Chapter Eleven

Hunter bit his lip as he waited, leaning against Willow's locker with his arms crossed as he had read about before in the few romance novels he would forever deny he had once taken up. Those sloppily- and unrealistically-written things always emphasized the positive aspects of it: the anticipation, the longing, the heat rising in your chest. But they glossed over the negatives: the nerves, the impatience, the sweating!

It didn't help that this was outside his normal routine. One of the few positives he held about being in the Emperor's Coven was that it was structured, unlike his younger days after- ... Before Belos found him. And while he didn't care for school itself aside from seeing his new friends — and Willow — he did like the predictability of it, the schedule, the routine.

Hunter was broken from his distracted musings by Lil Rascal tweeting and gently headbutting his jaw from his position on his shoulder. He turned his head in that direction and stood up straighter at the sight of her. Willow seemed surprised to see him, judging by her wide eyes paired with the blush on her cheeks. Clover buzzed in greeting from her shoulder.

"Good morning, Hunter," she said, her smile returning, small and shy.

"Good morning, Gorgeous," he replied as smoothly as he could, which was surprisingly very smooth.

Willow arched an eyebrow and pursed her lips. "Is that going to be a regular thing?" she asked.

"Uh …" Hunter scratched his cheek and thought as quickly as he could. "... No?"

Willow giggled, covering her lips with her fingertips. "I'm not mad, Hunter," she assured, her cheeks still pink. "I'm just not comfortable with a … recurring pet name that is only about my looks."

"Ah," Hunter replied, wincing at himself. Yeah, he supposed that was kind of shallow. He relaxed at the feel of Willow taking his hand, carefully out of sight of other hallgoers.

"Like I said, I'm not mad," she said, green eyes gazing into magenta. Her shy smile grew a bit into something mischievous. "... My hero." Hunter winced and shook his head, causing Willow to giggle again. "We'll figure it out," she said.

"Together," he finished.

And there it was again: the familiar pull. The attraction, like a physical force drawing them nearer. When had they drawn closer, their bodies a hair's breadth apart? They wove the fingers of their joined hand without thinking about it. Hunter felt himself … not drowning in Willow's green eyes, but maybe wading. They halted several inches away from each other, neither willing to put on an obvious show in front of the student body.

"How about 'Honey'?" Hunter asked quietly.

Clover buzzed in offense, though the twinkle in her eyes showed it was teasing. "I think that's too close to home for this one," Willow said, her free hand moving up to stroke Clover's head. Lil Rascal tweeted in a way that suggested laughter, and Hunter shrugged his shoulder to knock the bird off balance a little.

"Okay, how about-?"

"Hi Willow!" Luz's voice echoed through the hall and they stepped away from each other, their joined hands parting. Luz came closer and noticed her other friend. "Oh, hey Hunter! Didn't see ya there."

"Luz," Hunter greeted, trying to school his features into neutrality. His eyes widened at the sight of Amity at Luz's shoulder, the Blight putting her scroll away before greeting Willow with a smile. Then she looked at Hunter and light frost gathered in her gaze.

Luz was surprisingly silent, too, her face gone blank. She looked between them and Hunter began to get nervous. Luz may have been random and energetic and had the attention span of a small bird, but she was remarkably clever and observant when she wanted to be, as demonstrated in Latissa. What was she looking at? Or for?

As if in answer, a wide, cat-like smile spread across her lips. "So, how's your morning been? Willow? Hunter?"

They instinctively looked at each other for answers, then hastily averted their gazes to avoid being incriminating, then realized that that was just as incriminating! Hunter swallowed and scratched at the hem of his uniform shirt, right over his hidden coven brand. Willow was fiddling with the strap of her messenger bag.

They were saved from answering when Gus showed up out of the blue, with Barcus of all people trailing next to him. "Hey, guys! Guess who I found?"

Barcus barked at them in presumable greeting, but most of them gave some flavor of confused look. Except for Amity.

"No, we haven't seen Jerbo this morning," Amity said pleasantly. "Why? Is everything okay?"

Barcus whined a bit and wriggled a bit, then sneezed.

"Well, let us know if we can help," Amity said unsurly. Barcus barked in apparent affirmation before nodding to everyone and running off.

"You speak Barcus's language?" Luz asked.

"I speak several languages," Amity replied. "It's … considered proper for a Blight," she added, looking downward with a faint blush.

Luz giggled and gave her a side hug. "You seem to get even more amazing the longer I know you," she said cheerily.

"Let's never end up like that," Hunter whispered in Willow's ear, drawing a giggle from her.

"What's funny?" Luz asked with a manic gleam in her eye, her focus returning to them full-force.

"Nothing," they said together. "Stop that," they said to each other, again in perfect sync.

"Wow," Gus said, in a strangely deadpan tone. Strange for him, at least.

"Uh, we gotta get to class early!" Willow piped up, grabbing Hunter's wrist and dragging him away. She shouted over her shoulder, "We'll see you guys at lunch!"

As the pair left, Luz had to clap a hand to her mouth to keep herself from laughing, Amity looked mortified, and Gus was smirking. "So we're all on the same page, right?" Luz asked. "They're totally a thing now."

"Hunter admitted it to me at the library yesterday," Amity said, her tone still strained.

"They're about as obvious as you two," Gus added snarkily.

Amity's expression twisted just a little more. "Were we really that bad?" Amity asked.

"No," Gus said, his grin widening just a little. "Luz was that bad. You were way worse!" Gus ran just as the bell screamed, getting out of range of Amity's ire. "See ya!"

"He's going to pay for that," Amity muttered.

"For telling the truth?" Luz asked.

"No, for-!" Amity cut herself off and grumbled under her breath. Something about "traitorous girlfriends." She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "We need to get to class," she finally said.

"Oh yeah!" Luz cheered. "We're learning about animating constructs of Abomination clay!" She grabbed Amity's hand and raced off, pulling her girlfriend along. "You already know that trick, right? So you can work with me!"

The first class of the morning … didn't go as expected. Instead of their usual activities caring for plants in the greenhouse, every student in the Plant track — numbering at something over fifty — was gathered in the auditorium by Mrs. Kissiae. The teacher herself seemed to be on the edge of her seat at whatever was coming.

Finally, once the students had settled down, Mrs. Kissiae took the stage in front of the drawn curtain with a wide smile. "Welcome all," she said into a calling demon, the creatures that public speakers used to amplify their voices to crowds. "It has taken me weeks, but I have a surprise for you all. To give a presentation on the power of plant magic, I present: Head Witch Lady Feronia!"

The curtain parted to reveal a figure familiar to Hunter and very recognizable to the rest of the students. The woman was dressed in a robe of green silk with a brown shawl over shoulders and her ever-present strawberry cap atop her hair styled in the same vine-like tendrils it always was, covering one eye and leaving the other to track across the room and take everyone in.

"Good morning, students of Hexside," she said in her weathered voice. "It is a pleasure to be standing here before you to see the future of the Boiling Isles. And my own coven, of course." Everyone laughed politely, and Feronia shrugged. "Now then, as many of you are probably less than pleased at listening to an old bag drone on and on," she cast a large spell circle that conjured huge clay pots filled with plants, "perhaps some demonstrations would keep you entertained, hm?"

As Lady Feronia began her lecture, manipulating the various plants she had brought to demonstrate what she was saying — often in theatrical and eye-catching ways such as conjuring a row of pink flowers along a length of vine that she then presented to the teacher — Hunter couldn't help but notice the faint pressure of her gaze when it would track to him.

And worse, when he felt it pause just a little longer than usual on the girl sitting next to him with her fingers discreetly woven with his on the armrest.

Lady Feronia would, as it turned out, demonstrate and lecture for about forty-five minutes. After demonstrating solo for that time, she had called several students up to the stage to help her show some principle in practice, such as singing to your plants while healing them to help them grow or how to subdue a horned trunk tree with only your hands.

When their class time had ended, Lady Feronia said goodbye to all of them. "I am pleased to see for myself that the future is bright for the Plant Coven," she said with warmth. "May all of you remain diligent in your studies and blossom into the fine witches I know you can become."

There was a mix of groans and forced laughter at the bad pun, though a few genuine laughs or thanks could be heard as well. Lady Feronia traced a circle and crawlway vines shot through the floorboards to surround her and retract, taking her with them in a feat of showmanship that would make an illusionist look twice.

After Mrs. Kissiae had dismissed them and promised that Lady Feronia would be visiting again later in the week, everyone began to get up for their next class. Hunter reluctantly released Willow's hand, though they still stayed close to one another. "So, how'd you like the show?" he asked.

"It was very interesting," Willow said cheerily. "I didn't know half of those tricks she showed. I just hope I can remember them for later."

Kikimora hummed to herself as she filed paperwork. As the Emperor's assistant, quite a bit of it fell to her to sort and organize for his approval. Even more so lately, with the Golden Guard off on his "secret mission." Honestly, the fool was probably wasting time shopping or making friends!

Kikimora's uncovered eye flicked to a poster of the Golden Guard she had tacked to her office wall. He stood there, posture perfect and with his arms crossed all aloof and above the rest. It made her want to screech! Instead, she clenched her tiny fist and snapped the feather pen in her hand, then calmly tossed the pieces into the trash and removed another from a desk drawer.

That was why she had that poster. It gave her motivation.

As Kikimora dipped her new feather pen into an ink well, her compact began to chime. She tapped it and it opened to reveal a welcome face. The witch's appearance was as bland and unremarkable as could be. Medium brown hair cut short, medium brown eyes, average height and build, skin tanned enough to not draw attention. And his expression was as calm and reserved as one could be, with no clear emotions to focus upon.

All of this contributed to him being a most marvelous spy.

"Phlegming," Kikimora said sweetly, clasping her hands before her as she always did on the compacts. "You have news, I take it?"

"The target is well-liked in Hexside," he reported in a rich, warm tone that put the listener at ease. "She is very invested in her chosen field and, according to the teachers' reports, quite gifted as well. In my humble opinion, I feel she would make a promising initiate to the Emperor's Coven."

"Yes, thank you for that little tidbit," she said, silently adding that she would never let the girl into the Emperor's Coven if at all possible. "What of her relationships?"

"She is close with her fathers, one a potion brewer and the other a butcher." His eyes widened just a bit. "As you said, her closest friend is the human, Luz Noceda. They are like sisters to one another. The illusionist son of the reporter, Porter, is another very close friend and a longtime one if I am reading it correctly. And the youngest Blight has slowly grown closer to her as well."

'Hmm, strong connections,' Kikimora thought. Perry Porter was a respected public news anchor, and his clout within the media would complicate any attempts to use his son as leverage. And the Blights, though under the Emperor's thumb and close scrutiny, were an old, respected, and wealthy family — another difficulty in taking a pawn.

"Anyone else?" she asked politely. She tensed just a bit, hoping for the expected payoff.

"She is more loosely tied to a group of students who spearheaded Hexside's dual-track program," the spy reported. "Though it is technically legal as long as each student eventually joins a specified coven, it might be worth looking into."

"Anything else?" Kikimora stressed.

The spy's lips moved into the barest hint of a smile. "She also has a new boyfriend." Kikimora's eyebrow quirked in something like interest. "A blond boy who joined Hexside almost three weeks ago. About sixteen and with a prominent scar on his cheek. They have grown very close very quickly, and seem to have become official to one another."

Kikimora's eye twitched. "Very good, operative. Keep your eyes open."

"Yes, Kikimora," he said before the screen went black.

Kikimora placed her hands on the desk as her fingers curled, digging furrows into the expensive wood. Under her high collar, her tusks were bared in a vicious grin. This was it! This was it! The beginnings of the evidence she needed to depose the Golden Guard and take her rightful place as Emperor Belos's most trusted agent!

"Oh-ho-ho-ho, Golden Guard," she chuckled maliciously, looking up at that cursed poster with triumph rather than fury, "your days are numbered."

"Hey Willow?"

Willow glanced to her right to find Hunter scratching his cheek with obvious nervousness. They'd just gotten out of the last class for the day — Amity had extra credit tutoring, Luz was tagging along with her, and Gus had another HAS meeting — so why would he look like that?

"Yes?" she asked demurely, suddenly nervous herself.

"Can we talk for a second? Before I take you home?"

At her hesitant nod, Hunter took her hand and led her at a brisk pace into the woods surrounding the school. They finally stopped under the branches of a large bleeder tree, its strips of bark peeling away to reveal blood-red sap. "I, uh-" Hunter started before he seemed to realize how close they were standing. "I-" His cheeks reddened and his grip on her hand tightened. Willow couldn't help but smile shyly at the look he was giving her, like she was the sun or the moon.

"Hunter?" she prodded.

"Yes!" he yelped, getting a hold of himself. "Look, we're, uh … whatever we are?" He pointed between them almost frantically. Willow lifted a teasing eyebrow and he shook his head to clear it. "Not the point. My point is that we haven't had a … you know."

"A what?" Willow asked, widening her eyes and batting her eyelashes. She had a feeling about where this was going, and she had learned that messing with Hunter was really fun. She smiled a bit at the thought that she had changed so much from the painfully shy and insecure girl she had been a few months ago.

"A … date," Hunter bit out, his cheeks flaming at this point.

"Hunter? Are you asking me on a date?" she asked wryly, eyelids falling just a bit.

"Yes I am," he replied, far more surely than before. His blush was still there, but there was steel in his eyes in place of any doubt. Willow felt herself swoon just a bit at that look and her own blush rose to meet his.

"I'd love to," she said. "Did you have something in mind?"

"I've heard about this really nice restaurant," he said, a confident smile growing. "On an island in the right ring finger chain."

Willow gasped. "I've heard of that place," she said. And she had. Bella Notte was the most famous romantic restaurant in the Boiling Isles — owned, operated, and protected by a former high-ranking member of the Bard Coven. The demon had retired from active service and pursued his passion of nurturing love among all denizens of the Isles through rich food and wonderful music. Willow blinked as she realized a problem. "But isn't that place really expensive? And reserved weeks in advance?"

"I can handle that," Hunter said confidently. "What do you say, Willow?"

"I say …" She paused as she thought over her words. "I think it's a little much for a first date."

Hunter's confident smile faltered. "What do you mean?"

"I don't need a fancy, expensive place, Hunter," Willow explained gently, placing her fingertips against his heart. "I just want to spend time with you." She smiled and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. "It's a very sweet thought, but maybe something for an anniversary."

"Ah, right," he said with a wane smile. "It's just the books said-" He went pale as he realized what had slipped out. "Um, I mean-"

"Books?" Willow asked.

Hunter hissed a sigh through his teeth and rubbed his forehead with his fingertips. "I might have borrowed some dating books from the library," he admitted through clenched teeth. "Which reminds me, Amity saw them and she knows about us."

Willow was quiet for a few long moments and Hunter began to think he had done something wrong. "Amity's fine," she said breathily. "It's Luz I would worry about, and it was an honest accident." She locked eyes with him. "You tried to read about what to do between us?"

"I don't know," he said regretfully. Great, now he'd offended his … partner? … after like two days of being committed. "I don't know anything and I thought- I just-" He sighed again. "I want to do right by you."

Hunter looked up at the feeling of Willow's finger under his jaw. He followed the gentle pressure of her touch to lift his head and look into her eyes. Her sparkling eyes. She smiled and swooped up to plant a long kiss on his lips. "That is so sweet, Hunter," she whispered against his lips, her fingers stroking his cheek. "Not a lot of boys our age would ask for help, even from books. Something about pride."

"You're worth it," he said firmly, his voice huskier, and he closed in for a long, luxurious kiss of his own, placing his hands on her hips. "Always. … my Rose."

Willow giggled. "Nope. Too generic."

"Why is this so hard?" he asked.

"Because we want them to mean something," she answered, drawing him closer and nuzzling into his neck. Hunter flushed at the feel of Willow's soft curves against his front, but powered through it and started to relax. Relax a lot, actually. Too much, he was falling asleep!

"Well, isn't that the sweetest thing?"

Both witchlings sparing apart in shock, their palismen coming out from their hoods to expand into staves as they took combat-ready stances. Out of the shadows of the trees strode Lady Feronia, as calm and composed as ever. "Oh come now, Dearies. There's no need for all that."

"Lady Feronia," Willow greeted neutrally, Clover shrinking down into her normal shape as Willow tried to curtsey in her Hexside uniform. She elbowed Hunter, who looked at her strangely before muttering, "Oh, right," and bowing his head in respect. How … strange. "Can we help you, ma'am?" Willow asked as politely as she could.

"Oh, I certainly hope so, Dearie," Feronia said cryptically, then traced a small spell circle. The bleeder tree's roots wrapped around Hunter with a cry and separated him from his staff. "Your lover's life depends on it."

Chapter 11! Hope you all liked it!

*Willow's concern about pet names just came to me in the moment. No real basis in canon, just an intuitive thing. What'd y'all think of it?

*Though I didn't realize it at the time, Willow and Hunter's in-sync speech was probably influenced by Starco. Because, yeah, I'm a fan!

*Yes, Kikimora is a grade-A b*. We all knew it. The description of her spy is based on a minor character from the Dresden Files novel "Turn Coat". I always liked that description and could help turning it into a spy.

*The restaurant title Bella Notte is a reference to the classic Disney romance. And yes, it was very intentional.

*Hunter and Willow's decision to try out different pet names was inspired by my own inability to settle on them. I honestly have no idea what they'll end up with.

Lots of notes on this one. If you liked it, leave a review! They make me so, so happy!