I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.


It had been three weeks since Hunter had rescued Luz from Kikimora. During the last few weeks, he pushed her in all magical subjects to prevent another kidnapping.

He also taught her the basics of self-defense. Witches and demons relied on their magic heavily. If you could engage them in a physical battle, most wouldn't know what to do.

In return, Luz helped Hunter learn to use his new staff. She also was teaching him how to talk to Lil Rascal in between friendship lessons.

Right now they were taking a break from their morning lessons. Hunter had given Luz a test in identifying which demons were bug, bipedal, or beast. He would grade it later after he did his homework.

Today's lesson for Hunter had been learning to give constructive criticism. Luz had pointed out if he kept being a jerk to others when he talked, it was likely someone would use their fist to knock out his teeth.

He was currently writing an essay about the importance of the topic. It was harder than he thought it would be. He couldn't write about his experience in the palace as an example.

He was trying to write about how he was treated out of his mask. He had a beat-up version of the tablet that other witches used to post stuff with. Right now they were both listening to the latest news.

"A new coven leader has finally been chosen for the Bard Coven," Gus's father's voice filled the air.

Both teenagers stopped what they were doing and watched the live stream. Raine Whispers, was the first non-binary witch, to be elected as the head of one of the main nine covens.

They struggled with their acceptance speech before running off. Hunter chuckled slightly. "I can't believe they picked a scary cat for the leader of the Bard Coven.

He felted Luz's heated glared and knew he had to cut it out. "Right, I'm sure the new Coven Head was chosen for their skills. They are probably more comfortable with a group than alone on the stage."

Luz hummed that he was getting better. "How often are new Coven Heads elected?"

"Depends. Most of the smaller covens change leaders every two years or so. The main covens have the longest reigning leaders because of their prestige. The last time there was a new coven leader announced was five years ago."

"That's when Lilith Clawthorn became the Coven Head of the Emperor's Coven. From what I've gathered, the Emperor is still looking for someone trustworthy to take her place."

Luz muttered under her breath, "I would have thought he assigned the job to Kikimora."

Hunter heard her and laughed. "She just botched a mission directly from the Emperor. I doubt she's in the running." Looking at the sun he estimated the time. "It's almost lunchtime. Are you staying here today or going home?"

"Home, I promised I help King with something important. Eda's going to be so surprised when she finds out what he's planning."

"Hopefully, it won't get you in trouble," Hunter remarked playfully.

"I don't think asking someone to adopt you will cause problems. I'll try to make it back for afternoon lessons. If I can't make it I'll find a way to let you know." Hitching up her backpack, she left the tower heading home.

Hunter felt a twinge of sadness when she left. It was getting harder for him to watch her go. "Okay, focus Hunter. This is just like any other mission. You've almost gained her complete trust. Soon, we'll both be back in the castle where we belong."

Lil Rascal chirped at him in amusement. His one eye winked at the boy.

"Would you stop that? You know I don't understand you yet."

Lil Rascal didn't stop chirping amusingly. He was having a lot of fun. His witch was refusing to acknowledge the truth about his feelings. Until he did, Lil Rascal was going to enjoy making fun of him.


King squealed in delight when he saw Luz emerge from the forest. "There you are! You forgot to give me my hugs this morning."

"Sorry King, I've been distracted these last few weeks. I'm finally gaining control of my magic. Once Eda has some time off, she can help me teach me some advanced potions."

Stepping inside the house, Luz was treated to the sight of Hooty setting up the table for lunch. "Hoot, hoot! Get your food while it's hooting hot."

The house snaked between the two and lifted a hot cauldron above their heads, then cautiously put it on the table. "It's my special soup today. Steaming hot veggies with a dash of fire bee honey."

"Sounds yummy!" King squealed as he hopped into his seat. Hooty used a ladle to fill the demon's bowl and waited for his reaction.

King devoured it quickly and was already asking for more when Eda came in. She had her hair up in a ponytail and was humming a song. She was carrying a small instrument case.

"Nice to see you, kiddo. Guess what the Red Market left at the border for us." Ruffling Luz's hair, Eda watched in excitement as Luz opened the case to reveal a clarinet.

Her pupil looked at the instrument in wonder. It was hard not to when the instrument looked brand new. It appeared to be expertly crafted. "I learned to play the mandolin so I don't know much about woodwinds. I'm pretty sure that I can still help you learn if you want."

"Thank you, Eda, it's a beautiful instrument. I can't wait to start learning bard spells. How many do you know?"

Eda grinned mischievously. "You'll have to wait to find out. I'm not an expert like my friend Raine Whispers, but I'm decent."

Luz's eyes got bigger upon hearing this. "You know the new leader of the Bard Coven?"

A look of nostalgia appeared on her mentor's face. Eda appeared to be lost in thought for several minutes. "It was a long time ago. They're a good friend, and I'm happy for them."

Sitting down, Eda informed them that Bat Queen would need Luz's help with some chores later this afternoon. King also reminded her that she promised to help him with his "secret project."

Looks like I'm not going to make it back to Hunter's home today. I hope he doesn't get too lonely.


Hunter was getting a nap in when his crow phone cawed. Stumbling out of bed, slipped on the blanket, and fell on the floor. A big bump started forming on the back of his head.

"Ow! Thankfully no one saw that," he whispered to himself. He took the phone from his palisman. "Hello, Uncle."

"Hello, Hunter. How is your mission progressing?" Emperor Belos asked tensely.

"The human, Luz, has been getting stronger. She's able to use her magic without any pain. Her educational growth is phenomenal. Only a few weeks ago she didn't know anything, but the basics."

"She's currently at the intermediate level. The Owl Lady is handling her training at the house. Specifically, flying and potions."

"Excellent. Continue educating her while also making sure she can't overpower you. Kikimora made the mistake of underestimating her. It didn't end well for her."

"You can count on me Uncle. I won't fail at my mission."

"I know you won't. Right now, I need you to take a break from it for a few days. I require the services of the Golden Guard."

The mentioning of his true identity caused the teenager to flinch. He had gone so long without being his true self, he wondered if he could still pull off the Golden Guard persona.

"What's the mission," Hunter asked coldly. It turned out a small group of bards, calling themselves The BATs, were interfering with raids on adult wild witches.

In a rare show of mercy, Emperor Belos was giving the wild witches a choice. They could choose a coven or be petrified as statues for his home. The wild witches quickly changed their tune when threatened.

"I have reason to suspect the group will try to make contact with the Owl Lady for help. Find the traitors and immobilize them. Once they're contained you will contact me."

"Understood. You'll have those traitors by tomorrow night." Gathering up his gear, he reluctantly left his palisman behind. He could hear Lil Rascal calling after him as he flew away.


In the late afternoon, Luz was marching throw the forest with a clipboard. The job Bat Queen had assigned her was taking a survey of how the inhabitants were doing. With the border up, everyone had to make adjustments to their lives.

"Okay, next is the giant snakes. It shouldn't take that long to complete their survey."

There was a large earthen tunnel just ahead. According to Bat Queen, the tunnel ended up in a quarry. The giant snakes could be found sunbathing. Luz hoped she wasn't interrupting the creatures' alone time.

She walked through the tunnel at a brisk pace. The walls were covered in dry scales. A few still had some color to them but for the most part, they were a dull tan.

She was nearing the end of the tunnel. Patches of sunlight dotted the tunnel. Exiting the tunnel Luz let out a squeak. She had been expecting four to five snakes.

Instead, there were hundreds of snakes in different colors and sizes, basking without a care in the world. Her job just got a little tougher.

"You can do this Luz. Just ask someone to tell you who is in charge and go from there." She took a step towards the closest snake and tripped over someone's tail.

She fell on top of one of the snakes, who hissed angrily as he demanded to know who decided to strike him. The other snakes hissed at him to stop disturbing their basking time.

Not wanting a fight to break out, Luz climbed up and waved her hands. "Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. I tripped and knocked into you."

The snake brought his head down until it was three feet away from the human. "Who are you? What purpose could you have to interrupt my daily basking?"

"I, I, I am Luz. Ba, Bat Queen sent me to take a survey of how your kind is adjusting to the changes in the forest."

"We'll be happy to share our opinions with the Bat Queen. That is after we've had a bite to eat!" The head snapped forward at lightning speed.

At the last second, a ribbon of musical notes tied the snake's mouth closed. A lively tune played as everything took on a reddish hue. The giant snake swayed back and forth as it lowered itself.

As the last notes played, the snake resumed its basking position. The musical note ribbon vanished. Before Luz could comprehend what was going on, she was being dragged back through the tunnel.

Luz struggled to break free when a voice sharply told her to stop. "If you keep this up, the snakes will come to investigate. Once we're away from here, you can tell me what you think you were doing messing with a giant snake."


Soon they were out of the tunnel. The person let go of the teenager. Luz rubbed her sore arm and looked at her rescuer.

The person was dressed in a uniform and a bat-faced mask. She was carrying a tambourine. She lifted her mask revealing herself to be the girl who wrote fanfiction about food.

"You!"

"My name is Katya. You're lucky I spotted you. What were you even doing in there?"

"I was on assignment for the Bat Queen. Talking to the residents of the forest to see how they're doing with the border fence in place. How did you even get into the forest?" Luz demanded.

The fact that Katya was inside the forest was scaring her. The border fence was to keep out people unless they had permission to enter. Even if you had permission, one of the inhabitants, such as the slimy-snail, to get in and out.

"Our leader ordered us to find an entrance into the forest before meeting back up on the cliff where the Owl House once was," Katya remarked. She then explained she fell into a small tunnel while scouting

She crawled to the other end and emerged a few feet away from the entrance to the basking grounds. She had spotted Luz entering the tunnel and chased after her.

Bat Queen wasn't going to be pleased to find out the giant snakes hadn't finished their job properly. She wondered what the Bat Queen would do for them, then decided she didn't want to know.

Fearing the repercussions both Eda and Katya could face if they met, Luz insisted that the young woman return home immediately. "You need to pretend you never found your way in."

Katya got angry. "Hey, just because you freed me doesn't mean you can tell me what to do. A lot of witches have been rounded up and sent to the Conformtorium."

"They have only two choices there. Join a coven or become a statue. What do you think most of them choose?"

Luz kept her mouth shut knowing the answer. It wasn't right to force people to do things they didn't want to do. Subconsciously, she gripped her armband under her windbreaker.

Just then, a bolt of red lightning appeared in the sky. The wind carried the sounds of a battle in their direction. The border fence glowed in response.

A large shadow passed over the girls. Looking up, the shadow belonged to Bat Queen. Eda was following in a motorized bathtub. Behind her were several magical birds.

The group was heading in the direction of where the sounds of the battle came from. The two girls looked at each other then headed off towards the sounds.


Eda was clinging tightly to Bat Queen's hair. She wished she could have taken her staff, but no one could know it had repaired itself.

From her position on top of Bat Queen's head, Eda recognized the type of spells that were being cast. "We've got a full-scale battle going on BQ. Bards vs. Keepers and Abominations. There's also a wild card in the bunch I can't identify."

"Whoever is battling, needs to do it somewhere else. One stray spell could damage my kingdom. I hope your foster daughter is nowhere near the border. Luz could easily get injured if she strays too close."

Descending into the forest below a battle was taking place just outside the border. Three bards were fighting two Coven Heads. They were Darius of the Abomination Coven and Eberwolf of the Beast Keeping Coven.

One of the bards played a high-pitched tune on their recorder. Eberwolf, who had started to summon a beast, covered his ears without finishing the spell circle.

Another member quickly filled the air with smoke from their bassoon. Darius whipped it away with abomination slime, only for him to be blasted from behind him with a dainty floral scent.

Furious, Darius started twirling while releasing several sharp slime knives in all directions.

The leader sang do as high as they could. At the same time, playing a low do on the violin. The magic took hold of the blades stopping them in midair. The blades merged into a ball, which then went flying in the opposite direction.

Eberwolf was back on his feet. His body became more beast-like and he launched himself at his attacker. The girl quickly cast a levitation spell and escaped just out of reach.

The bassoon player went up and down the scales. This caused mini-explosions around the two leaders. One of the explosions caused Darius to be covered by mud and sticks.

"NO ONE RUINS MY CLOTHING!" he bellowed. He turned into an abomination himself. He teleported over to the bassoon player. He grasped the musician by his throat, cutting off his air supply.

"Let's see how you like getting dirty!" He flung the boy to the ground before kicking him up to the sky.

He laughed when the boy hit the dome on the way down. The blood and shattered bones barely made up for soiling him. He was pleased to see Eberwolf had followed his lead.

The recorder player had tried to help her friend. Now she was trying to stop the bleeding where her left hand had been bitten off.

The Coven Heads moved in to deal with the traitors when they found themselves partially cocooned. Both struggled to get free only for the fibers to tighten around them.

"Who dares interfere with official coven business?" Darius bellowed.

The Bat Queen landed in front of them. Leaning forward until she was in Darius's face she spoke. "I do monster."

Eberwolf wrinkled his nose in disgust as he smelled the man lose control of his bladder. He was going to need a bath after this. With his partner out of action, it was up to him to fix the situation.

"I told Emperor Belos I would leave him be if he kept his business out of my kingdom. Nearly killing someone on my protective dome is the opposite of that."

The head of the Beast Keeping Coven explained their business before apologizing profusely for endangering her kingdom. He swallowed nervously as the mythical birds fixed their eyes on him.

"I understand your reasons but you'll not be taking your prisoners with you today." Bat Queen gestured for a phoenix and a caladrius, to take the injured back to the cave.

The leader was also taken to the cave by a turul. When Eberwolf protested Bat Queen snarled at him. "I'm in charge of who enters my kingdom! Anyone wishing to cross into my domain must be interviewed by me first!"

"Only after I pass my judgment do they become your problem. I'm willing to return the prisoners after they've been treated on one condition." She leaned down and whispered into Eberwolf's ear.

"I want to meet with a representative of Emperor Belos to discuss future issues between our kingdoms tomorrow at sunset."

The coven leader agreed to her request. Once they were released the two coven heads returned to the castle to speak with their boss. Hopefully, he wouldn't be too upset.


Satisfied they were gone, the Bat Queen lead her subjects back home with Eda riding her. Both mothers were unaware of two witnesses making their way back to the house.

The two girls made it back just as the others arrived. Katya scurried over to her friends. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you. I found a way in and was going to come right back…"

Bat Queen interrupted her. "There is an opening into my kingdom? Where? It must be sealed at once."

"Near the giant snakes basking grounds. Katya had to rescue me when one of them decided to have me for a snack."

Bat Queen frowned in displeasure. She would have to chat with giant snakes to remind them the human was off-limits later. Her eyes glowed brightly as she connected with the thunderbird.

After receiving its orders the majestic bird flew off in the direction of the snakes. The giant snakes were in for a rude awakening.

The phoenix and caladrius went to work healing the injured bards. Their masks had been removed to treat any head injuries.

As Eda had suspected, her old friend Raine Whispers was the leader. The other two were a few years older than Luz. The girl without a hand was crying about never being able to play again.

"May I take a look?" Luz asked Katya.

"What can you do? You're not a healer," the young woman snapped. She held the severed hand close to her chest in the slim hope for reattachment surgery.

Undeterred, Luz knelt next to the girl, Amber, and looked at the injury. Thinking back to the time she looked at her mom's old school books, she focused on the healing magic within.

A blue aura flickered around her hands. When it died, Luz tried again. She channeled all her emotions into her intent. The blue aura reappeared outlining her body completely.

Katya watched in wonder as Luz made two spell circles. One around the stump and the other around the hand. A bead of sweat trickled down her face as slammed her hands together.

The two spell circles merged as one, causing the hand to reattach perfectly to the stump. Amber moved her fingers showing that the reattachment was a success.

"Thank you, thank you!" Amber cried in delight as Katya hugged her friend. The bassoon player also thanked her.

Luz accepted their thanks before wobbling towards the house. Calling over her shoulders, "Sorry, I can't stay. Used up a lot of magic doing that."

The teenager swayed a bit as she struggled with her balance. A concerned Hooty extended himself and allowed the girl to use his body to remain on her feet.

"Hooty, take Luz to her room to rest. Have King check in on her in an hour," Eda ordered.

"Hoot, hoot. Will do Eda."


Later, after the birds took their patients to their nests to rest, Raine Whispers approached the Bat Queen. "Majesty, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for protecting my team and me."

Bat Queen pointed out she merely gave them aid. She wanted to know why a Coven Head had tried to cross her borders in the first place.

They launched into an explanation about how Emperor Belos was forcing witches to join a coven. How those that didn't disappear completely or became lawn statues.

They had come to ask Eda for help as she had been the inspiration for the group. Surely the Owl Lady had something useful to contribute to the cause. If not, then the Bat Queen could offer them shelter.

The giant palisman was silent for several minutes. She reviewed the information and came to a decision. "I admire your spirit and dedication to your mission. At last, I can't give you the help you're asking for."

"Allowing you shelter and aiding your cause would be risking war between Emperor Belos and me. He would likely retaliate by burning down all the forests across the Isles despite the consequences."

Raine knew the queen was right. A burnout would cause the extinction of most flora and fauna on the island. Creatures displaced by the eradication would end up attacking witches in the city causing more death.

The Bat Queen also pointed out that the Owl Lady was now her subject and would be considered a traitor if she helped Raine.

Knowing what that would lead to, the non-binary wouldn't put Eda's family in danger. There really wasn't anything the Bat Queen could do without causing casualties.

Yet, there was something small she was willing to compromise on. "A member of your team, Katya, was not part of the battle with Emperor Belos's people. She did trespass into my kingdom, but I'm willing to overlook it for saving the Owl Lady's foster daughter."

"I won't give her over to Belos. Instead, she will be allowed to leave the forest and return to Bonesborough after they are gone. It is the best I can do under the circumstances."

"I understand and respect your decision. I'll tell my group before we leave in the morning."

Satisfied, the Bat Queen allowed the non-binary to spend the night at the Owl House. She left the exes alone as she flew off to make sure the giant snakes were filling in the breach.


They walked in silence to the house. Once inside, Eda told Raine to wait for her on the couch. She went to the kitchen to pour two mugs of apple blood. She had a feeling she would need it.

Handing Raine a mug, she settled on the opposite end of the couch. There was so much she wanted to say. "So, I motivated you to create a group of rebels. Considering your stage fright, I'm surprised you managed to recruit the trio to your cause."

Raine shrugged their shoulders. "I know it's strange. Performing before an audience is terrifying. Speaking passionately about something you love to others isn't hard."

They fingered their mask for a few seconds before putting it to the side. "I was at the petrification ceremony. The BATs were ready to make their debut when Emperor Belos announced he wasn't going to petrify you."

Looking down at their drink they admitted to being so elated that Eda was going to live, they hadn't given any thought to Eda's apprentice. "When the elation wore off my panic set in. I had to find out where you were and see for myself you were safe."

Raine gave a dervish laugh. "I had to have seen your apprentice at least twenty times when I had business at the castle. I knew the Emperor had taken on a new servant and I looked right through her. Me! I was emulating my childhood bullies and it never clicked in my mind."

Raine took a sip of her apple blood hoping it would remove some of the guilt she was feeling. "It wasn't until Bat Queen pointed out the dangers to your family I came to my senses. I can't understand how I became this selfish."

Eda told them it was okay. They had realized their mistake. "The old me would have joined your cause in a heartbeat." The Owl Lady glanced at the stairway.

"I can't pick the moment I stopped thinking of Luz as my apprentice only. I think after Grom, I started to realize she meant more to me than that." Taking a huge sip of apple blood, Eda continued.

"When I found out about the oath, I was sick to my stomach. It was the worst day of my life, including the day I was cursed. Seeing her standing next to the emperor as a doll left me shattered."

Eda pulled a photo from her hair and showed it to Raine. They admired it and admitted Eda never looked better. Snorting, Eda pressed on about her feelings.

"The next time I saw Luz was shortly after she escaped the castle. Standing in the woods and unable to grab was unbearable. When she managed to defy Emperor Belo's orders, I was proud."

Neither witch wanted to mention the results of that act of rebellion. Instead, Eda asked Raine for parenting advice.

"I don't have kids, Eda. What advice could I possibly give you?"

"I don't know. Any advice would be helpful. I am doing everything I can think of to protect Luz. I haven't been a very good mentor or mother so far. I need to do better on both fronts."

Raine thought about what they would do. "The best advice I can give you is simple. Take each day as it comes. Every day is going to be filled with challenges you have to overcome."

They leaned closer to Eda, reminding her she would gain a little experience each day. Trust her instincts when it came to the kids. With a little luck and love, she would figure out how to handle her new role.


At sunset the next day, Raine, along with Amber and Derwin, were waiting at the border for their jailers to come to get them. They were shocked when the Golden Guard showed up.

"Raine Whispers, wow I didn't think there would be another Coven Head betraying Emperor Belos. Didn't you learn anything from what happened to Lilith Clawthorn?"

"When are you going to realize forcing your will on others is tyranny?" they taunted. "Nice to hear you're finally going through witch puberty. Thought I have to listen to your whiny voice on our trip to the castle."

Amber and Derwin snickered to Golden Guard's annoyance. He was pitching his voice deeper to prevent Bat Queen from recognizing him in the future.

"So Queenie, what do you want in exchange for giving me these prisoners? A barrel of fish, perhaps?"

Bat Queen growled at him, causing the teenager to take a single step backwards. Note to self, never call her Queenie again!

Bat Queen spitted out a small box near the Golden Guard's feet. He cringed as he touched the box before opening it up. There was a scroll inside with a list of demands for the Emperor.

The top of the list was about the border issues. According to the scroll, Bat Queen stated her intentions to interview refugees before they were arrested. If she allowed a refugee in her kingdom then they couldn't be arrested, only exiled.

If she didn't, then the Emperor's Coven was free to capture them. If there were more skirmishes at her border she demanded the right to treat the injured. Once they were recovered, she would release them.

"I'll deliver your demands personally to Emperor Belos. I'm sure a compromise can be reached."

Bat Queen roared at him. "Compromise? How can I compromise with someone who can't even control his own coven? Inform your emperor, I have no desire to wage war."

"All I ask is for the respect I'm due, and that his people cease causing problems at the borders to my kingdom. If he will not agree to this then I will not spare his home a second time."

"Understood. I'll make sure he knows that. Using his artificial staff, he cuffed the prisoners before they were all teleported to the castle.

Bat Queen sagged a little. "Poor child, uncertain where he belongs or what he wants. I do hope a little more time here in the woods with Lil Rascal will help him figure out his path."


Over the last few days, Hooty had seen how stressed out the inhabitants of his house were. King was going through mood swings causing him to destroy more stuff than usual.

Then Eda was too stressed out from working and being a new mom, she hadn't had a decent amount of sleep in a week.

As for Luz, her focus seemed divided. Did it have something to do with her secret trips deep into the woods? Were her frustrations about Mousy refusing to show her how to get home again bothering her?

Perhaps, she was still working up the courage to ask Amity if she wanted to be her girlfriend. It was hard to watch Luz struggling with her new life.

Lilith in her last letter had told him to look out for the little family. That the smallest bit of help could lead to big changes. She also mentioned he shouldn't be overly intrusive about it.

The house demon resolved to start being helpful starting today. Promising himself to take it slow and easy, he slithered through the house in search of King.

Said being was tearing pages out of his demon book. "No, no, no! There's nothing in here that looks like me! Out of the hundreds of demons that evolved on the Boiling Isles, why is there nothing that looks like me?"

That's when Hooty popped out right in front of King. "HI!"

"AHHHHHHHH! Hooty, I told you to stop doing that!" King said while slapping the house demon across the face. "Don't you have bugs to chase somewhere?"

Hooty licked his beak at the thought of eating a bug feast. An image of Lilith popped into his mind reminding him to stay focused.

"You know, maybe you should look for answers back on the mysterious island. Jean-Luc might have answers for you."

King rolled his eyes. "I thought about that already. What good does it do to go back, when he can't talk? Because my father left me alone, I can't even read the carvings!"

"Lucky for you, I already thought about that." Hooty started hacking as if he was going to cough out another owl pellet. Instead, his tongue unfurled revealing a huge tome.

"Lulu let me borrow her encyclopedia of ancient languages. It's a real hoot! You can use it to help communicate with Jean-Luc! Since he's guarding the Demon Gate, he has to know more than one language."

King was skeptical if Hooty was right. Lilith had been unable to translate the writing in the tower the first time. Would a book of different languages truly help him figure it out?

"Well, there's no reason not to try. As Luz says, go back to the beginning to start anew." King dragged the heavy book across the floor on his way to his special rock.

"Oh yeah, I did it. I did it!" the house demon cheered to himself. Next, he had to help Eda out. He just needed to make a quick trip before speaking with her.


In her bedroom, Eda's feet were relaxing in the nest. A detached hand was checking off items on a list.

The rest of Eda was collapsed on a chaise as the other hand massaged the forehead. "Alright, I've finished paying the Red Market for the week, stocked up on elixirs from Morton. Then I had the bat babies practice their escape art skills while making them lunch."

"Wrote a lesson plan for Luz, made King take a bath. What was I supposed to do for Hooty today?"

Hearing his name, Hooty barged in. He had his body wrapped around something only Eda couldn't tell what it was.

"Did you call my name Eda?"

The Owl Lady groaned. She should have never said the house demon's name out loud. Now, she had to deal with spending time with his infuriating presence. "Hooty, I wasn't calling you to my room. I was just speaking out loud."

"I know that Eda. As your house demon, I'm here to take care of all your needs. Including," Hooty dumped the stuff he was holding on the floor and darted around the room to place it, "de-stress from your everyday problems!"

Eda blinked startled by the transformation of her room. It now resembled a beach resort without the sand or ocean.

Her nest had been replaced with a hammock, the desk had been removed and replaced by a juice bar. The window was wide open as reflectors aimed the sunlight so it would help the witch tan.

Beach music was playing on her record player. It was only then she realized she was standing upright next to a make-shift hot tub where her chaise use to be. The assortment of junk was rearranged to form a table for all products related to a spa.

"Eda, you do so much for everyone. You deserve a day to relax without any stress. Go enjoy yourself and no one will bother you unless a life or death situation arises."

Eda was dumbstruck by Hooty's actions. She didn't even hear him leave and lock the door behind him. "Guess, I'm having a beach day."


Hooty moved on to the last member of the household, Luz. How could he help her out? A brilliant idea came to him. Luz needed help with caring for the pet Amity had gifted her.

Then why not have a Penstigram session to talk about Mousy. If it eventually lead to both girls confessing their feelings, then it was a bonus!


Up in her room, Luz was trying to get Mousy to play some of the journal entries it ate. She held out a small carrot hoping to entice it to eat. "Come on Mousy, you need to eat. You can't help me build my own portal if you're sick."

Mousy moved closer to the tip of the carrot. He cautiously took a little nibble then ran back to his shelter.

"You need to eat more than a nibble, Mousy. You have to be hungry."

"Oh Luz!" Hooty muffed sung. He wiggled into the bedroom and dropped Eda's tablet on the bed. "Look, whose video calling you!"

The teenager was about to tell whoever was calling to try back later when saw it was Amity with lavender hair. "AMITY!"

"Hi, Luz. Sorry, I didn't respond to your post right away," Amity said confusing Luz. Luz hadn't posted anything, but she bet the house demon had.

"Yeah, about that posting, I…."

"I'm surprised you didn't ask for my help with Mousy when you visited Hexside. Oh well, it probably just slipped your mind. What do you need help with?"

"Could you hold on a second?" Luz turned the tablet upside down and glared at Hooty. "Is this your idea of a joke?"

The house demon shook his head. "I'm just getting you some help. Amity gave you Mousy, so she must know a few things about him."

Luz told Hooty to get out. Once she was sure Hooty wasn't listening at the door, she picked up her tablet. "Thanks for waiting. Now tell me about what I need to feed Mousy."


Hooty was feeling very pleased about himself. Instead of getting into everyone's face, he went the subtle route. Best of all, he wouldn't have to pull himself free of the house because he made things worse!

Well, hopefully, he didn't make things worse. Maybe he should go play and check in on them later that night.


Hunter was finally back in the forest. The last few days had been hard. When he had brought Raine and her two recruits before his uncle, Kikimora had been there.

That demoness delighted in telling the Emperor that the report from the scouts listed four members in the group, not three. He defend himself by saying there had been only three prisoners in Coven Head Darius's report.

If there had been a fourth member then he or she must have escaped before the battle. When the emperor selected Kikimora for the task of tracking down the fourth bard, he swore he Kikimora reveal a winning smile.

Of course, that smile fell when she learned Emperor Belos was naming him co-head of the Emperor's Coven. It was a great honor to work with his uncle to bring about change for the people.

He wouldn't be assuming his new role until he finished this mission. Emperor Belos warned him not to rush his friendship with the human. If Luz discovered where his loyalty truly lied, then their chance to bring her in peacefully would be gone.

The thought of failing his uncle made him hurry faster to the Owl House. His palisman flew behind him, eager to check in with his favorite human.

The duo soon arrived at their favorite perch. Taking out his telescope, Hunter focused on the living room window. What he saw shocked him.

The Owl Lady had turned into a harpy woman admiring her new look. King was using his voice to shatter small glasses. Surprisingly, it appeared that the house demon had a new power.

Hooty had apparently found the remains of a stuffed owl. Somehow he was using it as a small mobile body. The guy was stumbling around trying to walk. It was endearing.


He felt his shock turn into immense enmity. Luz was on the floor with Mousy as he played a recording from the journal. Sitting next to her was Amity Blight. She was holding Luz's hand.

They were both blushing, yet at the same time, they looked at each other with adoration. No one had ever looked at Hunter like that, not even Luz.

"It's not fair!" Hunter shouted. "Amity Blight already has enough. A job at the library where little kids praised her. Head tutor to the Abomination track students. One of Hexside's top-performing students."

"Not to mention she comes from one of the richest families on the Boiling Isles. Sure, her family isn't perfect, but she never has to doubt they love her. Okay, maybe her mom doesn't, but I know her dad adores her."

Hunter looked at Lil Rascal struggling to contain his emotions. "My point is, she has so much, and Luz is my only friend." Getting an eye roll from his palisman he amended his last statement. "Okay, besides you, she's my only friend who is my age."

With Amity visiting for dates, Luz will have less time for me. She might not even need me anymore now that her mentor has a new power that doesn't rely on magic.

I swear, no one is taking my friend away from me. Especially Amity Blight!