Human Orphan

Betrayal

You guys thought I would make it easy... unfortunately no... Luz can't catch a break and I apologize for this chapter.

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4:30pm
Luz is pacing back and forth in her room. She goes over the plan in her head "ok find a Blight parent. Convince him or her to invite me to dinner. Then... Convince my father, to let me skip... dinner... Yeah, this isn't going to work. I know! I'll find Lilith and see if she can help me. Wow. I'm going to die at the end of the day, aren't I? NO! You are heir to the throne. You are the most badass human on the Boiling Isles. You can do it, Luz!"

Luz immediately stops her pacing. At this very moment, she remembered her last name. Noceda.

She's never even thought of it before, but ever since Amity and Eda invaded her brain an hour ago, she's remembered bits and pieces. She only really remembers that one memory, unfortunately.

Luz doesn't know how to react to all this new information. She understands why Belos took away that memory. He wanted to protect her from the guilt it carried. But why would he want to lock away her inner self?

Luz is conflicted now because she feels every emotion at once. Before all her emotions were suppressed. They weren't gone but they were very minimal. "He didn't want me to be weak. He was only doing what was best for me. He loves me. AH NO! Love is a weakness. But... Amity loves me. She told my inner self. Is that weak? YES LUZ SNAP OUT OF IT. You are the daughter of the emperor. You can't feel these things or you will fail!"

Luz quickly snaps out of her thoughts and decides to look for Lilith. She starts to walk down the halls, still in her all-black outfit from last night's heist. Luz goes into a room after room looking for the coven leader, growing more aggravated by the minute.

Luz enters one room and there was Steve and Kikimora talking. Instead of interrupting them, Luz decides to hide and listen in on their conversation.

Steve whispers to Kiki "You can't ask me to do that."

Kiki snaps back "You don't have a choice in the matter. You are in this coven to serve the emperor directly. If you deny the request, we will have no use for you. And need I remind you what happens to covenless witches."

Steve stares at Kiki in fear and steps back "Please! Anyone else. I can't do that again. Not to her." Steve is now pleading, holding his hands together.

"Mind yourself. You have grown too attached to her. If you do not comply with the emperors request, then you will be replaced. Have it done by the end of this week. Do not fail." Kiki walks past Luz without noticing her and exits the room.

Steve, thinking he's all alone, sighs and throws his staff across the room in frustration. He then holds his head and starts to talk out loud to himself "What am I gonna do. I can't do it again to her. If she ever found out what I'm required to do every year to her, she'll never forgive me." Steve then calms down and goes to grab his staff. As he goes to pick it up he notices his human hiding behind one of her plant glyphs. "LUZ!!! HOW MUCH OF THAT DID YOU HEAR!?!?"

"Steve? What do you have to do? And to who?" Luz has so much fear in her voice. Steve walks towards her but she steps back, afraid of her protector. "Steve. Answer me."

Steve sees and hears the fare radiating from Luz "Kiddo. I can't tell you an answer to either of those. You're just going to have to trust me ok? You trust me. Right?"

Luz is on the verge of crying "Steve! As heir to the throne of the Boiling Isles, I command you to tell me what and who, you and Kikimora were talking about. Right! Now!"

Steve takes off his mask and looks down. He can't bare to see the look on Luz's face when he tells her what he's about to tell her "Luz I- I." He sighs and looks back up at the human, feeling guilty.