Chapter 22
Luz POV:
The Coven Building is beautiful, and far bigger than I remember. The large white building is decorated with golden strips, easily four stories high, with large stone towers towards the back. The sun is still rising over the roof, and the setting feels like something from one of my Azura books.
“This is it, kid.” Eda tells me. “Are you ready?”
No, I’m not. I nod anyway.
With that, we start forward, the 7 of us moving towards the building with purpose.
Eda had appealed to Lilith for help taking down the Emperor. Her sister had insisted it was a suicide mission, doomed to fail, and claimed she wanted no part in it. That was until we told her about her student, Amity, who she had grown so fond of since they started training together two years ago. Now, Lilith stood by their side, ready for whatever they were about to face.
Gus and Willow agreed to the plan almost immediately. I warned them that it was a dangerous mission, and that they could get hurt, but that didn’t seem to matter to them. They had both grown so much stronger with their magic, and I have no doubts that they’ll be alright.
Boscha was less easy to convince. As Amity’s former best friend, I figured she would care a little more for the cause. She swayed only due to Willow’s plea, which I found strange but didn’t have time to question. With her, she brought Sasha, who just seems lost. I don’t think anyone actually filled her in on the plan, but that’s okay. A simple ‘don’t die’ is enough explanation.
The tall wooden doors swing open before we reach them, and Eda holds a hand up for us to stop. Cautiously, she pokes her head into the darkened hallway of the Coven.
“Hello?” she calls out into the darkness. “We’re here to see Belos.”
She is met with an unsettling silence. Turning back to us with a frown, she shrugs her shoulders.
“Well, if that’s it, maybe we should get going.” Boscha says, turning on her heels in the direction we came from. Willow catches her arm, pulling her back around to join us. She rolls all three of her eyes, but doesn’t protest further.
I step forward, ignoring Eda as she warns me not to enter the building. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, but when they do I scan the room for any signs of life. I find none. Stepping further into the room, I notice for the first time, several doors leading off from this hallway. I don’t know which one will take me to the Emperor, so I guess, turning sharply left and up the flight of stairs that protrude from the doorway.
“I suggest we split up, try to cover more ground.” I call back to the others who are still waiting outside.
Eda gives me a professional nod, turning right through another doorway. Gus follows suit, choosing his own door and Willow grabs Boscha’s hand before choosing the farthest door in the hallway to head down. I watch with a confused smile as Boscha’s cheeks flush red, mentally reminding myself to tease her for that later.
I move away from the doorway and up the stairs which twist and turn the higher I get. There are cracks in the rocks every now and then, and I peek through them to see how high up I’m getting. At first, I assume I must be heading up one of the towers, but when the stairs open up to a beautiful ballroom, I know I’m wrong.
What does the Emperor’s Coven need with a ballroom anyway?
The room is beautiful, decorated with purple and gold. A long wooden table is set up in the middle of the room decorated with golden silverware. Purple napkins are folded into different shapes in front of each place setting, and drapes of cloth hang from the wooden bars on the ceiling. As I lean back to admire them, I catch a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye. A green streak moving across a doorway that stands on the other side of the room.
“Amity?”
I move quickly, my feet carrying me towards the door, but as I skid through it into a well lit hallway, there is nothing there. No green haired witch in sight. I sigh, a little disappointed, following the direction of what I thought I saw.
It’s a little strange that I haven’t bumped into anyone yet, no guards, not the Emperor, no one. Maybe the others are having better luck. Nevertheless, there is only one thought on my mind; have no mercy. Just as I am about to round the corner, I stop, an instinct inside of me telling me not to move. Sure enough, I am right, as I hear muffled voices from further down the hallway.
“I don’t know, something about it just doesn’t feel right.”
It’s a man’s voice, low and menacing, yet edged with guilt.
“Oh, come now, Alador.” comes a woman’s voice. “You should be thankful our family has been blessed with such an honor.”
I take a step back as their voices get closer, searching for a place to hide. I choose a nearby doorway, slipping into the shadows as they round the corner. I recognize the shock of green hair the woman wears piled atop her head immediately; she must be a Blight. She wears a long skirt and a formal top, with golden jewelry decorating her features. The man, though slightly taller than the woman, looks a little afraid of her presence. He wears a burgundy suit with a cream scarf and a worried expression on his face. His hair is the most beautiful brown, similar to Amity’s natural color, and I wonder if this is her father.
“What if she gets hurt?” The man asks, a frown prominent on his face. “Magic this strong could kill her!”
“It won’t come to that.” the woman hisses, turning to face the man as she stops walking. “Just be glad someone in this family has done something good with their life. Our name is sinking further into the mud with every child of ours that runs away.” she sighs, bringing a hand to her head. “Honestly, what were you thinking letting Edric go off on his own like that? Now our name is in the mouth of everyone in town.”
The man swallows. “I was just trying to do what’s best for my children.”
“What’s best for them is that they maintain their place in society.” she says, pointing a finger at her husband. “Now that our Amity has polluted her mind with thoughts of that human girl, there’s no coming back from that.” she tells him, the words spitting from her mouth like venom. I peer around the corner, careful not to be seen, at the mention of Amity’s name. “She’ll never choose to come back with us now.”
“What are you saying?” Alador asks, his eyes wide with surprise.
“I’m saying,” the other witch says, irritation palpable in her tone, “that maybe it’s for the best if she doesn’t make it out of this alive. Consider her a sacrifice, for the good of the family.”
My feet stagger backwards into the dark room behind me. I can’t bear to hear anymore, I can’t bear it. My hands clutch around my stomach, perhaps as some kind of support. This is confirmation that Amity is still alive and safe, at least for now, and my mind is completely distracted with finding her. The Emperor will have to wait.