Chapter 15
Amity POV:
I awaken to a light room, filled with sunlight streaming in through an open window. There is an emptiness about this room, and far too quiet. I can hear steady breathing somewhere beside me, and the blanket that is draped over my chest rises and falls with every intake of breath. My eyes open quickly, the image of Serena standing over me still haunting my mind.
Bringing a hand to my head, I am suddenly aware of the gentle breath on my neck, the weight of an arm wrapped around my stomach. Looking down, I see brown ribbons wrapping the pillow beside me like a present, soft pink lips slightly parted, letting out quiet breaths. The last fragments of my memory feel like a blur, and with Luz sleeping soundly beside me, I almost convince myself it was a dream. Almost.
Every part of me aches, and I feel as though I have been drained entirely of my energy. Despite this, there is a certain sense of freedom about me, and I can’t feel Belos’ control over me anymore. I try to shift slightly, but my muscles ache, screaming for me to lie still. Luz stirs beside me, but does not wake, instead gripping onto my shirt with her fist as she sleeps.
It’s a strange feeling, laying beside her. I can’t deny that I have pictured this moment a thousand times over in my head while she’s been gone, but I never could have imagined it would feel like this.
Sunlight pours from the open window, lighting up the whole room. I assume it’s late morning. Allowing myself to rest for a moment, and not wanting to disturb Luz, I take a long look around the room.
Small lights hang on strings across the ceiling, bringing a homely feeling to the otherwise empty room. I remember Luz hanging up similar lights in our den in the library a couple of years ago. She said they were a human thing, called fairy lights. I told her I liked that name.
A small backpack sits opposite the window, overflowing messily with clothes and books. I recognise the cover of Azura immediately. My mind floods with memories from all the Azura book club meetings Luz and I attended together. I don’t mean to, but I find myself smiling at the memory.
The only other thing I can see from here is a small glass photo frame. Inside, it houses a photograph of Luz and who I can only assume is her mother, smiling at the camera with rosy cheeks. They look happy, more happy than I’ve ever seen her, and I can’t help missing that smile.
My train of thought only lasts a few moments before I feel movement beside me. Luz shifts her weight, propping herself up onto her elbows. She watches me for a moment, a worried expression etched onto her face. After the moment is over, she lets out a soft sigh, bringing a hand up to play with my hair. I don’t think she has realised yet that I’m awake.
“Hey,” I say, which is so incredibly witty, feel free to applaud my genius anytime you want to. She jumps back with a cry of surprise, the hand that was in my hair now clasped over her chest. As she tumbles off the edge of the bed, the blanket that was draped over the both of us tangles between her legs.
“Lo siento!” she exclaims, a sheepish smile crossing her face. “I thought you were sleeping.”
I offer her a comforting smile, not quite having the energy to turn my body to face her. Taking that as an invitation, she gets up from the floor, positioning herself at a distance on the edge of my feet.
I feel the gap between us immediately, and miss the feeling of her hands in my hair, her weight against me, her breath on my skin. As I listen to her voice, I try to shake away the thoughts clouding my mind and the butterflies tickling my stomach.
“How are you feeling?” she asks, her voice soft. She reaches out a hand to me but hesitates, bringing it back into her lap.
I shrug, unsure what to say. “I’ve been better.”
She nods slowly, looking a little lost. An awkward silence passes between us as we both search for something to say.
“You’ve been out for three days.” she tells me eventually.
That surprises me.
I have so many questions, but I’m not sure Luz will know the answers. I’m not sure what to say. I want to know where I am, the Owl House, I suppose, but how did I get here? Where is Serena? Is she okay? Why hasn’t the Emperor sent troops to come look for me? Have my siblings called? Are my parents worried about me?
Probably not.
Instead, I settle for a more open question.
“What...happened?”
Luz blinks back at me, her dark eyes clouded over. “You don’t remember?” She moves quickly towards me, touching my forehead with the back of her hand. She’s muttering under her breath in a language I can’t understand. “Eda said this might happen.”
I catch her wrists, looking her in the eyes. She’s panicking, I know it, I just don’t know how to calm her down. “Luz,” I say slowly, “what’s going on? What did Eda say would happen?”
Luz swallows, hard, sitting back on the bed. She pulls her hands away from me, instead running them through her messy brown hair. “She said you might forget some stuff.” she sighs, flopping down onto her back, her arms stretched out over the blanket. “We had to use some pretty strong magic to get you back, and she said the side effects could be dangerous.”
“Wait,” I say, trying to process what she is telling me. “Get me back? From where?”
Finding a slight surge of energy, I sit up as much as I can, leaning forward until I can see Luz’ face again. She sits up too, bringing her eyes up to meet mine. Now that my view has changed, I notice for the first time the bandage that is wrapped around Luz’ ankle. She wears a deep cut on her cheek like a battle scar and looks tired, just a little washed out. Everything just keeps getting stranger.
“How much do you remember?”
“Bits and pieces.” I say, with an unsure smile. “Maybe you could fill in the gaps?”
With a deep breath, she begins to speak. “Emperor Belos was controlling you with this special kind of magic that makes you forget who you are. His grip on you was pretty strong, but Eda and I managed to sever it.” She looks up at me, her eyes laced with guilt. “There’s only one problem, though.”
“What’s the problem?” I ask, not quite drawing the line.
She eyes me for a moment, trying to find the right words. I can tell from her face that whatever she is trying to say isn’t good. I look up with surprise as she scoops my hand into hers, squeezing gently.
“The spell took your magic away.”