The toaster: the deadliest weapon to come out of the human realm. Or, at least, that's what the witch next to me thought. Considering that she didn't know what nuclear weapons and machine guns were, and I strongly hoped that she never would, she was making a pretty good argument. You could swing the toaster around on its electrical cord, throw it at someone's head, and, most importantly, you could give someone a heart attack by making toast pop out.

Usually I would be amazed, and slightly disturbed, by the gray-haired saleswomen's ability to turn something as simple as a toaster into a unique foreign weapon. Usually I would have to hold in my laughter as I tried to explain to the older witch that everything coming out of her mouth was wrong (she once tried to claim that an electric toothbrush was used to help humans shed their acid proof skin). Usually, I would be bombarded by interesting questions about the dangers of the human realm and how we lived without magic.

But it was completely impossible for me to focus that day. The toaster obsessed lady said that helping her sell her human wares would be a distraction from what happened the day prior, but I couldn't just shove my guilt to the side. Not when the person I hurt couldn't shove the problems I caused them aside.

I had ruined someone's future. I had shot down any chance of that someone growing to a ripe old age. I had, once again, gotten way too over my head with some rash scheme and someone else paid for it.

I had killed Amity Blight.

"If you just would've gone to that summer camp like mami told you too then Amity would still be alive. But no, Luz, you had to go chase your Azura style fantasy" I chided at myself for the hundredth time that day.

The very reason the top student of Hexside was dead was the same reason everyone wanted to send me to Camp Reality Check. One of my overzealous ideas backfired and got people, a bunch of snake-phobic students in that case, hurt.

Being sent to the camp was supposed to dull down my creativity which, at the time, seemed terrible. But now that someone had gotten killed because of my dangerous weirdness, I was starting to see that losing a part of myself was necessary.

I loved my creative side. It made me an outcast, but it also made life seem brighter. But it had to go. It was hurting people. I was hurting people.

I just wanted to help Willow. Well, I also wanted to see the mysterious fantastical magic school, but I mainly wanted to help Willow. After seeing Amity mock the struggling raven haired witchling, I knew that I had to do something.

I'd been in her place before. I was all too familiar with people who trotted around like they were the best thing to ever grace your presence. Oh, you play football? You have new hundred-dollar shoes? Oh, that's so incredible! That must mean you're better than me in every way. The imaginary rule book who decides who matters says so!

What made Amity so freakin' special? Yeah, she was good at magic but what was the use of having magic if you only used it to show off?

I couldn't help but compare the top student to Hecate, the antagonist to my favorite book series. She lived for showing everyone everywhere that she was the most powerful witch that ever existed. She spent all of her energy on finding and challenging the strongest foes out there. And she had never lost a battle, until she met the titular character that is.

When Hecate challenged a witch named Azura, she was easily defeated, humiliated. And, while the loss angered Hecate, what really got to her was how humble Azura was afterwards. With every ounce of energy Hecate obsessed with defeating the witch, sometimes almost at the cost of her life.

And then, with her cunning and wisdom, Azura had lured Hecate into a glorious partnership, one that would end up saving the world along with Hecate herself. Once she had stopped trying to be the best, Hecate grew strong, with the help of her new ally, throughout their many adventures. The pair's skills blended together perfectly, helping them become two of the strongest witches that ever lived.

That's what made this whole ordeal hurt a lot more. Just like how there was potential good in Hecate, there was potential good in Amity. I didn't know her that well, but it had to be there. At least it was there until... you know.

It was too late now. Amity never found her Azura. She never found that one thing that changed her and her life for the better. She died while being a showoff-ish envious bully that badgered other people instead of finding out how kind she could really be.

I just had to go ruin everything for Amity. I didn't even want the Pretend to be an Abomination to Help Willow Pass plan to even involve her. Though I did want to see the look on Amity's face when Willow got her good grade, I mainly just wanted Willow to feel less like a failure and more like a nail-iure. Yah know, as in nailed it?...uh, never mind.

But I shouldn't have done anything. It hurt me awfully to think it, but maybe it would have been better if I had never met Willow, or ever came to the Isles at all.

"I know it doesn't change anything," I whispered. "But Amity. I'm so so sorry".

"Who ya talkin' to?". The voice made me jump about a foot in the air.

"Right! I'm at work!".

My brown gaze slowly focused on two very tall older teens. The one who spoke had short, rugged hair, similar to mine but a bit longer and minus my cow lick, that was a darker green. His familiar golden eyes shone with a hint of mischief in the marketplace sun. A mole that acted like a beauty mark sat on his right side.

The witch next to him had almost the exact same appearance (they were wearing the same outfit and everything) but looked more feminine, had longer well braided hair, and donned a golden necklace with a large magenta pendant.

"Um... No one. I mean, I was talking to someone cause I was talking out loud, but that someone was me. I was talking to myself" I sputtered out in a rush.

I could feel my caramel-colored cheeks slightly flush in embarrassment. Two teens that looked like they were the Boiling Isles definition of cool had just caught me talking to myself.

"Don't sweat it, cutie". That "cutie" made my cheeks flush a bit more. "We were just looking for a human. We got word that one slipped onto the Isles, so my brother and I wanted to see what the fuss was about. I'm Emira by the way. And this is Edric".

"Though" Edric piped in while shooting a glance at his sister. "Most people just call us...".

"...the Blight Twins" both the twins announced in unison like it was rehearsed somehow.

"Blight!". That was why their golden eyes looked so similar. Their eyes looked just like Amity's. These witches were related to the witch I killed!

"If you're here about Amity, I'm sorry! I am so so sorry! I really wish I could make it up to her, but I can't, so if there's any way, I can make it up to you, any way at all, please tell me! I'll do anything!". I couldn't hold my guilt in, not even for a single second.

Amity wasn't the only one affected by my stupid decision. Her family were affected too. And her family was right in front of me! I had to do something to help fix the mess I caused as much as possible! I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I didn't!

The twins kept their friendly smiles. Their cool and joking attitudes didn't change one bit. Infact, a hint of comfort was mixed in with their collectedness. For people whose sister I killed, they sure were calm about all this.

"Take it easy, human. We're not mad about what happened to Amity. We know it wasn't your fault" Emira said calmly. Her eyes slightly glistened as her look softened reassuringly.

"But if I wouldn't have snuck into hexside she wouldn't have died" I cried in disbelief. How were they so relaxed?

"Yeah, and if Amity wouldn't have held you at knife point, then she wouldn't have ended up stabbing herself" Edric added. "If you want to point fingers, then you can just as easily point them at Amity. But we're not here to blame anyone for what happened".

"And if we were interested in blaming anyone then we would be talking to Bump right now. He's the one who gave a power hungry witchling a knife" Emira continued.

"So, you're not upset?" I squeaked. Both twins shook their heads in unison.

"We're sad Amity's gone of course. But we're not angry at anyone about it, especially not you, sweetie" Emira explained while Edric nodded along.

I just stood there staring at them with wide brown eyes. They were so understanding and calm and just plain... awesome. Before I could thank them for their kind words, they both began to laugh.

"What's the matter? You expected us to be all angry and vengeful?" Edric asked with a furrowed brow.

"Oh, lay off her, Ed. The only other Blight she's met is Mittens and you know how she is" Emira scoffed with a smile.

The twins looked at each other and laughed even more. I could see the memories of Mittens *pft*, omigosh that's adorable, flash in their eyes. It seemed like the two witches in front of me had much founder memories of Amity than Willow had.

"I didn't get to properly meet her, but Amity seemed like the angry vengeful type" I chuckled sadly.

"Oh, yeah. Amity was born with a shit list" Edric responded playfully. "And I'd bet you every snail I own that we were always at the top of it".

I gave the twins a thankful smile. After what I... what happened to Amity, it was nice to hear what the witch was like. The thought that there were people out there keeping her memory alive made me feel a tiny bit better.

"Speaking of little ol' Mittens. There's actually something we wanted to ask you to do for her" Emira continued after another couple of chuckles. She leaned her elbows on to the counter in front of me with a subtly pleading smile. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "But we can't tell you about it out in the open. We'll need to talk somewhere more private".

My relieved smile partly sank. Before I came to the Isles, I would have happily walked into an alley with the two teens. They didn't seem like they wanted to murder me. They seemed cool! But, now that I was living with a con-woman, I was a lot more cautious when it came to talking with strangers in "private".

"Now hold on a second. You trying to kidnap my kid or something?" I heard someone challenge jokingly.

A tall snow-white witch slid next to me and pointed her bony finger towards the two Blights. Her golden eyes glistened in the burning sun as much as the matching gold ring on her finger did.

"They're here to talk about Amity, Eda. They're--".

"--The Blight twins. I know, Luz. The hair is a dead giveaway". Eda smiled at the witches in front of us. "They're two of the best mischief makers Bonesburrow has seen since Lord Calamity herself. To what do I owe the pleasure?".

"Oh, nothing too exciting," Emira answered. "Just have to talk to the human about this necklace I've got here. But we can't quite do that in the busy marketplace".

Eda hmmed in suspicion, with her hand resting on the bottom of it, she rubbed her chin with her pointer finger. Her long yellow nails tapped against the wooden table in front of us in hesitant thought. She smelled something fishy; I could just tell.

"This necklace you got there. It's got nothing to do with Odalia, does it? Cause, I don't need to have yet another prim and proper witch sticking their nose in my business". Eda rolled her eyes after asking the question. You could tell she already knew the answer.

"Mom made it but it's not what you think it is. We could show you what it does if we go around back" Edric answered as quietly as he could. "I mean, you're the most powerful witch on the isles. What harm could we do?".

"I know what you're thinking Miss Owl Lady and, no, this isn't some evil plan mom thought up to spy on you. She actually doesn't know we have this" Emira added.

Eda was silent for a moment. It looked like she was inspecting the twins for any hint that pointed towards potential shenanigans. The two siblings may have been talented troublemakers, but Eda was the definition of a perfect con-woman. She would be able to tell if the Blights were up to something.

"Well," the witch sighed. "You two seem genuine. Alright, Baby Blights come around back, and we'll talk. But I don't want any funny business. I'm the one who causes trouble around here". The twins nodded before they walked around the tent behind us. Once they made sure the coast was clear, Emira gestured us over.

"Let's cut to the chase" the Blight sister began. "Mom CAN NOT get this necklace, let alone know where it's at. She's been trying to use it to do some pretty bad things lately and it's been hurting our little sister in the process".

"Wait. Are you talking about Amity? What does she have to do with this necklace?" I gasped.

The twins shared a worry filled silent conversation before Edric answered with, "let her out, Em". Emira nodded then grabbed the stone charm on the necklace delicately.

"Mittens" she called, causing the smooth stone to glow. "We're letting you out now, so at least try to be nice".

"Mmkay" the necklace responded dryly.

A whole galaxy of stars twinkled in my excited eyes. Did the necklace just talk?! Was it alive?! I had so many questions.

Where did the necklace come from? Was it a normal necklace that had a spell put on it or was it made magical? Why was the necklace so important to Amity? I mean if I had a bewitched talking piece of jewelry, I would have protected that thing with my life but, still, this necklace had to have a somewhat mysterious backstory!

"Focus, Luz. You can discover the necklace's enchanted history later" I told myself after taking an inaudible deep breath.

Then a certain word that Emira had said circled back to the front of my mind. "Mittens"? She had called the necklace Mittens. But wasn't Mittens the twins nickname for--

"Amity..." Emira called out after a moment of preparation. "...rise".

My beaming brown eyes squeezed shut. I held up my hands and shielded my face as my ears were filled with a roaring sound.

The spot in front of the twins had lit a blaze, covering the space around us in a brilliant purple light. Oddly enough, the extreme wave of heat I expected didn't come. Instead, the small cool breeze continued to brush against the arms of my thin white and purple striped sweatshirt.

I didn't even get the chance to internally ask myself what was going on before the many new sensations drifted away into the wind. I kept my eyes shut for another second, allowing my eyes a little more time to recover from the sudden flash of bright light.

Confident that they could handle the sight in front of me, I opened my eyes slightly. Well... at least the sight in front of me didn't blind me like the fire did but... it made my head feel like it was on a ride at Disneyland.

The twins had been joined by a slightly smaller witch. She looked really similar to both of them, she had green hair and golden eyes just like the witches behind her did, but her hair was well straightened and a minty green color with a pinch of brown roots instead of the emerald green the two siblings had.

She also seemed paler than them but all of the colors on her were paler than it probably should have been. She was rather thin. She didn't look delicate or weak but more like she was gracefully slim.

Where she lacked visible muscle, she made up for with her piercing golden eyes. There was a star in each of them, literally! Both burned powerfully while projecting a warning of mighty confidence.

Her facial expression screamed "head cheerleader", really everything about her did. You know how all those old nineties high school themed teen dramas have a pack of snobby popular kids? Yeah, the witch in front of me looked like she could be the head witch of a gang of preppy rich kids.

I know, I know, never judge a book by its cover but this time the book's cover portrayed the book perfectly. I had met this witch before, and I knew that the "leader of the popular kids" description fit her perfectly. She was mean, pretty, and everyone loved her despite her being the dictionary definition of the B word.

Now what I didn't know was how it was possible for that witch to be standing, floating actually, in front of me! The last time I had seen the witch she was carted to the nurse's office unconscious and dying. That very same witch was said to have died an hour later. Now, a day later, she was now standing calmly above the ground like nothing ever happened!

"Yep. That's definitely the vengeful ghost of the witch I killed. I am one hundred percent SCREWED!" I quietly whimpered.

The spirit took a deep breath out. She released some of the tension in her shoulders then softened the scary look on her face. She didn't look any more relaxed afterwards but at least she didn't look like a cat about to pounce at any second.

"Hello, human" she greeted passively. ", and Miss Edalyn" she added with a bow. Her last comment broke Eda out of her slightly saddened reaction. With an amused snort, she began to laugh.

"She's like a little Lily" Eda chuckled to herself loud enough for the ghost to hear.

"Actually, I was Lilith's star protege," she responded matter-of-factly. "I think her reserve has rubbed off on me a bit over the years. She's your sister, correct?".

Sister? Eda had a sister! If it were any other occasion I would've been groveling on the ground beneath Eda and begging her to spill all her sister secrets. But instead, I just locked eyes with Eda and silently told her, "We are so talking about that later ''.

"That's me. So, you're Lily's apprentice, huh?". Eda lightly nudged me on the shoulder. She slightly leaned towards me while keeping her eyes pointed towards Amity. "You hear that, kid? She's your rival".

That made me start to quiver. That proud talented witch was my rival? She was my Hecate?

I paused for a moment and fell into my thoughts. She was my Hecate: a powerful yet bitter witch who now was being forced to ask her rival for help. And, if she was my Hecate, that meant I was her Azura! It was my destiny to show her enough kindness and trust to allow a beautiful friendship to blossom! I didn't know what Amity wanted me to do exactly but I had to help her!

When I popped back into reality, Eda and Amity had just finished talking about Eda's sister. Amity's attention was back on me. Her eyes gave no sign of any positive or negative emotion but the way she slightly kept her chin up made her look a smidge bigger than she really was.

Her lack of emotion left a boulder in my stomach. There was no sign that she was angry but there was no sign that she wasn't either. I kind of wished she would've yelled at me. At least then I would know how she felt about me.

"We don't have a lot of time until my mom goes on her lunch and notices the amulets gone, so let's just cut to the chase. Human--".

"Luz" I interrupt. The ghost's shoulders tensed. I could tell by how her eyes narrowed that she was trying her best not to show her annoyance.

"What?" Amity asked a little impatiently.

"Luz. It's my name. I'm Luz Noceda. I figured if I'm going to help you hide from your mom, we should properly introduce ourselves" I explained while holding out a hand politely.

Amity scowled at it for a moment before her eyes met mine. She didn't speak but I heard her loud and clear. I could practically hear her let out a deadpanned, "really?". She obviously thought it was too late for formal introductions or, at least, that an introduction was not important enough to stray off topic for.

Yet she still tried to be hospitable and wouldn't risk being turned away for shutting down small talk. So finally, the spirit grabbed my surprisingly much larger hand and responded with, "Amity Blight, youngest of Alador and Odalia Blight".

If it were anyone else, I would've been relieved with how that introduction went. But this wasn't some random stranger. This was Amity. The witch was always kind of daunting with how presumptuous she was except now she was an angry spirit. You can't blame me for panicking just a little tiny bit.

"Wait. We were supposed to tell each other our parents' names too? Sorry, sorry. I'll restart. I'm Luz Noceda, also known as Luz the human. I'm the only child of my mom, Camilla Noceda. You two would probably get along since you're both really smart and stuff. She knows all sorts of things about the anatomy of all sorts of creatures. And I'm sure she'd love to hear about how you make abominations.

Then my dad is...well I don't know what to say about papa. Mom really doesn't like him, I guess? The only thing I'm really allowed to say is that he's a "no hay buen hijo de puta (no good son of a bitch)". I was stopped by a small, almost inaudible, giggle.

I had been staring at Amity the entire time I spoke, though I was more focused on giving her the 101 on my human family. At first, she was irritated by yet another one of my interruptions. I had always had a problem with staying on topic and I'd ramble on and on too. Each second I continued talking was like an agitating poke on the cheek and Amity could only stand that for so long before she would snap.

But as I continued to anxiously stumble through my introduction, Amity's annoyance sank into... sympathy, a hesitant sympathy that made the witch act more understanding. It made her expression ease into this almost attentive look, one that showed she didn't mind listening and would even respond if she could. Though, she still looked a little irate, a warning to me not to say anything stupid.

What was she sympathizing with? Your guess was as good as mine. Perhaps she thought that I was really embarrassed, you know cause I was (I was just so nervous around the witch I couldn't help it, okay).

And if I learned anything from Amity while sneaking into hexide it was that embarrassment was the end of the world for her. I could still feel her jerking on my hood as hard as she could over and over again while screaming, "I want answers!" after the Abomination professor took away her badge. So maybe my fubbing touched a sore spot inside of her.

Or perhaps she felt bad about how anxious I was. Was she surprised that I instantly crumbled when I saw her, that I felt sorry? After all, I was the heathen who broke into the school and ended up getting her killed. Was she surprised that I wasn't acting all devious?

My guess was that it was a combination of the two. But no matter what it was, it was nice to see the witch switch out of her you are my enemy and I will crush you mode.

And then, I saw a part of Amity I didn't expect to see. When I called my father a "hijo de puta", though I didn't quite think she knew what it meant, the apathetic witch let her guard down completely.

She chuckled. Stone cold Amity Blight chuckled! And she wasn't laughing at someone else's expense either...Well, I guess you could say it was at the expense of my dad but I think she was more amused by the way I had said it.

I didn't really want to believe my dad was such a bad guy when I had no idea what went down between him and mami. He had his own side of the story that I didn't know anything about, and I had nothing but happy memories of him before he left.

But my enthusiastic declaration always made mami feel better about any reminder of her former partner. Yeah, I would get in trouble for the naughty language, but it was worth it. Whenever mami would scold me about it she was never able to hide how my enthusiasm made her laugh.

Apparently, Amity liked the enthusiasm too. She let out a tiny sputter of laughter before she tried to hide her smile and go back to her poker face. Her cheeks were turning pink, and her gaze shot all over the place. Now she was the one who was embarrassed.

Amity cleared her throat before she calmly admitted, "I...don't really know what "ee-ho day pu-tah" is supposed to mean...but it would be pretty nice to be able to get away with calling mom and dad names...". Her flustering face flushed even redder when she realized what she said was failing to hide her secret amusement.

"But we're getting off topic again! We don't have time for any more distractions, hu...Luz." she said sternly.

It was amazing to see the witch, who was just so collected a few minutes ago, go from marveling at Spanish swear words to being impatient in less than thirty seconds. It wasn't the first time I had seen her that way, either. It was like she could, at the drop of a hat, go from being Amity to Animate-ity... I'll stop.

"Right. Sorry. You wanted to ask me for a favor?" I asked. Amity sighed out her exasperation. She allowed herself to slip back into a businesswoman's exterior before she answered.

"Yes. I don't like having to ask but I need your help" she stated "indifferently".

Amity may have been really good at hiding her emotions, unless she was embarrassed, I guess, but I still knew the desperation was there. She was scared and I couldn't blame her. Her life... afterlife... it was thrown into a spin.

First, she died in a horrible way. Then she was trapped inside an amulet which, judging by what the twins said about it, was the work of her own mother. And then, her mother started hurting her by using the amulet. I couldn't help but be amazed by the witches' bravery. There was no way I would be able to stay calm through all that.

"What do you need me to do?" I said softly yet determined.

"I need a place to hide while the three of us find a way to free me from this necklace. We figured that the elusive owl lady and her apprentice definitely knew how to stay low.

Though we know that Eda doesn't think well of our family, and we weren't one hundred percent sure she would help us... Hell, we weren't sure you would want to help us after the dagger incident". Amity's tone went from calm to cold and bitter while mentioning what happened the day prior. "I wasn't going to stab you by the way. It was all some scheme Bump came up with to keep you from breaking into Hexside again".

The spirit let out a huff. She rolled her eyes before her gaze turned to her nails. There was the Amity I saw in the woods the day before.

"What do you take me for anyways, some sort of criminal?" she wryly huffed. That comment earned an angry "Amity" from Emira and an amused snort from Eda.

"You've got spirit kid, I'll give you that. But here's a word of advice. You shouldn't insult people while you're asking them for help" Eda said sarcastically. "It makes them more likely to say no".

Amity tried to say something, but she could only stammer. Her eyes went as round as the sun while the bags underneath suddenly became more noticeable. If you looked closely, you could see her slightly shake in fear.

It should have been a satisfying sight, seeing a bully instantly regret what they said. Yet, instead, I felt plain bad for the spirit. Her future was stripped away from her, and she was being driven from her home by someone she was supposed to wholeheartedly trust. No one deserved that, not even a bully like Amity.

"Amity. I want to help you. If your mom is hurting you...:" I uttered.

"She is," Amity cried. "She keeps asking me to kill her business rival's family and when I don't...she gives a certain command that... it... it just hurts me somehow". There were tears welling in Amity's eyes. "I'm not going to kill anyone! I just won't! I know what it's like to die and it sucks! But, by doing nothing, I'm misbehaving so mom punishes me. She makes my body feel like it's on fire and covered in needles all at the same time. It's... literal torture! So please, I am begging you, help me hide! I'll do anything!".

Emira and Edric walked up to their sister's side. Emira put a hand on Amity's shoulder while Edric looked me dead in the eyes.

"I know she's nowhere close to the nicest witch on the isles but please help our Mittens. She's super loyal and would beat up a mail demon without question for you" he begged.

"Beat up a mail demon? Has that happened before?... What did he do?" I asked carefully.

"He was trying to break in!" Amity cut in defensively. "He wanted to hurt me, Ed, and Em so I beat him with a large switch. Anyone would do it".

"You tore off his horn and sprained his ankle," Emira pointed out.

"Yes, and she did it out of love for her two older siblings. And she would do it for you too if she needed too" Edric clarified with cheesy confidence. Emira looked back at me, fighting the urge to snap at her brother.

"What Ed is trying to say is, Mittens can be impatient, and quick to anger, and an all-around hellhound sometimes, but she'll always have your back. She's super caring, especially when it really matters, and she actually warms up to people super quickly if she wants to. So please, give Amity a chance".

While it was sweet to see the twins stand up for their sister, I had already made up my mind. I was going to help Amity no matter what. Nothing was gonna stop me.

It was time for me to bring out my secret weapon: being charmingly adorable. I looked up at Eda and gave her the sweetest heart-melty-est puppy dog stare I could possibly muster. I let out a whimper then asked, "please, Eda?". When Eda didn't falter, I added, "we gotta help her. This is my chance to be friends with an actual real ghost! Pleeeeease".

Eda let out her tension with a sigh. She waved off my mushy begging face with the flick of her hand. "Relax, kid. Wasn't planning on turning her down anyways. But we are setting some ground rules. I will not have an Odalia 2.0 walking around my house, got it?".

I gave a little hop then leapt towards Eda. I happily gave her one of those "parallel arm things", crazy to think Eda didn't know what a hug was until I came around, while thanking her over and over again. The con woman looked down at me with a gentle smile. She softly pushed away from me as the focus was set back on Amity.

"Th...thank you," the ghost murmured with a genuine relieved smile. She choked on the phrase at first, like some instinct was trying to stop her, but spoke tenderly once she found the ability to speak. A strong appreciation radiated from her posture.

"I kind of have a hard time showing it but I am extremely grateful for your kindness. I know I haven't been the friendliest witch, so your help is very... unexpected...but also amazingly selfless. I've never meant to come off as cold, but status means a lot to the fami--". Suddenly growing irritated, Amity stopped herself with a scoff. She squinted her eyes shut while she had an internal yelling match with herself. There was silence for a second before she forced her eyes back open.

"What I'm trying to say is, I'll try to be friendlier. It's the least I can do''. Amity let her smile return, though this time a little more sheepishly.

My rivals to friends trope loving, ever optimistic, little heart melted. I couldn't help it. Amity was suddenly much more...happy! Her eyes sparkled. She stood more stiffly but it was more because she was rejuvenated then it was her being threatening. I wasn't quite getting friendship vibes yet but there were definitely much friendlier vibes.

It was weird considering that, just a day before, she had been more than willing to hold me at knifepoint just to get back at Willow, but it was also amazingly refreshing! It felt like finally finding the sugary center of a lemon drop.

Though, she did continue to act all formal, like we were all CEOs of gigantic companies. Actually, hesitant would better describe it, more like she was talking to the CEO while she was just a face in a cubicle.

Nevertheless, a baby step towards our legendary friendship was still a step forwards. She finally seemed like she wasn't trying to bitterly hide between her top student persona.

With that, Emira removed the necklace from around her neck and draped it around mine. The twins taught me three basic commands: cower, rise, and writhe. The former were to help Amity hide in the amulet when in public, which prompted Eda to try to convince Amity to do some pickpocketing with her, while the latter was a command only a psycho would use.

When the twins had brought it up, Amity panicked! She angrily scolded the two before her yells turned into a scared beg directed at me and Eda.

"Please, j...just...just forget about that command. The other two are really the only two you actually need". The ghost nervously laughed before she whimpered, "please?".

"It's okay, Minty. We're not gonna hurt you when someone else hurting you is the reason, we're taking you in. However, it's still good to know it exists, just in case someone was to find a way to use it against us" Eda mentioned. She took a moment to process what the older witch said but, in the end, Amity calmed down.

She turned towards the twins, letting out a sigh in the process. She stared gloomily at her siblings for a while they gave her bittersweet smiles.

"Well that's all of the commands then. We should get going. The owl lady needs to get back to her stand" Amity murmured reluctantly.

"Don't rush your goodbye, kid. King and I will stay here with the stand and Luz can bring you to the owl house when you're done, alright?".

The youngest Blight nodded while I gave my mentor a salute. Said mentor then turned around and left the four of us alone.

"Aw common, Mittens. Don't be upset" Emira consoled. "We'll still find a way to annoy you every day". Amity narrowed her eyes for a few seconds before her glare sunk back into a look of apprehension.

"It's just...what about you two?" the spirit asked worriedly. "If mom finds out you stole the amulet, she'll kill you". The twins' caring smiles didn't falter. In fact, they actually started laughing.

"Ed! Em! I'm serious! If mom is willing to hurt me, then she might hurt you too!" Amity barked as if she was harshly scolding a child.

I wanted to run up to Amity and give her a hug so badly. She was acting like her mom was a furious bear, warning her siblings that, if you mess with it, they'd become ghosts too.

"You think we didn't think of that, Mittens? Long as nobody says anything, mom'll never know about this. We know better than anyone that mom's been getting worse and worse. So, me and Em took a lot of precautions" Edric replied while he and Emira shared a knowing smile. "We know how to handle mom. We've been avoiding her punishments for years".

"Punishments? What do you know about punishments?".

Their younger sister was obviously still concerned for the twins, heck so was I and I didn't even know their mom, but some pent-up anger managed to squeeze its way through.

"The worst punishment I've seen you get is the occasional night without supper".

I wanted to slap myself for ever comparing my mami to their awful mother, but I was pretty envious. I would've much rather gone a night without supper than have my mom take out.... la chancla.

"Why are you so worried about us, then?".

"Because, now that I'm gone, mom has no one to push around except you. All the things mom did to me is gonna happen to you now. You'll go weeks without supper because you "decided" to skip it in favor of studying. You'll have three times the classes. You'll be whacked with a ruler if you fall asleep while studying, which you're supposed to do until four in the morning by the way. And, who knows, mom might try to turn you into assassins too" Amity scoffed as if the answer to her brother's question was obvious.

"Mittens, moms been hurting us for years. And she used to push us to be perfect too. " Emira explained while the twins' smiles fell into two serious frowns. "We were smart, popular, and got amazing grades".

"But that wasn't good enough for mom. She wanted more from us. She wanted the perfect set of twins" Edric cut in, his voice like a low growl. "And, when we started cracking from all the pressure, we started a war we'd never win".

"She kept having us choose between every friend we had and the "Blight family name". And you know mom has her ways of making you choose the "right" choice" Emira added with a regretful sigh.

"What," she gasped so quietly I could barely understand what she said. "What did she do to you?".

"It wasn't as bad as what happened with you and Willow, but it was the same in concept. You remember the pose we used to bring over to the manor all the time, right?". Wait. What about Willow?

"But they were all powerful and popular. Mom and Dad forced me to break ties with Willow because I was more powerful than she was... wait, no, ugh... I didn't mean to phrase it like that. We were just a part of different worlds, okay? We would've just held each other back".

What? Wait. Wait. Wait. Hold on. "Cut ties"? That sounds an awful lot like her and Willow were...¡Santa vaca! No way!

"Do you really believe that, Amity? Willow didn't hold you back, she made you happy. How did you having a best friend stop you from being good at magic?". Amity, the witch who mercilessly bullied Willow for years, was Willow's former best friend?! But...WHAT?!

"It wasn't about my magic. Mom and Dad said it was about magic, but we all know that's griffin shit. I was able to improve my abomination skills just fine while also being with Willow" Amity spat while her frustration rose.

"It was about my image. The Blights are powerful, and the Parks are an average family. And, as much as I hate saying it, hanging out with Willow at Hexide would've stopped some people from respecting me. You know respect was one thing I needed if I were ever going to make it to the emperor's coven". The witch sounded more like she was trying to convince herself breaking ties with Willow was for the better rather than her two siblings.

This was a huge revelation! Amity was friends with Willow, and she would've stayed friends with Willow if it weren't for her parents? I had to find a way to tell Willow. She would definitely want to hear this!

"You aren't respected, Amity! You're feared, just like us!" Emira spat. "All of our friends, mom told them that we would make their lives a living hell if they made us even a slight bit angry. And they believed her! They just stopped hanging out with us. They try to avoid us like we have the white death now.

It doesn't matter how nice we try to be, no one is willing to be near us longer than they have to" the witch paused to breathe. Her striking golden eyes were filled with desperation.

"Mom made you feared too, with the help of that gang she made you hang with. But, unlike us, you embraced it. All so you can be some big coven head. Is being feared by the people you used to care about even worth being a coven head?".

It took the youngest sibling a moment before she answered reluctantly,"I never wanted to be a coven head".

Edric gestured to his sister to continue by nodding. Emira, on the other hand, just stared at Amity sadly. She had known what the spirit was going to say but it still pained her to hear it.

"When I was a kid, I wanted to be a baker. I used to have so much fun sneaking into the kitchen with Willow and trying to make all the desserts we could think of. Hell, I still jump at any excuse to bake.

And, after I started volunteering at the library, I want more than anything to work with children for the rest of my life. Even though I've spent years working myself to the bone to be in the Emperor's Coven, it just feels like something else is truly my calling.

But then, there's just something that scares those thoughts away. Something inside me always tells me that, if I weren't in the guard, I would be wasting all of my potential, wasting my life" Amity vented dejectedly.

My chest ached. Anyone who was even paying the slightest bit of attention, and I was paying a lot of attention to the siblings' conversation, would know who the voice in Amity's head was.

I wanted to say something to the poor witch so badly but what was there to say? "Hey, sorry your mom manipulated you into giving up everything that made you happy to accomplish a goal she forced on you". I didn't think a "sorry to hear that" was very appropriate at the moment.

Well, I had to do something. So instead of saying something heartfelt and inspiring, like I wanted to, I just let my anger out.

"Ella se llama a sí misma una madre? Que ningún buen hijo de... Don't worry, Amity. ¡Juro por mi vida que no dejaré que ella te lastime más! (She calls herself a mother? That no good son of... Don't worry Amity. I swear by my life that I won't let her hurt you anymore!)".

She once again couldn't understand me, but I had just made a promise to Amity I was intending on keeping. I wouldn't let anyone, especially her witch of a mother, hurt her again. It didn't matter how perilous it got or how mean Amity was when we first "met". I would keep Amity safe until she and her siblings found a way to get her to...wherever ghost witches go.

Amity spun towards me with a look that was in the middle of extremely embarrassed and utterly horrified. "You... you heard that... all of that?". Before I got the chance to respond, Edric popped in.

"You forgot she was here, Mittens? She's been, like, excitedly staring at us throughout the whole conversation".

"It was a lot to take in" I laughed nervously. "I mean, who knew the Blight family had so much--".

"Bagage?".

"Drama?".

"Depravity?".

"I'm sorry" I muttered. "I probably shouldn't have listened. This sounds like private stuff that's between you three only". My festering guilt made me start to speak faster and louder. "I promise that as soon as we get back to the Owl House, I'll find a potion that erases memories! I won't tell a soul in the meantime, and I won't even think about what I just heard! No one will ever know what you three just sa--".

"Can it, human!" Amity shouted, stomping her foot and curling her hands into fists. Her eyes were alive with rage, though I didn't think she was all that mad at me. Her anger was surely directed at me but the source of it seemed to be much deeper than me rambling.

I still flinched. Intimidating Amity was scary, sure, but Infuriated Amity was scarier than any other monster, demon, or witch I had seen while on the Isles.

Amity instantly snapped out of her fury once she saw my reaction. She looked like she wanted to cry out an apology for sounding so harsh but she, like always, was able to calm herself down quickly. Though, this time she didn't go back to businesswoman mode. Instead, she grew softly melancholy.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just kinda used to being rude to people you know? I guess it's a habit I really need to break.

And, besides, you're a part of this too now. It'd be the best for everyone if you got a better understanding of what we are dealing with". Once she saw I wasn't upset at her she added, "but, don't tell anyone about what you heard, especially Eda, unless you want to be a ghost too. Got it?" a bit more harshly.

"Understood! And don't worry about the yelling. You're going through a lot right now. It's understandable" I chirped. My attention then turned towards the twins. "So, you guys know how to get to the Owl House, right?".

"Nope," Edric answered, making a popping noise at the end.

"And it's going to stay that way. It'll be easier for us to hide where you guys are if we don't know where you live" Emira explained.

"So, what are you going to do when you want to see Amity?" I asked while my smile faltered.

"We'll meet at the refuge. It's a cave in the middle of the woods surrounding the manor. Amity should know where it is".

"The refuge? Titan, I haven't been there in ages... are we going to set up a time to meet then?". Amity began to look a lot... less sad better described her attitude than the word happy... as she was reminded of the mysterious cave. She actually looked eager to meet up with her siblings again.

Emira shook her head while asking, "Eda's got a crystal ball right, Luz?" back. I answered with a nod.

"Good. Then you guys can call when you guys want to meet with us. And, vice versa of course. Just remember not to call while mom and dad are on their breaks".

There was a long moment of silence after that where the Blight siblings just admired the moment with each other. The twins gazed at their late sister with sad smiles on their faces. The moment was amazingly bitter-sweet. Saying goodbye must've been hard but, on the other hand, Amity was free. The two older Blights would no longer have to watch their sister suffer.

"I guess this is goodbye, for now at least. I don't know if I can thank you enough," Amity finally said, breaking the silence.

"Again, we would much rather prefer a "you're the best siblings in the world" Edric joked. Once again, I witnessed a phenomenon. Amity chuckled... again!

"Ok. Ok. You two are the best siblings in all the isles". The ghost stopped for a moment before continuing, "when you're not being stupid that is" with a teasing but lighthearted snicker.

"Sorry, Ed. Looks like Mittens likes me more" Emira joined in.

"Why do you guys always gang up on me?".

"Cause, Ed, the middle sibling always gets picked on". Amity pressed on once Edric failed to hold his smile.

"I'm the middle sibling by two minutes!".

"Still the middle sibling" Emira sing-songed as the two twins turned to leave. "See you later, Mittens. You too, cutie". The twins only made it a couple feet since Amity suddenly had one more thing, she wanted to say to them.

"Just remember, when you're trapped in a nightmare, remind yourself you'll always wake up".

"That has to be the dorkiest thing you've ever said". Emira laughed. Amity's gratitude was melted away by her sudden fiery anger.

"But you used to say that all the time!".

"When you're addressing a dork, you've gotta talk like a dork. But I'm glad to see you were listening to us all those years. We told you'd make it through".

Edric wore the smuggest grin I had ever seen. He seemed excited to say what he was about to say though he masked it with a smug smile.

"Yeah. Not so stupid now, huh?". After that, Edric and Emira made their leave. Amity looked at me and nodded, giving me the ok to put her back in the necklace.

"Alright, Amity. To the Owl House!" I cheered. I excitedly sent Amity back into the amulet then skipped towards the exit of the market.