Chapter One
Luz POV:
This can’t be happening. This can’t be real. For a long moment, it seems as though all hope is lost for our hero. As fate dangles her over the edge of the cliff, Azura knows she has lost. Her eyes are wide, heart racing as she watches the rocks tumble from the cave walls around her. It’s only a matter of time until one strikes her down. Nothing can save her now.
“Mi querida, are you listening to me?”
I glance up from my book quickly to meet the disapproving eyes of my mother. She’s wearing her scrubs, phone clutched in her hand which is placed firmly on her hips.
I shift slightly on the sofa, closing the book between my fingers. A gentle sigh escapes her lips. She’s not mad, I know, just tired. The dark rings around her eyes make her look years older than she is, a fact that stabs me with guilt. I should help out more, I know. Motherly pride stops her from asking for it, but I know she needs my help more often than I think.
I left the Boiling Isles to be with her, and now I feel so guilty about going back there. I miss my friends; I miss Eda and little King. Letters from the Owl House weren’t enough to quench my thirst for the adventures the Boiling Isles offered me. I have to be there again, and I wish more than anything my mother could come with me so we wouldn’t have to be apart again. Still, I think she understands. I’ll come back to visit. She might even be better off without me around all the time.
“You’re going to be late.” Her soft tone pulls me away from my thoughts and makes my stomach flip all at once. “Have you finished packing your bag?”
“Yes.” I lie. She gives me an uncertain look and I let a soft chuckle escape my lips. She knows me so well. My mind is a mess as I stagger to my feet, placing a soft kiss on her cheek before making my way to the stairs. Three bounds are all it takes to reach the top of the stairs, as my legs are longer than they were two summers ago. I wonder if everyone else has grown up too. It’s hard to imagine Gus any taller than the young student used to be, but I suppose two years is a long time, when you think about it. Letters from the Owl House confirm to me that Amity has grown up considerably and blossomed into the brightest witch at Hexide. I can’t say that surprises me. What did surprise me though is when her letters began to wane to the point when I stopped receiving them all together. Willow stopped mentioning her in her own letters and Eda never brought it up. Maybe she’s glad that I left.
A cloud of doubt fogs my mind, an unwelcome reminder that I’ll never truly belong in their world. Humans can’t do magic, but that won’t stop me trying.
My room is a little messier than I would like to leave it, but I don’t have time to tidy up. I shrug, tossing my book onto my desk and grabbing my half-packed duffle bag from my bed. It’s heavier than I remember, so I tip the contents out over my bed. Among the mess of clothes and books, I catch sight of something shiny. Curious now, I reach out to take the item. It’s a frame, glass and wood, with my name etched into the edge. An old photo of my mother and I smiling, the sunlight pouring around us, sits proudly in the frame. I can almost hear our giggles through the glass, almost feel the cold wind turning our cheeks pink. Almost.
The memory leaves me with a pained smile on my face, as I place my mother’s gift back into the bag with care. The rest of my clothes follow, as well as all six of my Azura books. The 6th one came out last year. I wonder if Amity read it.
Satisfied with my packing, I grab my bag and head back towards the door. I hesitate, catching sight of my reflection in the mirror on my wall. Tucking my hair underneath my beanie, I take in my reflection. I’m so much more grown up than the last time I was in the Boiling Isles, yet I still carry the same childlike wonder. My hair is longer now, as is the rest of me. My fingers grip around the edges of my flannel shirt, tugging on the hem. I hope my friends will be as glad to see me as I am. I shoot myself finger guns as a laugh escapes my lips.
You got this.
“Luz!” My mother’s voice calls me from downstairs. “There’s a little brown bird at the door! I’m guessing he’s here for you.”
I can’t help but laugh at my mother’s cluelessness, at the absurdity of the situation, and for nerves. It’s actually happening. I’m going back home.
“Luz!” She sounds a little disturbed, but she’s laughing. “He won’t stop staring at me!”
My feet echo through the house as I race down the stairs. As I skid around the corner, I see my mother trying to have a staring contest with Owlbert, and failing. I chuckle, placing a kiss onto her cheek.
“Thank you for the gift, mamá.” I whisper into her ear. She smiles as she shoos me out of the door. Laughing again, I follow Owlbert out onto the street.
“Te quiero!” My mother calls after me. I turn back to see her standing in the doorway and blow her a kiss. She catches it.