Luz was disappointed upon her trip to the library.

Vee's librarian friend wasn't there today, it turned out, which meant that Luz didn't have a new Azura fan to talk to about the book. At least she had the internet, which was cold comfort. She wanted to talk about it with a real person, to gush about the characters and how she was sure Azura and Hecate would be the cutest couple as soon as they moved past this stage where Azura was blushing every time Hecate got within six feet of her. And maybe that other sorcerer would become Azura's best friend or something.

Alas, there was no 'Amity Blight' at the library today, which left Luz with nothing to do but comb the shelves for something, anything else to read. Why waste a trip to the library when there were worlds to explore through the pages of the books? And the Bonesborough Library was so much bigger than the one in Gravesfield! There were so many new possibilities filling her mind as she stared around in wonder and drifted among the shelves.

Her wanderings brought her to the second level, a place sparsely populated this early in the summer and this far away from the Hexside entrance exams. She trailed a hand along a shelf and wondered if there was anybody at all her age here. Probably not. Willow was busy today, training for roller derby (apparently it required a lot of weight-lifting and practicing skating), which left Luz trying to find someone else to hang out with. That was why she'd come here—to find the mysterious Amity Blight and strike up a friendship.

"No, that's not gonna work…"

She turned her head at the sound of someone talking to themselves.

"Hello?" she whisper-called.

Luz continued on, eventually finding her way to a table that was piled with books she recognized as being for Dungeons & Dragons. Sitting among the books was a boy who must've been between her and Vee in age, scribbling something down in a notebook as he muttered to himself. She smiled. She'd always wanted to play D&D, but unfortunately the only games in Gravesfield were run by the creep from the historical society. Who'd tried to lock Vee in a room of the library and underestimated the power of La Chancla and a pair of angry and protective siblings.

This could be my chance!

"Hello!" she whispered, trying to be quiet, and he snapped his head to look at her.

"Oh, hi!" he greeted her, smiling.

"I saw your books. What are you working on?"

"Just a campaign for our guild. I'm our dungeon master."

"That's so cool! You think I can join your guild?"

"Depends. Why are you asking?"

"Because I wanna play? I couldn't where I lived before for personal reasons, but I was hoping there'd be someone here who knew something about the game so I could start it myself."

"Hm… sure. We'll try you out. Name?"

"Luz Noceda." She stuck out her hand and he accepted the handshake.

"Augustus Porter."

"Can I call you Gus?"

"Sure! Everyone does. They say my real name is too long."

"That's why we call my sister Vee. Valentina's too long a name for a little baby. Well, she's ten, but she'll always be my baby sister."

"Wait a sec, did you say your name is Luz? And your sister's name is Vee?" He tapped his chin. "You wouldn't happen to have moved here less than two weeks ago and have an older brother named Hunter, would you?"

"Check and check!"

"Oh, so you're the one Willow told me about!"

"You know Willow?"

"She's my best friend. She told me she met you and your siblings at the rink. Her dads own it."

"She has two dads?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, she just got so much cooler."

"She wasn't the coolest already?"

"She was, but it just got better."

Gus let out a laugh and nodded.

"Welcome to the guild, then, Luz." He pulled out his phone. "You have a Discord?"

"I wouldn't be a nerd if I didn't."

She gave him her information, and he sent her a link to join a group called 'Raven Quill'. According to him, it had been the name of the town's D&D group since his dad was a kid, and Gus was just the latest leader of the group. A lot of the older members didn't have time to play anymore, which had left the name abandoned until recently when Gus had dragged it back up.

She left the library feeling giddy. Oh, and with a dozen books that she'd shoved into her backpack upon checking out. It was going to be a fun couple weeks while she waited for news from Gus about their first session. In the meantime, he'd sent her a guide on how to make a character sheet and promised to get her some dice so she wouldn't have to borrow someone else's.

At the bottom of the stairs, she hopped off the last one and turned towards home.

Behind her, a girl her age was just arriving, heading up the very steps Luz had just hopped down. She had green hair and wore a staff badge around her neck, having a neutral expression as she ascended to begin another day at her summer library job. She also had no clue that she'd just passed the older sister Vee had told her about. Though, to be fair, Luz had no idea that she'd just passed the Azura fan who was just as into it as she was.

It was the first time they would be within ten feet of each other.

It was most definitely not the last, unbeknownst to either of them.

"She's staring at you."

"More like glaring at you. I'm pretty sure she's been trying to hit on me since we moved here."

Hunter could see Willow glancing over her shoulder out of the corner of his eye as they walked through downtown Bonesborough. Currently, they were being (poorly) secretly followed by Boscha and her little posse of minions, who apparently had a massive issue with Willow for some reason that his sister's new friend was unaware of.

("You seriously don't know why she hates you?"

"She's been bullying me since kindergarten. If I knew why, I'd tell you.")

Spending time alone with his younger sister's new friend hadn't been his idea for the day, but with Luz being wrapped up in her first D&D campaign and Vee spending the day at Eda's shop with King, he'd been bored at home. Even Rulers Reach hadn't made him feel entertained. He'd headed out on his own and bumped into Willow, figuring that spending time with someone he knew would be better than wandering aimlessly on his own.

He'd been right. Boscha following them was very entertaining… at first. Now it was just annoying and he wanted her to buzz off to the beach or something.

"Hey, Hunter!" she called, apparently done with being secretive. "What's up?"

"Uh, just… walking?"

"I was wondering if you'd maybe wanna hang out with me and my friends. You know, the cool kids instead of…" She all but directly pointed at Willow, who stared at the ground with a note of resignation. "I mean, you're cool and I think we'd work great together."

"Honestly, nah." He shrugged.

"Are you sure? We're gonna break into the Bonesborough Graveyard tonight, hang out, stuff like that."

"Oh. In that case… it's a triple no."

"Why? It'll be cool."

"Because I have respect for graveyards and the dead, maybe? And because I'm not interested in hanging out with you."

"But you'll hang out with weird plant girl?"

Okay, clearly this conversation wasn't going anywhere. Hunter turned around and Willow was quick to follow them. Boscha let out an offended gasp.

"Fine! Hang out with her! You'll figure out who's the better option for a friend! I think you're really cute, by the way!"

"God, drink some water," Hunter muttered and Willow snorted, finally smiling again.

"Sorry about her, by the way. It's the price of hanging out with me."

"I'll pay it, then. I mean, you're friends with my sister, so on the very off chance that you and I don't become actual friends I'll probably be seeing you around a lot anyway."

"That's true."

"Besides, weird plant girl? Gotta be a story behind that."

"I have a greenhouse at home and a kinda big garden. I love growing things and some of my plants are a little more rare or dangerous or exotic. Or all three."

"Carnivorous?"

"And poisonous."

"Sounds right up my alley."

"Really?"

"Nah, but maybe you can make it more interesting if I come see it. Someone else's enthusiasm can make all the difference."

Willow's cheeks turned slightly red and Hunter felt his own burning slightly. He cleared his throat, avoiding eye contact before nervously rubbing the back of his head.

"So. You gonna show me the greenhouse or should we wait for another day?"

"Wait for another day. A bunch of my flowers are getting ready to bloom and that's the version I want you and Luz to see."

"I'm looking forward to it. What should we do today, then?"

"I dunno, maybe… hang out at the rink? Luz said you're good at skating. I just hope she meant roller-skating."

"She did. Why?"

"Well, I'm starting a roller-derby team at Hexside in the fall. I've been hoping to find players for an exhibition match to show what it's about. We'll need a few."

"I could join you, if you really need people."

"Great! So I have you and I have me. Maybe Luz?"

"She has weak nerd arms that I'm pretty sure will snap if she attempts this. Don't ask her."

"Weak nerd arms?"

"Her words, not mine. C'mon, let's go to my place and grab my skates."

Willow scrambled to keep up with him as they made their way to the new home of the Nocedas. His mother was out at the clinic, probably trying to interview more staff for the opening that was happening soon. Luckily he had his house key and he remembered where his skates were off the top of his head. Willow glanced around in curiosity, the pictures on the wall beside the stairs catching her eye.

"It's been a while since I've been to a friend's house," she admitted. "Other than Gus, I mean."

"Same here. I didn't really have any back in Gravesfield." He headed up the stairs with her behind him. "Luz and Vee didn't have any, either."

"Is Vee short for something?"

"Valentina." He smiled as he entered his room and dug into his closet. "It was my idea to call her Vee instead. Valentina was too long for her, and Dad…"

His voice trailed off.

"Valentina's too long for a baby."

"What should we call her then, mijo?" his mother asked with a chuckle.

"I dunno. She's too little have a big name."

"Come up with a nickname and we'll call her that, then," his father agreed.

Hunter felt his chest tighten slightly at the memory of his father's voice.

No. Not in front of someone.

"Hunter, are you okay?" Willow's voice broke into his thoughts. "What did your dad say?"

"I'm fine. And it's nothing, he just asked for a suggestion." The blonde shook his head, ridding himself of the memory before slinging his skates over his shoulder. "C'mon, let's go before the rink closes and my mom gets home."

"Oh, I'm sure the owners will let us stay past closing."

"You know them?"

"My dads."

"No wonder you're there so much." He let out a chuckle. "Maybe we should practice when the rink's not open, just so we have enough space to work. If it's okay with your dads and my mom."

"Yeah, maybe!" She grabbed his arm, her face brightening with a smile as she tugged him along back downstairs. Apparently, his suggestion had gotten her excited for roller-derby all over again. "Let's go!"

Hunter couldn't hide the grin that spread across his own face.

"What was your dad like?"

Vee glanced up from the book she was reading to look at King.

"Why?"

"Dunno. I've always been curious about mine, and you don't have one either, so I thought I'd ask."

"I don't really remember him. I was basically a baby when he passed away."

"How'd it happen?"

"It was some kind of accident. They probably think I'm too young to know all the gory details. Hunter, Mom, and Luz get really sad on the anniversary, though. I'm gonna ask them what happened one day."

"Ask who what happened?" Eda inquired, leaning against the doorway to the backroom of her shop.

It was a shop of curiosities, antiques, and oddities. And vintage items, too. Vee had already managed to get her hands on a pair of yellow sunglasses that Luz called 'perfectly tacky and wonderful'. Eda's shop also happened to be a great place for her and King to hang out while her siblings were off on teenage adventures that didn't need a pair of ten-year-olds along for the ride and she didn't feel like going to the library.

"Were you eavesdropping?!" King gasped, sounding far more offended than any ten-year-old should.

"I own this place, buddy. I can listen to people talk about whatever I want, and frankly, I think Vee's got the right idea about letting people tell her the story one day. Whatever that story may be."

"My dad," Vee mumbled.

"Your dad. Huh."

"He passed away when I was really little. I don't remember him."

"I'm sure he loved you, if that's any consolation. I mean, Hunter and Luz are both functional human beings." She paused, looking thoughtful. "Luz, at the very least. I'm pretty sure Hunter still thinks I'm some kind of…"

Her voice trailed off as she remembered her audience.

"Never mind. The point is, you have a right to know about him, but you also have a right to decide when you're ready."

"What about my dad?" King questioned, and suddenly Eda looked very nervous.

"Oh, jeez, look at the time!" she stated, checking her watch that had an owl imprinted on the face. "I've gotta run out for a few minutes. Can you two watch the store and not burn anything down while I'm gone?"

"Hey, there are child labor laws, you know!"

"I know. But I'm not having you two work. I'm having you watch the store so we don't get robbed. There's a difference!"

She dashed for the door and waved goodbye.

"Byeeeeee!"

The front door to the shop slammed shut behind her, and Vee chuckled.

"Hunter does that, too," she told King.

"So does my grandma." King shrugged. "I think it's a Clawthorne thing. Maybe Hunter's secretly a Clawthorne."

"Hunter's a Noceda. He's been one longer than I have."

King went behind the counter, scrambling onto the stool Eda sat on while she was working. Vee followed suit, clambering onto a second one for whatever assistance Eda had on a given day. Her eyes began scanning the counter as they sat for a moment in silence, the only sound being the tick-tock-tick-tock of the grandfather clock at the back of the store. She finally broke it by clearing her throat.

"Does she always act like that when it comes to your dad?"

"Pretty much. She always just dodges the question and finds some excuse to run off. Like she's hiding something."

"Who knows." Vee leaned against the counter, then noticed a piece of paper sticking out from under the register. "What's that?"

"What's what?"

She reached over and took the piece of paper that turned out to be an envelope. The envelope was addressed to Eda and wasn't opened. The return address was somewhere in South Carolina, a town she'd never heard of and probably never would have if it weren't for this.

"Do you know anybody in South Carolina?"

"No. I'm pretty sure Mom doesn't, either."

"Then why does she have a letter from there?"

"It might be a new supplier, but they usually talk to her over the phone or in emails. Not letters." He took the envelope from Vee, turning it over and over in his hands. There was still a letter inside. "I'd love to read it, though. Maybe it's a deep dark secret of hers!"

Vee thought for a moment, then took the envelope back.

"What are you gonna do?"

"I saw this in a movie once about people who worked to put people in space. They kept blacking out information this one lady needed and she held it up to the light to see through it." King raised an eyebrow. "Hunter had to watch it for a class and Mama had us watch it with him. It was a good movie."

She held it up to the lighting of the shop, trying to make out words other than what was written on the envelope itself. The letter was written on thick paper that didn't allow much light through, but she thought she could make out a couple words at the very least. King leaned towards her.

"Anything?"

"I can see the words 'King' and 'son'. But that's about it."

"Let me try." King held it up too, squinting as he focused on the white paper.

(Neither of them heard the shop's bell jingle.)

"Maybe we should open it. If we're careful, she'll never know.

"She'll know, thank you."

Eda's well-manicured hands snatched the envelope out of her son's hands.

"Little word of advice for the two of you in the future: if you're planning to commit a felony by opening someone else's mail—dumbest felony possible, by the way—don't discuss committing said felony in public when your target could be back any minute."

"What's that, anyway?" King sighed.

"It's a personal letter from an old friend."

"Is it that Raine person? Because I thought they weren't—"

"No, it's not from Raine. Stop asking about it."

"But Mom—"

"I mean it. It's something I need to talk to you about, but not yet. Wait until your birthday."

"But that's not until August!"

"You can wait. I promise, it'll come quick." She let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. It's just… a lot to talk about, and I promised your dad I'd wait until you turned eleven."

"Wait. Are you finally going to tell me about him?"

"Yes. That's why I keep dodging it."

"Oh, that's good!" Vee chirped.

"And like I said, both of you had better pick better felonies to commit if you're going to try it. Not that I'm encouraging either of you to commit crimes, but if I have to bail you out I don't want it to be for reading someone else's mail."

"Got it!" King replied. "It'll be for something else, I promise!"

"That's my boy." Eda ruffled his hair.

"I'm gonna try to not be a criminal, thanks," Vee giggled.

"Good girl. Now get back in the backroom before someone asks why two ten-year-olds are running the register."

They both obeyed and Eda looked at the letter again.

"Almost ten years to the day," she muttered before opening the register and shoving the letter inside.

Mysteries abound!

There's going to be a lot of Hunter just hanging out with Willow and being done with Boscha, just FYI. And a lot of D&D talk that stems from my brief stint as a player (place I played at shut down, sad face).

So long and thanks for all the fish!