Chapter Three
Amity POV
Each line blurs into the next, a jumble of letters on the page. I blink quickly, shaking my head as I try again to read the words in front of me. My eyes droop as the lines blur all over again. I groan in annoyance, slamming the book shut. I just can’t concentrate. Bringing the cup to my lips, I take a sip of apple blood, the liquid waking me up a little. With another groan, I push my chair back, my boots stomping across the floorboards as I make my way to the window.
The sun hasn’t yet set over the horizon, and it casts a golden glow over the town. Between the trees stretching up into the sky, I can see the walls of Hexide school in all its glory, a subtle reminder that I should be studying. It’s been hard trying to keep up with my schoolwork as well as training with the Emperor’s Coven, but I can cope. My parents expect me to cope.
We all saw what happened to Edric when he refused to join the Coven.
I need some air.
Grabbing my jacket from the back of my chair, I head for the door. It shuts quietly behind me as I shove my arms into the sleeves. Soft guitar music greets me as I walk past Emira’s room. The rest of the house is cloaked in darkness, as it often is. My footsteps echo through the otherwise silent house as I make my way down the stairs. I’m almost at the front door, reaching for the handle, when my father’s voice makes me freeze.
“Amity, is that you?”
I sigh quietly, retreating from the door and following my father’s voice into his study. He looks up when I enter. He looks worn, just as tired as I am. Towers of books surround him, organized neatly in rows on the shelves. The desk he sits behind carries papers on its back and faces the large window on the other side of the room.
“Where are you going?” He asks, as he takes his glasses off.
“For a walk. I wanted some air.” I don’t quite meet his eye, settling on the shelves behind his head for a better view.
He nods, rubbing his eyes with his forefinger and thumb. “Have you finished your studies?”
“Yes.” I lie. My hands fiddle in front of me nervously, as I silently beg for this conversation to end quickly.
He nods. “Very well. Be home before dark.”
I nod before turning back on myself and out of the door.
I regret leaving almost immediately, as the cold wind stings my cheeks. Still, it’s too late to turn back now. Wrapping my arms around my chest, I begin walking towards the woods, finding some kind of comfort in the fortress the trees provide against the wind. Despite being out of the house, I still can’t help but think about the work I should be doing. I want to be prepared for the initiation next week.
My footsteps slow to a halt as I come across the stream that weaves around the outskirts of town. The water flows quickly, dodging stones as it goes. Sitting down beside the bank, I take a moment to look around me at the beautiful scenery. I can see the mountains through the gaps in the trees and suddenly find myself reminiscing of a day I spent there. I was practicing magic up there with the twins when the Owl Lady and that human girl showed up. That actually turned out to be a pretty good day. The calendar in my mind keeps flicking through pages of memories that I’d almost forgotten. Dancing with Luz under the moon on Gromnight. Fixing Willow’s memories with her. Playing Grugby against Boscha. All the memories with her come flooding back to me. Still, it’s for the best that she went back to the human realm. She doesn’t belong here. And now that I’m part of the Emperor’s Coven, it would be my duty to take her back to the Emperor.
I don’t even realize I’m crying until I notice the ripples in the water caused by my tears. Standing up quickly, I wipe my face with the back of my hand. Blights don’t cry.
A shiver runs down my spine as a gust of wind brushes past my bare legs. I clutch my arms around my chest again, moving further into the woods. I walk blindly, my vision blurred with tears.
I know I shouldn’t have stopped writing to her, but letters seem pointless when I know I’ll never see her again. I might as well have been sitting there writing letters to the darkness and waiting for a response. You get to the point where it hurts too much, and you’ll do anything to be rid of the pain, even if it means hurting someone else. What they don’t know is that I’m terrified. I guess I was just scared of what people would say. I shouldn’t feel that way about her. I’m not allowed to love a human. Besides, love is irrelevant to people like me.
Lost in my own head, I don't notice the woods get darker and denser as the sun begins to fade away. Time to turn back. I stop, looking around. It takes a moment for the reality to sink in, but I am completely and utterly lost. A line of curses escapes my lips as I shiver again. Every tree looks the same, and I have no idea which direction I came from. I frown with worry, as the night air whistles around me, taunting me.
By the time I find my way home now, it will be way past dark. As I start down the path in where I hope is the right direction, I send a silent prayer to the twins. I know they’ll get the backlash of my parent’s anger when they find out I'm late home. It’s been hard enough for Emira having to leave her twin behind to join the Coven. She took it harder than me. I think that’s because I was scared of her grief. It seemed so much bigger than mine, and I was afraid it would overtake me.
A noise from the other side of a line of bushes startle me back to reality. Who knows what kind of creatures are lurking in the dark woods? I slink back against a nearby tree, peering around the edge to see what is making the noise. A flash of green movement feeds my curiosity, leaving it hungry for more. I step forward, causing a branch to snap under my foot. My breath catches in my throat as whatever it is goes silent. Summoning a ball of fire, I prepare to fight it off.
“Hello?” a voice calls out as relief washes over me.
“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” I step out from my hiding place, revealing myself to the person before me. Her hazel eyes blink up at me, her mouth hanging open at the sight of me. The green of her shirt compliments her dark hair perfectly. The round shape of her ears indicates that she’s an imposter in the Isles. She looks almost unrecognizable. I blink quickly, not quite believing what I’m seeing as I extinguish the flame in my hand. “Luz?”
She stands up in stunned silence, her eyes looking me up and down a few times. I suppose I look quite different now than I used to. My hair is still signaturely green, but longer and reaches almost to my waist. The choker around my neck, as well as the dark eyeliner that is no doubt smudged across my cheeks don’t exactly reflect the Little Miss Perfect she used to know. I’m taller too, I suppose, but I think Luz would be taller than me if we stood next to each other.
I can’t help but wonder how long she’s been here. What awful rumors has she heard about me? Does she know I joined the Emperor’s Coven?
In an attempt to save face, I turn on my signature scowl and turn my nose up in the air. “What are you doing here?”
She says nothing, just stands there with a perplexed look on her face. I can see it on her face; her reality is being ripped away from her and she knows it. “Amity?”
Her voice is small, her eyes wide and for a moment, I let down my guard. My arms uncross and I take another step towards her. “Yeah.”
She reaches out to me, but hesitates, choosing to put her arm back down at her side. “Wow. You look great. I mean...it’s good to see you.”
I try my best to swallow back the blush that tries to creep onto my cheeks. Although older, she’s still just as cute as she was before. I haven’t seen her in so long, and yet I could never forget the details of her face. I feel myself flush with anger for a moment. She’s the one who left. “So, what, you’re visiting the Owl Lady?”
“No.” she shakes her head. “I’m staying.”
Her words hit me, hard. She’s staying. She can’t stay here. She doesn’t belong here, especially now that the Emperor’s Coven will be looking for her. I shouldn’t even be talking to her. If Lilith found out, she’d be furious.
“You’re staying?”
She flashes me a smile that makes my heart flip as she nods and all at once, I forget how to breathe. The thought of seeing her every day gives me butterflies.
For a moment, we are both silent, just taking each other in, before she begins to speak.
“It feels like forever since I last saw you.”
“Two years.” I snap. “It’s been two years.”
She nods slowly. “I know.”
“Why didn’t you come visit?” My arms find their place, crossed over my chest again. “You didn’t even say goodbye.” Tears sting my eyes, threatening to cascade down my cheeks like a waterfall, but I keep my pride. I look away quickly.
“I know Am’.” Her voice breaks as she talks. “You stopped answering my letters. I thought you didn’t want to see me.” I feel her fingers grip around my arm. “I’m sorry.” I shake my arm free from her grip, looking her dead in the eye. Luz returns her gaze to the floor now, tugging on the hem of her shirt.
“Whatever.” I say, turning my back to her. “I have to get home. See you around, I guess.” I start back along the path, my boots snapping twigs and seeds underneath them. I don’t try and stop the tears that fall one by one down my cheeks. I don’t know who she is anymore. I should take her back to Lilith or the Emperor. It’s my duty. It’s my job. But I don’t.
For a moment, I think Luz is just going to let me leave, but she doesn’t.
“Amity, wait.”
I don’t.