Coveted

Chapter 3- Have You Seen This Witch?

She found them exactly where Boscha said they would be, playing pranks on students and staff alike from behind the school through the windows. She approached them cautiously but with the sort of hopeful determination she was known for. "Hey, Blights!" she called, "do you know where Amity is?"

"Hey, it's Mittens' cute little friend!" Emira exclaimed, causing Luz to blush a little. If she had a type, it would be Blights.

"Why do you want to know?" asked Edric, "We thought she ran off to that Owl Shack of yours when she failed her audition."

"Failed?" Luz suddenly became very worried. "No, no one's seen her since yesterday."

Ed and Em looked at each other with a suddenly very serious expression. "We... actually don't know how the audition went," Edric admitted. "We just assumed that's what happened when she didn't come home last night."

"Yeah, Mom didn't come home either, now that I think of it, but it's pretty common for her to stay overnight to finish work." Emira looked down and considered all possible options. "Edric, you don't think...?"

"What?" Luz began to shake, every feasible horrible thing that could have happened to Amity buzzing through her head.

"Luz," Edric solemnly walked over and crouched down to slightly below Luz's height, putting a hand gently on her shoulder. "We need to find her. Meet us back here after school and we can search the woods."

Luz's mind was a tornado of thoughts. What did they think happened? Was it better or worse than what she was imagining? There are so many dangerous things on the Boiling Isles, so many twisted options for reality to follow. "Okay."

Edric stood and turned back to Emira, and Luz walked back to lunch, fear enveloping her every thought.

...

After school, Luz followed Edric's instructions, and met them behind the school to begin their search. However, Luz just had one more thing she needed to do first. "Hey, can I go back to the Owl House and change first?" she asked as they were about to set off. "Besides, if I don't tell Eda where I am, she might get worried."

"Fair enough," ceded Emira.

"Good idea, actually," noted Edric, "If Mittens ran off I'm sure she tried to find you there at some point, or at least left a note." Thus, the three set off to the Owl House.

The walk to the house was almost peaceful, if it weren't for the looming anxiety that consumed all three of them. The already orange spruce trees seemed to grow warmer in color, and there was a crisp near-fall breeze that brushed against their faces. Leaves and pine needles crunched softly beneath their feet, and the sun shone softly, heating the tops of their heads. Luz's fear dropped for a moment, and she admired this scenic walk. Eventually, they reached the Owl House, and Hooty stretched out to greet them before they were even close to the door.

"You have mail, hoot hoot!" screeched Hooty, as Edric and Emira winced.

"For me?" Hooty coughed up a white envelope with a golden seal. The twins nearly gagged while Luz slowly picked up the mucus-covered envelope by its corner. The seal seemed familiarly regal, and Ed and Em knew immediately what it was.

"The Emperor's Coven," they gasped in unison, crowding around Luz as she carefully opened it.

The human pulled out a pristine letter with the stamp of the Emperor on the corner, unfolded it, and read the curling script aloud:

Silence consumed the heartbroken trio. Luz could feel her face heat up as she fell to her knees. No, not again. First Eda, and now... She began to sob as Edric and Emira rushed down to comfort her. She couldn't do this again. It was too much. But she couldn't just let Amity be banished for the crimes Luz committed.

"Don't worry, Luz," Emira reassured her, "We'll think of something. We can help you get her back!"

Luz wiped the tears from her face and came to the only conclusion she could in that moment. "No. I have to do this." she sniffed and stood up as if she had just been physically wounded. "I have to turn myself in."

"Luz, no," Edric protested, but Luz didn't hear. She had made up her mind.

"Hooty, where's Eda? I need to say goodbye."

"She went to the market with Lilith and King, Hoot!"

The Blights stood up, and Emira walked into Luz's field of vision. "Luz, you can't do this."

"Do you want your sister back or not?" Luz snapped, tears still in her eyes. The twins fell silent. "That's what I thought. Now go home. If your mom's there, tell her I'm on my way."

The siblings looked at each other, then nodded at Luz. "Good luck," wished Emira, "and thank you in advance. If we lost our Mittens..." she trailed off, unable to think of a way to finish that sentence. Edric patted her on the back, in a motion to leave, and the two disappeared into the woods.

Luz turned her attention back to the house. She went inside, changed into her normal clothes and the cloak that Eda made for her, collected all of her belongings that she could fit in her bag, and made her way back to the front door. "Hooty?"

"Yes, Luz?"

Luz took one last look at the house, this home she had made her own for the last three months. She put her hand gently on the door, and without turning to Hooty, muttered a final request: "Can you give Eda and King a hug for me? I won't be back."

"Sure, I like hugs. Where are you going?"

"To save the girl I love." Luz's heart fluttered when she said that, as even she wasn't expecting that to come out of her mouth. She hadn't realized until now just how much she in fact loved Amity. Oh well, no point in denying or examining that further right now. She was on a mission. She started to walk off, but stopped once more to look at the house. "I'll miss you, Hooty!" she called back, "Tell everyone I love them!" She wished she had that chance with Willow and Gus, or even Boscha and her posse, but she had no time. With one last wistful glance at her summer home, she walked away, never to return.