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“Alright, you rascals, you’ve had dinner! Now calm down or I’ll make you!” Eda said, wiggling her fingers menacingly at Luz, Amity, and King.
“We’ll never calm down! Anarchy forever!” King yelled from his place standing on the back of the sofa. Luz and Amity were standing behind it on either side of him, ready to abandon their post at any time.
“You asked for it!” Eda said, lunging towards the couch with a laugh. The two girls shared a look. And with that, they pushed King towards Eda so they could get away.
“No! I’ve been sacrificed, by my own allies!”
“You don’t get off that easily, kid!” Luz heard Eda say before a bony arm was wrapped securely around her middle. A hand instantly started tickling her all over, making the girl laugh loudly, mixed with laughing pleas to stop, “King, get Amity. Avenge yourself!”
The demon let out a squeal that they recognized as his battle cry. Amity shrieked as she saw him running at her, turning and trying to get away from him. She was rapidly looking for a safe spot, almost losing hope. Then she noticed Lilith leaning against the doorframe wearing a smirk. Amity quickly ducked behind the woman, placing the witch between King and herself.
“Lilith, don’t let him get me!” She said breathlessly, laughing.
The woman didn’t say anything, but did as she was told. Everytime King attempted to slip past, she stepped into his way.
“Let me get her!” He demanded.
“I think not.”
“Eda, help me out here!”
Eda finally released Luz from where she’d trapped her, trying to do the same thing King had. Once again, Lilith blocked all attempts. The owl lady let out a frustrated huff before giving up.
“That’s it? Honestly, Edalyn… you didn’t even try!” Lilith teased, before surprising all of them and turning, catching Amity in a tickle trap as Eda had trapped Luz.
“No-o-o!! Lil-lil-i-i-th!” The green-haired witch cried in between bouts of laughter. Eventually, she took mercy, and released the girl.
“That was pretty clever, sis,” Eda laughed and wrapped an arm around her sister’s shoulder. They shared a fond look, before taking in the state of the room. Mainly, the people in it.
Amity was laying on the floor near the two witches, recovering from the vicious tickling she’d just experienced. Luz was doing the same on the other side of the room. And King plopped himself right down in the middle of the room, between the two, looking very pleased.
“Did you crazy kids learn your lesson?” Eda asked the three, but didn’t receive a response.
“I think they’re ignoring us, Eda, maybe we should continue with their punishment,” Lilith wiggled her fingers at Amity, who was closest, making the girl shriek again.
“No! No, we’re good! We understand!” Luz laughed.
“Good. The tickle monsters always win. Remember that,” The white-haired witch instructed with a smirk, “Now, what’s the plan? Bed? Or do you want to stay up until these two leave for home? It might be a while, Lily still has more stories to tell me.”
The three shared looks. They had a frighteningly accurate way of communicating just by looking at one another. It never ceased to creep Eda out, though Lilith was a little more used to it.
“We’ll hang out here while Lilith tells more stories.” Luz said, speaking for the group, as the other two nodded their heads.
“Alright, get comfy then.”
The three pulled pillows and blankets out, setting up in different places on the floor. Luz had pulled on her hoodie with the cat ears and wrapped her lower half in a blanket. She leaned against the couch, in the middle, so she could be next to both Amity and Eda. King had gathered all of his stuffed animals into a pile and laid down on top of them comfortably. And then Amity grabbed a pillow to sit on, leaning against the couch as well.
Lilith took her own blanket and draped it around Amity’s shoulders, making the girl look up at her gratefully. She then watched her sister twist and turn until she found a comfortable spot. And in response to her raised eyebrow, Eda gave her a thumbs up.
“While we’re much better now, Amity and I have had our share of… problems…”
The last bell of the day screamed out through the school, prompting all Hexside students to move from their classrooms excitedly. It was finally Friday. Two whole days with no lessons waited outside the school walls. For most, anyway. Amity Blight happened to be one of the exceptions to that rule. Not that she minded; it was one of her apprentice days with Lilith.
They had three days where Amity had her lessons. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. But to Amity, the Friday sessions were the best of them all. Since there was no school the next day, they weren’t limited by time. Each week, Lilith would lay out a plan for the lesson when they arrived at her home. It would contain a lot of practice spells for skills she was still working on, as well as one new one. They’d work through each spell carefully, finding amusement in the small fumbles that occurred. Like when Amity had gotten distracted and turned the woman’s finger into a very tiny abomination. Nothing made the two light up like their Friday lessons.
Though all of it paled in comparison to the break they took for dinner.
After a few hours of rigorous work, Lilith would disappear for fifteen minutes to prepare their meal. She would set out fine plates boasting bright nature scenes, accompanied by matching light green drink-ware. And before they sat down to eat, Lilith would let her pick what flowers to decorate the table with. She guessed that the dinner arrangement was probably normal for her mentor; but it made her feel like a princess.
The Blight family didn’t take dinner together. And they certainly didn’t allow any of their children to help in the instances where they did. Amity had become used to quiet, cold dinners of food she would find in the icebox. So when Lilith sat her down for a proper evening meal in her four-seasons room that first time, tears began to blur her vision.
Her mentor luckily hadn’t noticed the outburst of emotion when it happened. Amity had made quick work of the tears, not wanting to worry the witch. Or worse, ruin the mood. She also wasn’t particularly keen to explore the emotion that prompted the outburst.
But that first night, after Lilith dropped her at Blight Manor, Amity had soaked her pillow through with tears. It wasn’t the lovingly prepared meal. It wasn’t the fine place settings on the table. It wasn’t even the beautiful view from the four-seasons room. It was that Lilith had asked her about her week- and listened. Lilith responded when Amity spoke, rather than nodding absently. She even laughed when the girl attempted to tell jokes. They weren’t funny, but that didn’t stop the witch from enjoying them.
She finally had someone who cared about her. And she relished in every second they shared.
So while all of her classmates made weekend plans, Amity rushed to fit everything into her bag so she could get outside to meet with her mentor. The leather bag around her shoulder was an unorganized mess, but she didn’t care. Lilith was waiting for her.
She always stood, staff in hand, with eyes scanning the crowds of children intently. And when they landed on Amity, they softened. The girl couldn’t count how many times she’d wanted to run and wrap her arms around the witch’s middle. She could imagine it vividly; Lilith would be stunned and tense for a moment, before letting out a soft, fond laugh and wrapping Amity up in her own arms. The girl was envisioning the daydream once more as she stepped outside of the school, expecting to find Lilith looking for her.
But today was different.
Lilith was outside as she always was, staff in hand. But she wasn’t searching the crowd for Amity. Instead, she was speaking sternly to an Emperor’s guard, a deep scowl marring her features. The girl hesitated. Should she approach her? What if it was important information that she wasn’t allowed to hear? Would Lilith think she was eavesdropping and get angry? Thoughts rapidly moved through her mind. She decided to approach slowly, so it would give the witch time to notice her and wouldn’t make Amity appear as if she was listening in.
When the green-haired witch was a few steps away, Lilith turned and saw her approaching. The older witch flashed her a small, strained smile, before turning and hissing something at the guard. Amity caught only part of it; ‘ you do your job and I’ll do mine.’ The guard made quick work of leaving them after that.
“Amity,” Lilith greeted her, “Are you ready?”
The greeting was blunt and lacked a lot of its usual warmth. Such a difference made Amity flinch slightly, and Lilith noticed. She watched as the woman made an effort to soften her features.
“Are you ready for your lesson today?” She asked again, trying to keep any frustration from her voice. Amity only nodded slowly.
An uncomfortable silence stretched between them, emphasizing the tension building in the air. Lilith was consumed by rampant thoughts stemming from her brief conversation. Why they chose today of all days escaped her. She’d been perfectly fine waiting for her protege, mentally reviewing her lesson plan for the evening, and stewing over her plans for next week. A week from the day would mark a year of Amity’s apprenticeship. Lilith had ideas about how best to celebrate. But the order’s she received ruined all of them and cast the happy occasion from her mind.
“The Emperor’s council has a promising lead, Miss Clawthorne. They want you to lead the raid next week.” The guard had said, interrupting the peaceful moments before the bell rang.
“When?”
“You leave Thursday and are set to return Saturday.”
“That is unacceptable. I have commitments on Friday that I can’t miss, tell the council that we either need to move it up or push it back.” Lilith said coldly. Gone was the soft, caring mentor that she knew Amity was expecting to see. In her place was the steely, unbreakable politician the council and Emperor knew intimately. She felt the cold anger seeping into her bones. The one day she had requested to be absent from her duties and they sent her on a mission.
“I’m sorry, but these are orders from the Emperor himself, ma’am.”
“Tell the Emperor I wish to see him tomorrow; to straighten this mess out.”
“His orders won’t budge. You can’t refuse them.” The guard said, his tone grating on the woman’s nerves. Her eyes flashed dangerously at the statement.
“You may be here at the Emperor’s request, but do not mistake being a messenger for being an authority. You’ll do well to remember that I outrank you. Now do your job and I will do mine.” Lilith hissed out, fingers itching to conjure up something painful and put the man in his place. Who was he to speak as if he could order her around? But she caught the sight of Amity in her peripheral vision and knew she couldn’t set such an example. Instead, she let the insolent guard walk away unscathed.
Now she stood with anger still churning in her gut, wanting nothing more than to return to her home and blow something up. But seeing the reserved, worried expression on her protege’s face forced her to put a lid on the emotions. Like a pot of liquid ready to boil over. She wordlessly pried Amity’s bag from her fingers to secure it around her own shoulder, before sitting down side saddle on her staff and motioning for the girl to do the same.
The ride to her home was quiet. And if she’d been paying attention, Amity would have heard the wind rushing past her ears as they flew. Instead, all she could hear was her own thoughts.
The guard must have given her information about me. Why else would she be so angry with me? She’s going to end our apprenticeship, they must have told her I’m not worthy of it. I’m not talented or intelligent enough. Forcing Lilith to carve out time for me was selfish, there are more important things.
Sadness and anger at herself was resting in her chest, fueled by paranoid thoughts that were deeply ingrained in her psyche. She suddenly felt exhausted. She was used to upsetting her parents with her selfish desires, but she’d hoped it would be different with Lilith. Lilith liked when Amity talked about what happened at school or what she was reading. Maybe I was wrong, she thought bitterly, I’ve been a bother to her too. The view of the witch’s home in the distance stopped all other thoughts and left her surprised that so much time had already passed.
Lilith’s home was special. It wasn’t large and extravagant like her colleagues would expect - with priceless pieces and dozens of furnished rooms. Instead, it was a small homely building full of plush chairs and books. Besides the main spaces, there was only her study, a guest bedroom, and her own room. The unfinished attic was packed with boxes of sentimental items she couldn’t bring herself to part with. She didn’t see the need for a large home when she didn’t have any reason for it. It was just her. Nobody came to visit, not that she had anyone she’d want to visit. The only person to see her home was Amity when she came for lessons.
But it wasn’t the house that was most impressive; it was the grounds. The building sat in the center of sprawling land, teeming with diverse plant life and creatures, all sealed by metal fences. The wards on the land hid the true look from strangers - making her cozy cottage look like a fairy-infested shack in the middle of a trash swamp. Even if it could be reached by outsiders, they’d rather eat garbage than step inside its fences and risk having their skin taken. But that was only to those who weren’t allowed on the grounds. Lilith, and now Amity, could see the plot in it’s true beauty.
Amity’s favorite spot was underneath a human tree that sat next to a clear pond. A weeping willow, if she remembered correctly. On her birthday, the two had set a blanket down beneath it and indulged in special treats, reading books and enjoying one another’s company instead of their usual lessons. It was the best memory that Amity recalled having. She recorded it in overwhelming detail that night in her diary, a smile on her face the whole time.
She’d never experienced a real birthday before. All she knew were small gifts that Ed and Em would work tirelessly to get for her, though they didn’t make a big deal about it. You’re our sister, Em had said, of course we’ll get you something nice. So it had been shocking to see all of the trouble Lilith had gone to. Moon and sun cakes, sweet laughing taffy, and even Amity’s favorite, candied flower petals. She’d felt guilty at first. A thought that she’d passed onto her mentor.
“Why do you feel guilty?” The witch had asked her, looking perplexed.
“You went to all of this trouble for me. Spending snails on these treats and taking your time to celebrate. I… I don’t have any way to repay you.” Amity had stuttered out, looking touched, but also slightly panicked. She never had anything at home for her birthday because it was a waste of her parent’s time and money; birthdays were just another ordinary day in the Blight house.
“You don’t need to repay me. It makes me happy to do this for you.”
The statement had haunted Amity for weeks. Lilith was actually happy to spend time on her? It seemed like her mentor had so little time outside of her duties as it was. She couldn’t imagine why the woman would want to dedicate that to her.
Over the months of apprenticing with the witch, Amity started to think of Lilith’s house as a safe haven from the rest of the world. She didn’t get in trouble for breathing too loud or asking too many questions. She could read whatever she wanted, and had, constantly perusing the shelves. It was okay to smile too big or laugh too loud. Amity could just be.
Now, all she could think of was how much she’d miss this. Tending to the needy plants before leaving after each lesson. Breaks where she’d read underneath the willow tree. Dinners on fancy plates. Lilith looking at her as if she was the most precious thing in any realm. The easy way she encouraged her. She was going to lose it all just because she’d been selfish and the council had found her wanting. Words that her father repeated continuously echoing through her brain.
Selfish little girls will get nothing and deserve nothing.
She’d been too much. Had asked too much of the witch’s time. Lilith would leave her and she’d go back to being Amity ‘burden’ Blight to everyone. Tears burned behind her eyes, her throat feeling tight. This is your own fault, don’t be a baby. But in the back of her mind, a small voice suggested that maybe she could fix this. She could prove that she was still worthy of being her student. So Amity vowed to herself that she’d be on her very best behavior today.
The two landed within the fences, Lilith moving herself off of the staff easily, handing Amity her bag. She took it, it’s weight feeling heavy in her arms.
“Come along.” Lilith said, walking towards the front door. Amity followed obediently. The two moved into the main room where shelves of books lined three of the walls and a fireplace sat against the empty one. On a small table, next to a pillowy soft couch, sat three large tomes. Papers rested on top of them, boasting handwriting that Amity recognized as Lilith’s. Noticing how her mentor had yet to give her instructions, she looked up to see the woman placing some logs in the fireplace.
“How would you like me to start?” She asked timidly.
Lilith startled slightly at the question. Of course she’d known subconsciously that the girl was with her, but she’d been so involved in her own head that it slipped her mind. Standing straight and schooling her expression, she grabbed her lesson plan from where it sat, looking it over quickly.
“Practice the spells from this week with your training wand one time through. And then try to cast them without it.” The woman supplied, taking a seat next to the fireplace. She conjured up some documents from her office, making sure to split her attention between them and her student.
Amity nodded stiffly. Pulling the wand from her bag, she went through three of the spells before it went dead. Her eyes widened in surprise before realization hit her. Ed was using it and must not have charged it. She looked around for anything she could use in place of it, coming up empty-handed.
“Amity, please tell me you didn’t come to your lessons without being properly prepared.” Lilith said, having looked up from her paperwork to see the girl looking around, panicked.
“I, I let my brother use it and he didn’t charge it before giving it back,” Amity stuttered out. The woman let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“Then move on and attempt them without it. We’ll charge it and come back to this later.”
I can do that. No problem, she thought. But when she went to cast her first spell, the spell circle fizzled out almost instantly. She attempted to cast it again. The same outcome. No! I’ve been practicing all week, I can’t fail now! It… it has to be because I’m not paying attention. I need to focus. I can’t disappoint Lilith.
Focusing all of her energy and attention as she intended, she successfully completed the spell circle. Thinking through her intention for the spell, her gaze moved to the fire on accident. And then the curtains erupted in bright flames.
“Amity!” Her mentor jumped up, dropping all of her papers, and put the fire out with a small spell. There was shock and another look in the woman’s eyes that she couldn’t decipher, “What has gotten into you?”
“I accidentally messed up during my intention, I didn’t mean to do it! I’m sorry!” Amity rushed out, fear on her face.
“If you can’t focus on your material then why are we here? First you’re unprepared and now this? I don’t have the time to dedicate to a witch who isn’t properly dedicated to her studies.”
Lilith’s tone was lethal. Hard in a way that had never been aimed at the young girl, and was never intended to be. The frustration that’d been stewing was boiling over. And too blinded by it, she failed to realize who she was aiming it at.
“I can do better, I promise, it was just a mistake!” Amity pleaded, tears once again burning at her eyes.
“We can not afford mistakes. If that is all you can present to me, then perhaps this arrangement is no longer suitable.” The words spilled out of her mouth in a rage, not fully grasping the statement she had just made, “Set your wand to charge and focus yourself. I’ll prepare something for us in the meantime.”
As she watched her mentor leave the room, she felt frozen. It felt like her blood had run cold. Her body suddenly felt like all of her limbs were made of metal. She doesn’t want me. I’m… I’m a failure. She hates me.
Everything felt like too much. A wound she didn’t know existed had been ripped open, every piece of hurt bleeding out of her. Dinners alone. Her parent’s annoyance aimed at her. Ed and Em being showered with affection she never got. Every mistake, her fault. Being locked in her room when there was an event. No one listening when she spoke. Losing her only friend because her parents thought her weak. Craving the hugs her classmates received when they did good on something. Wanting so badly to hear the words I love you or I’m proud of you that it felt like her chest was being ripped apart.
And as the dam broke and tears began to flow, she ran.
She didn’t grab anything. None of it mattered. She just ran, opening the front door and going anywhere that her feet would take her. The gates and fence passed in a blur, replaced by the trees of the surrounding forest. She ran so far and so fast that eventually, she fell to the ground, breathing heavily to force some air through her. Feeling like her lungs were on fire, she crawled to a nearby tree and leaned her back against it.
The sobs that she hadn’t noticed before were wracking her body. She pressed her back rather harshly against a knot in the tree trunk, hoping in some way that it would feel like a punishment. Selfish. I deserve nothing that Lilith has given me. She slammed herself against the knot this time, feeling gratified at the pain erupting through her. Good. More, her mind baited. Slipping her hands into her hair, she grabbed at the root and pulled harshly. None came out, but it hurt. Badly.
Her mind was clearing around all of the emotion and it finally hit her. Loneliness. The emotion so powerful that her body ached with it. Who would lend her new books? Who would ask her about her day? Who would smile at her? It would go back to just herself, her mind, and her journal - hoping that if she wrote enough down that something would come to life. Staring at the ceiling and imagining all the ways she could make new friends, the lives she could live. But also how she would inevitably lose it all. Just like her parents said.
“Okay, give me a minute,” Eda interrupted, looking at Amity, “Jeez, kid, are you alright? That’s some heavy shit, even for me. And I’m ancient.”
“Edalyn! What did I say about your horrible language?” Lilith said.
“I don’t know, mom , what did you say? Excuse me for being worried about your kid!”
“I’m okay, Eda. My mother and father said a lot of things that… messed with me for a long time. I’m better now.” Amity said, looking tired and slightly uncomfortable. No matter how long she’d been with Lilith or interacted with Eda and Luz, overwhelming displays of emotion towards her made her feel odd. A small part of her was grateful that Luz had fallen asleep before they got into all of this.
“You’re sure?” Eda asked, a worry in her face that made Amity’s throat feel tight. The owl lady looked the same way when she talked about Luz sometimes. It made her heart squeeze weirdly.
“I’m sure.”
“Alright, kiddo, if you say so.” Eda said, ruffling the girl’s hair without thinking, “Keep going, Lily.”
“This would be much easier to get through if you didn’t insist on interrupting me.” Lilith stated, an annoyed expression masking the fondness she felt. Amity had many things that she was working through, but it made Lilith feel better knowing that Eda welcomed her protege into their makeshift family. Reconnecting with Eda had been difficult after being alone for so long. All she had wanted was to give Amity a stable living environment, one she had found when her sister had come back into her life. Even still, after connecting once more, she found herself guarding her emotions when she felt vulnerable. Now was no exception.
“I’m lightening up the mood, dear sister. One of us needs to be funny.”
“I can be funny! I’m hilarious!”
“Hilariously bad, maybe,” Eda snorted, giving her sister a smile, “Name one time recently where someone laughed at a joke you told.”
“I, well…” Lilith blushed, looking flustered. Amity watched the two and started giggling wildly, drawing their attention.
“What’s so funny, kid?” Eda asked, eyebrows raised.
“She did tell a joke at my conference last week, but Miss Elderflower only laughed because it was like, so bad.” Amity said, trying to keep her laughter under control. Her guardian was blushing even brighter than before and avoiding eye contact.
“Elderflower? You don’t mean Irina Elderflower, do you?” Eda asked.
“Yeah! She’s my abomination history teacher.”
The answer seemed to set off a reaction in Eda that was unavoidable. She covered her mouth with a hand, shoulders shaking as she tried to keep her laughter from escaping. But she was unsuccessful. Loud laughter burst from the woman’s mouth violently, waking up Luz and King in the process.
“What is so funny?” Luz whined, wrapping her blanket tighter around her body and narrowing her eyes at the woman.
“Oh my god, Lily, you are just too predictable. I should have known!”
“I have absolutely no idea what you’re referring to, Edalyn.” Now it was Lilith’s turn to pout, her face changing from neutral fondness to furious embarrassment. The tips of her ears were slowly turning as red as her cheeks.
“Oh, please. You’ve had a crush on Irina since your last year at school! And you’re worse at flirting than you are at lying!”
“Huh? Who does Lilith have a crush on?” Luz’s head shot up, suddenly very awake and attentive.
“Nobody. She is making this up to bother me.”
“Oh no, I can’t make this up! The first time you spoke to her, you accidentally called her pretty and then told her to get out of your school when you got embarrassed!” Eda pointed out between bouts of laughter. Luz put a hand to her mouth to try and stifle her own amusement, while Amity looked at her mentor with a mix of surprise and interest.
“Let’s move on, shall we? I haven’t finished the story.” Lilith tried.
“Fine. We’ll move on for now, but we are so coming back to this.” Eda grinned, making her sister roll her eyes and start back from where she left off.
Pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs, Amity buried her face in them, muffling her sobs. It felt like an eternity. An eternity of endless, cruel thoughts swirling through her. The combination of tears and exhaustion from running such a distance occupied her attention.
She didn’t feel the wind change.
All of the noise that had been the background to her emotion drained away. No birds, no babbling stream, and no rustle of the trees. But the wind had gotten stronger ; shaking the trees at their roots and tearing leaves from the branches. The world was tearing apart around her and she was in too much pain to notice. The storm ripping through her chest was all she knew.
Then came danger.
Thud! It was faint, almost barely there. She didn’t notice it much at first.
Thud! It was closer this time and she felt it. The ground shook, but the trees didn’t make a sound.
Thud! She worried that if it got much closer, it would stomp a hole in the ground. Still it approached.
Thud! Tall, thick trees in front of her were slowly and viciously torn from the ground. Each root straining only to break with a loud pop!
Thud! It stepped out from where the trees had been, both cracking in it’s iron grip. A beast of incomparable stature looked down at her. It was skeletal, with what she assumed to be rotting flesh hanging from the bone. Where one would expect eyeballs there were none; just empty glowing sockets. It’s chest was rising and falling, yet she heard nothing. She couldn’t even hear herself breathe. The creature’s mouth curled up into a sinister smile as it reached out a skeletal hand to grab her.
And with the tact of a needle popping a balloon, she screamed.
Ensconced in the warm, rich atmosphere of her kitchen, Lilith worked with quick movements. Whether she picked something up or put it down, her movements were comparable to a striking snake. Lightning fast and surprisingly strong.
Her anger refused to ebb, burying her rationality beneath flowing waves. I shouldn’t be so angry. Why can’t I move on? She thought tiredly, gripping the edge of the countertop. It dug into her palms with a force that she knew would give her bruises later. She didn’t care, all she wanted was to be in control again. Her heart felt like it was being gripped violently and she swore she could hear someone speaking. It was her mother’s voice.
“Control yourself, you foolish girl! A real witch never releases control. Not even to herself!”
Lilith flinched, swearing that she could feel the painful blow even now, decades later. Images of the ghastly black bruise left on her cheek felt crippling. She remembered how her mother’s palm had been purple for days after. Tears threatened her now as they did then. Only this time, there was no mother to gift her blows for each tear, until her eyes ran dry.
I can’t cry. I need to get this under control.
Hot water in the kettle bubbled violently. With an errant thought, she wondered if she could use it to make the thoughts stop. To control her pain. She stopped herself, reminded that she wasn’t alone in the house.
Amity.
Pain rippled through her as she realized what she’d said. The anger she’d used to push the girl down without knowing. I hurt her. Tears fell then. She saw her memories, but it wasn’t her mother standing over her. Her own eyes were looking down at her. They were cold and unfeeling, making her scared. She felt cold all over. Her own voice crying in her ears, pleading.
“Please, mommy, I’ll do better! Please don’t!”
They’d always gone unheard. She would scream herself raw before her mother would take mercy. It was for her own good, she’d said. She needed to feel real pain so that she understood the world would be so much worse. But her mother had been wrong.
She felt pain at the hands of others. Leading the Emperor’s coven, she’d been captured, tortured for information. None of it ever hurt like her mother’s hands. Amity’s scared, broken face was suddenly clear, where it’d been drowning in her anger. She clapped a hand over her mouth to keep the sobs from reaching the main room. I’m no better than my mother.
The kettle screamed and she took care of it quickly. Her breathing had become heavy from holding in her cries. She arranged a few sweet items on a plate as she let the tea steep.
I have to fix this, she thought.
But when she moved into the main room from the kitchen, Amity was nowhere to be seen. Her bag was in the same place. The training wand was left untouched. A cold breeze caught her, making the skin on her arms break out into goosebumps. She stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed the front door standing open.
Did somebody take her? Was her first thought, before realizing it would have been impossible for someone to get past the wards without her knowing. She remembered the girl’s face before she’d left the room and understood that the girl had run out of the house to get away from her. Ignoring the pain in her chest, she moved onto the grounds to find her. Her search came up empty.
She checked beneath the willow. The back corner where she grew potions ingredients. The mirroring pond that acted as a doorway to alternate realms. Amity was nowhere to be found.
Panic surged through her as she realized the girl had left the grounds. Lilith chose the woods because of how secluded it was, but living in it meant that you had to respect it. She was no stranger to the bumps in the night. Or the startling, menacing moments of complete silence. She knew that as long as the wards held then she was safe. But now one of the people she’d let herself care for was lost in the treacherous forest, outside of her protection.
“Ravenna!” Lilith yelled, hearing the tell-tale bumps as her staff made its way toward her, guided by her palisman. She caught it and swiftly perched herself on it. Sailing into the air, she looked feverishly, hoping that something would draw her to the girl; but the tops of the trees were thick with trees and didn’t allow for any view of the ground below.
She allowed frustration to fill her. Damn my desire for seclusion, she thought. The thick, sturdy trees of the forest had aided her for years, providing an excellent cover so that she never had to live out her political life while at home. But it was now the source of her panic, keeping her from her protege.
Dark clouds were forming on the horizon, lightning flashing through the sky. She ignored it. She knew it was a bad idea - that she was entering a losing battle with the elements. All she cared about was getting to the young girl, wherever she was. The elements seemed to take her disregard personally as lightning struck once more, just barely missing the end of her staff. It forced her to make a quick landing. She couldn’t find Amity if she got herself killed.
The wind was roaring in her ears, blowing quickly through the trees as a storm rolled in. Violent gusts threatened to blow her off of her feet. She forced herself to move forward though she had no idea what she’d gotten herself into.
“Amity!” Lilith screamed, hoping that she could make herself heard above the winds. No luck. But she continued to yell for the girl on the off chance that it would work.
It felt like an eternity in the woods, taking turns at random trees and attempting to scream over the elements. Her adrenaline was fading fast. Limbs began to feel heavy, making it more difficult to fight the violent elements trying to push her away. There was a moment she considered giving up; wondering if she’d been mistaken and Amity hadn’t left the house at all. As she began to believe it, the wind changed, and her ears were filled with a loud scream. Amity’s scream.
The witch took off at a sprint, her heels sinking into the ground with each step. She spelled them off of her feet in a moment and kept running where she’d felt the scream come from. Where the elements seemed to fight her before, now they were guiding her, pushing her in the right direction. Adrenaline pumped through her veins once more as well. The combination proved successful as she broke into a ragged-looking clearing.
And standing in the middle of the eerie clearing stood a large skeletal creature, rapidly approaching Amity, arms outstretched.
“No!” Lilith screamed, throwing a powerful spell at the creature without thinking. She watched as Amity turned to look at her. There was intense fear written all over her features.
The spell made contact with the creature violently, knocking an arm off. It let out a scream. No longer interested in the young girl, it threw itself at the powerful witch who’d just appeared instead. Lilith managed a barrier between herself and the creature just in time. The blow against the barrier had such a force that she stumbled, she didn’t want to imagine what would have happened if it hadn’t been there.
Glowing sockets narrowed at her, sharp teeth snapping threateningly, pushing all of its weight against her barrier. Her feet were planted firmly in the ground, but it didn’t stop the creature from moving her backwards until she was pressed against a tree. She had nowhere to move. The power from her front made it impossible to move forward and forced her into her place against the tree.
Amity watched in horror as the creature attacked her mentor. The woman was extremely powerful, but this was something she’d never seen before. Momentary affection that had bloomed in her chest at the witch’s appearance wilted quickly. The change had been so fast. She remembered opening her mouth to scream as loud as she could, her only thought was that she wished Lilith would save her. And then the witch had appeared moments later.
Now the woman was locked in combat with the large, unbending creature. It gave her a moment to look at it fully. It’s head was skeletal and almost human, but as her gaze moved towards the ground, she noticed that the bone became more fluid. Rigid bone evolved into sinuous shapes of a different material. Her perusal cut off as the creature let out another loud scream, slamming itself against the slowly weakening barrier.
Lilith let out a pained noise. The force on her body was slowly crushing her, putting unbearable strain on every single bone in her body. Pain felt like a second skin now, with her even when she tried to breathe. Exhaustion made her want to give in. Then her eyes met those of her protege, full of fear and uncertainty.
She remembered how the girl’s eyes had always carried a subtle fear. It had slowly been replaced by an underlying confidence as their lessons continued, something she’d been proud to help with. Her heart broke. The feeling hurt worse than anything inflicted physically.
What happens to her if I give in?
Amity would be alone. No one to guide or encourage her. She’d have to live with the unbearable memories of watching Lilith die to save her. It would destroy her from the inside out. Resentment at herself would turn into hatred of the world and she’d attempt to destroy it back, hoping that if she punished the world enough it would give in and give Lilith back.
I can’t do that to her.
A small, renewed strength filled her veins. Hands that had been shaking from strain, now shaking from the power aching to escape. Her eyes were suddenly glowing. The sudden change made the large creature take a step back out of fear, allowing Lilith to push it back furiously. Air around her crackled as she forced her way forward.
The creature turned to flee, having expected an easy fight. It noticed Amity behind it and briefly considered snatching the girl and running. It was a moment too long. A suffocating grip of magic had wrapped around its body and was slowly dragging the large body back towards Lilith. Skeletal limbs attempted to claw at the ground, anything it could do to stay away from the witch. The attempts were unsuccessful.
Lilith dragged the creature back until it was on its back in front of her. It was a stunning sight; a massive creature cowering away from a witch that was a tenth of its size. The witch’s glowing eyes narrowed. With her arms tucked behind her, she stepped up elegantly on one of the creature's legs, walking up the body until she stood in the middle of its chest.
A small quirk at the corner of the woman’s lips was the only warning before she buried her hand in the creature’s chest, breaking through layers of solid bone easily. It screeched, high and pained. Lilith’s hand searched before locating what she needed and gripping its heart mercilessly.
“Look at me.” Lilith commanded in a loud, disembodied voice.
The creature’s wide sockets met her glowing orbs. She tightened her grip for a moment, serving as a warning; disobey me and you will regret it.
“You will take this message to every creature on the boiling isles - The girl is not to be touched,” Lilith’s disembodied growl echoed in the space, “Or their fate will be in my hands.”
Her glare remained before she removed her hand, elegantly moving off of the creature. The moment it realized that it was free, it fled the scene quickly, its loud bounds shaking the ground as it ran. The silence that had encompassed everything around them now broken. Rustling leaves, animal chatter, distant thunder. It all returned in full force.
Green eyes looked into glowing blues, shock evident in them. Amity didn’t know how to process what had just happened. She’d gone from watching the woman nearly die to her threatening to end anyone who touched… her. Lilith had threatened any creature in the boiling isles for her.
Amity ran to the witch, throwing her arms around her mentor’s thin waist. She buried her face in the woman’s shirt to hide her tears. The action startled Lilith, her eyes fading back to her normal blue, looking down at the head buried in her abdomen. Warm relief filled her. Amity is safe.
Not caring about appearances or her dress, Lilith knelt down in the grass, taking the girls face gently in her hands. She carefully wiped the tears from the girl’s cheeks with her thumbs. A small smile bloomed on the girl’s face, prompting one of her own. Overwhelmed by the same emotion that prompted Amity to hug her, Lilith placed a gentle kiss on the girl’s forehead.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Amity whispered.
“And I am glad you’re okay. I was so worried.”
“I… I’m sorry that I left. I shouldn’t have been so foolish.”
“No, you have nothing to apologize for,” Lilith said sternly, “I am the one who needs to apologize; I allowed my emotions to get the best of me and took it out on you. It never should have happened. I am sorry, Amity.”
“It’s…” Amity started, unsure how to continue. She knew Lilith was sincere with her apology. It was clear in her eyes. Though the hurt lingered from what the woman had said. She remembered Lilith’s words from months ago, ‘ I always want you to be honest with me, in every kind of situation.’ She did just that, “It hurt me a lot that you were so mean, but I forgive you.”
“Thank you for being honest with me.” The witch said, fondness on her face.
The moment was broken by a loud clap of thunder, startling them both. Dark clouds that Lilith had seen before were now above them. Wordlessly, she summoned her staff to get back to the house, holding out a hand to the girl. Amity took it.
Riding back to the house was quiet. As soon as they’d gotten into the air, Lilith felt the extreme exhaustion settling in. Amity noticed her mentor slouching, but didn’t say anything. She helped her into the house silently, acting like she didn’t see the way Lilith dropped onto the couch.
Amity noticed her items that she’d left in the room, remembering what Lilith had said. The warm feeling that had blossomed in her chest when Lilith kissed her forehead went sour. Pain came back and she decided that she’d leave the woman to relax, packing up her things.
“Amity, what are you doing?” Lilith asked curiously.
“Oh. I’m cleaning so that I can go… I know teaching me is difficult and I don’t want to waste anymore of your time.”
“I was wrong to say what I did-”
“It’s okay, I wasn’t prepared like I should have been.” Amity tried to justify, attempting to ignore the tears in her eyes.
“Amity, come here,” The witch said softly, sitting the girl down on the couch next to her, “Nothing you said or did justified my actions. I was angry at other things, but no matter how angry I was, it does not excuse the things I said or how it made you feel. None of this is your fault. It is mine. Entirely. I will not end your apprenticeship unless you wish it.”
“You won’t?” Amity asked, breathless due to shock. She’s not leaving me.
“Of course not. Why would I send away my… my greatest treasure?”
Lilith didn’t expect an armful of witch, but she wouldn’t deny that she loved it. Amity tucked her face into the woman’s neck. I’m her greatest treasure. She still cares about me.
Due to the events of the evening, Lilith was too exhausted to continue their lesson. Instead, Amity chose a book from the shelves and tucked herself underneath the witch’s arm while she read it aloud. The two didn’t acknowledge the emotional strain of the day. They weathered it by remaining as close as possible for the rest of the evening. And neither could say they didn’t enjoy it.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Lilith asked, looking at Eda frustratedly.
“You…” Eda started, eyes wide, “You fought a shadow ghast and lived to tell the tale?”
“A what?”
“A shadow ghast. They- They’re one of the most dangerous demons, but they don’t exist on the isles. They exist in a pocket. Like a vacuum within our world we can’t see. They... pull you into the pocket and then devour your senses, that’s why you couldn’t hear any outside noise. How the hell did you cast within the pocket? It’s supposed to be impossible!”
Eda was looking both shocked and excited. The woman had always been one to devour knowledge like King devoured snacks. Worry had curled in her stomach during the story, though she knew Lilith and Amity were fine. Now all she could think about was how her sister had battled a demon that didn’t even exist in their realm and won. And she’d done it all for a kid that hadn’t even been her’s.
“It just… happened that way.” Lilith said, glancing at Amity who was asleep on the floor. Eda caught the action. She knew the forest was dangerous, but she’d have to take extra care to keep Luz from going too far. She would do anything to keep the kid safe. It would be preferable that they didn’t have a crazy-painful brush with death, though.
“You cared about her that much, even then?” Eda asked.
“I cared about her that much from the moment I met her. I don’t know how to explain it, but all that mattered was keeping her safe and happy. For a long time I wrote it off as just the apprentice bond manifesting… but it seems stronger than that.”
“You don’t think… Actually, nevermind.”
“What? Tell me.” Lilith demanded, leaning towards her sister in interest.
“I’ve never seen it, but it sounds like the debitus ut sanguine,” Eda admitted, watching a surprised understanding dawn on Lilith’s face.
“Do you really think so? I thought they were just a myth.”
“It all makes sense, Lily. An instant connection that defies magical law and mends the metaphorical holes in your soul? That seems pretty damn accurate.”
Silence took over the room for a moment. Lilith looking fondly at Amity, Eda looking fondly at Lilith. Eda knew that her sister had dealt with extreme abuse when they were kids. It affected the way Lilith was; snippy, the need for control. Eda had suffered at her mother’s hand as well, but she knew that Lilith had taken on a lot of it for her. She never mentioned it. Lilith was embarrassed easily and didn’t do well with emotion. The witch wished she had the right words to tell her. Instead, she diverted the conversation.
“What ever happened with your mission or whatever?” Eda asked. Lilith startled before jumping back in like she’d never stopped.
Amity and Lilith had kept the events to themselves, content that they’d handled it and were moving forward. The older witch took care to continue managing her emotions a little extra for a while. Amity had been extremely sensitive for weeks after. Rightfully so.
Lilith had informed the girl about the change in their plans for the apprenticeship anniversary possibly changing. It had been a rough evening after breaking that to the girl. She’d promised to try and get out of it, but couldn’t promise anything, knowing the Emperor. They planned it for the Friday after instead. Lilith wouldn’t tell her all of what they’d get to celebrate, but she asked for a few ideas from Amity. Soon enough the disappointment was forgotten.
Imagine the surprise of the green-haired witch when she walked out of school the day of their apprenticeship anniversary, finding Lilith standing where she always did, smiling at her. Amity leaped from the steps and collided with the woman, throwing her arms around her eagerly.
“Oh!” Lilith felt the air leave her, but couldn’t find herself to be upset. She wrapped her arms around the girl’s frame, “Hello, dearest.”
“I thought you couldn’t come? You said you had a mission!” Amity said, looking up with wide, excited eyes.
“The Emperor and I came to some agreeable terms. I can be very persuasive when I wish to be.” The witch smiled, tweaking Amity’s nose good-naturedly, causing her to let out a bright laugh.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” Was all the girl said before burying her face in the woman’s abdomen.
“As am I.”
The evening had been everything expected and more. Treats and delightful foods had lined the woman’s table, shocking Amity that she’d made so much. Lilith couldn’t have been more pleased. The two snacked all through the evening while doing all sorts of tasks around Lilith’s home. While her protege would clip some unruly plants, the witch would deal with renewing the wards on the grounds. She even taught the girl some of them; impressed with how quickly she picked them up.
It was easy to tell that Amity was powerful. All of it was not only in the way she performed magic, but in the way that she held herself. Lilith was extremely proud to teach a girl with such power in her veins. A part of her also worried that the witch would surpass her, leaving her with nothing to teach. She reminded herself that the thought was silly. She was one of the most powerful beings in the boiling isles.
Even so, she made a mental list of other’s Amity could potentially learn from, should she ever need it. The list was short. Extremely short. It only had a single name on it. Edalyn. It’d hurt her heart to think of her sister. No matter how much she told herself she didn’t, a part of her always missed her sister. The feeling grew better with Amity’s presence in her life, but it didn’t completely tame it. Loneliness is a terrible thing when the person you miss is just around the corner.
She kept herself preoccupied enough to ignore the loneliness. But more recently, the thoughts had rushed in at night, when her head hit the pillows. Her mind replayed the memories on a loop. Studying, grudgeby, their aspirations to join the coven together. Now Lilith sat at the top and her sister was off doing just fine without her. She wondered if her sister ever thought about her too.
If the witch was completely honest with herself, she saw a lot of her sister in Amity. The twinkle in her eye that she’d get when something sneaky had occurred. Her tenacity. The way she not-so-subtly craved affection she’d never ask for. Amity was much better at initiating affection on her own than Eda ever was, though.
“Hey! I initiate affection just fine, thank you very much!” Eda argued.
“Maybe now, but you were a nightmare when we were children. I swear you expected me to read your mind. I probably could have, but it would have taken too much energy.” Lilith said with a smirk.
“Jerk.”
“Fool.”
The two looked at one another for a long moment. And then they burst into peals of laughter. It didn’t wake the kids up this time, luckily. Two tired teens? Not the recipe for success.
“I did, by the way,” Eda said suddenly.
“Excuse me?”
“Miss you - I missed you too.”
“Oh.” Lilith wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She was remarkably terrible with most emotions. Luckily, Amity rolled over with a groan, blinking up at her.
“Are we leaving soon?” She asked.
“Um…” The older witch looked to Eda briefly, before nodding, “We’re going to leave now. Can you collect your things?”
The young witch made quick work of getting her things together. Lilith was impressed, knowing how tired the girl was. Luz opened her eyes for a moment to say goodbye before passing back out. It made all three of them laugh. Moving outside the owl house, the two perched themselves once more on the staff.
“Thank you for dinner, Eda.” Amity said tiredly, leaning her head against Lilith’s back.
“Of course, kiddo. You go home and get some sleep.”
Amity just nodded, closing her eyes and sighing. Lilith attempted to keep herself from laughing so she didn’t disturb the girl. And by the look on her sister’s face, Eda was doing the same. She went to fly off when Eda spoke.
“Hey, Lily?” She said.
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
Lilith looked shocked at the statement before trying to cover up her reaction. It took enough effort for Eda to admit anything surrounding emotions, she didn’t want to embarrass her further.
“I love you too, Edalyn.”
Both witches shared a smile and a nod. Flying home, Lilith didn’t enjoy the scenery as she usually did, her mind on her sister. It had been somewhat difficult to open back up to one another. But now, it felt easy again. Like it was before.
Everything just felt right.