed to inspect the new beast litter, and I could use a Healer at that," She added, "Would you all like to a accompany me?" She added.

"Oh, can we, Amity?" Luz looked at the witch with eyes glimmering in excitement.

"Mija, please," Danielle joined her ward.

Amity looked at the pair of humans looking at her with puppy dog eyes that they knew she could not resist. The Heiress scoffed, rolling her eyes in amusement before extending her hand. Ghost materialized out of nowhere and immediately took her staff shape.

"Let's go," Amity agreed, smiling softly and making Luz and Danielle squeal joyfully.

After everything they had been through, this was the most mundane and serene afternoon they had. It could not have been better. Luz and Amity bonded further with Danielle while simultaneously helping the older human gain a friend in the Professor.

It was perfect.

AN2:

So what do you think? I'm looking forward to your comments. Whether they are positive or negative. Share your thoughts :)

Now, we're getting to the chapters that I was writing right before my depression was so bad I finally started taking my medicine again.

That means these chapters are only partially written. Some plot points are missing, so I might need time to write and edit.

But I'm feeling better now, so I hope you won't have to wait another month for an update :)