Two weeks had passed since Emperor Belos had made his bargain with the human teenager. So far, it had proved a wise decision, entering into a Forever Oath with her.
Bonesborough had not rebelled against him. The citizens knew that the Owl Lady was alive and well. With the help of his coven members, he had tricked the townspeople into believing that Eda was undergoing rehabilitation to become a proper witch.
In reality, Eda was still in the maximum security isolation wing at the Conformanatorium. She had yet to awaken from her sleep thanks to having the sleep glyph on her body, amplified by the spell itself.
He would be returning soon to confront Eda about her portal soon. Right now, he was still busy training his new pet. The human/beast hybrid was rather remarkable.
Luz's willpower was strong. Since she entered into his servitude, she had regained her senses at least once a day. Each time she did, her mind remained active longer. During those periods of lucidness, Luz had identified thirty new glyphs by watching his coven members use magic.
With the glyph collection growing quickly, Belos calculated he would have control of glyph magic within a year or less. If anyone thought about practicing this form of wild magic, they would live to regret it.
When she wasn't lucid, Luz-beast was still learning to be obedient. The Luz-beast was wild and prone to an impulsive activity unless she was regularly disciplined. Another two weeks of training would fix that.
Today, Emperor Belos was inspecting the progress of his portal for the Day of Unity. Kikimora was giving her report. She was unnerved by Luz-beast presences. She wished the emperor had not brought along his pet.
"As you can see my liege," she said as she gestured to the device, "construction of the portal is ahead of schedule. We're almost finished putting the left half of the portal together. I've personally inspected every piece before and after it's installed to ensure it works correctly."
The sound of someone scoffing at her raised the demoness's hackles. She lowered her gaze at the Luz-beast, who was now making kissing sounds. "Stop that!"
Luz-beast growled at the demoness. She took a single step forward, her talons ready to strike. Abruptly, she stopped when the air around her crackled. Her master was warning her not to misbehave.
Not wanting to be shocked, the creature returned to her master's side and sat down on the ground quietly. Luz-beast folded her wings over herself to appear smaller.
The pressure from her collar lessened. "Good girl Luz-beast. I'm very pleased with your progress." He patted her on the head earning an affectionate hoot from his pet.
"Sire, is it wise to bring your pet everywhere you go?" Kikimora waved her hand towards the half-assembled portal. "You recall the damage Eda did to the palace when she was in her owl beast form? I worry the damage this human-monster could do here."
"I appreciate your concerns Kiki. The portal must be ready for The Day of Unity. That is the reason I have been bringing my pet along with me. Once the girl regains her senses fully, the training she's receiving will carry over making her a well-behaved servant."
Kikimora said nothing, but her eye told a different story. She was not happy that Emperor Belos was paying more attention to half human-half monster than to her.
Once finished with his inspection, Emperor Belos returned to his throne room to get some work done. Halfway up the stairs, Luz-beast came to her senses and stumbled trying to get up.
She rubbed the back of her head, trying to get the pain to go away. "Ouch! I mean, permission to walk upright master?"
"You remembered to ask permission this time. I'm glad your training is finally sinking in. You may walk upright, but remember to follow behind me."
The collar let out a faint sizzle, warning Luz-beast she was still a pet until it was removed. Luz-beast lowered her head and followed behind him.
It was humiliating being treated like this. Luz-beast was glad her mother wasn't seeing this. Her mom would burst a blood vessel.
I know this is humiliating and wrong. I hate being treated like a dog. Still, I need to keep my focus on my goal. If this works out according to plan then Eda, King, and I will be safe.
A slight tug on the leash indicated it she needed to pick up the pace. She started walking faster. Recognizing the corridor they were in, Luz-beast made sure to come to a stop exactly ten steps forward.
It was hard to tell if Emperor Belos was smiling with his mask on. The hybrid girl had started to pick up on his body language. She suspected he was pleased she hadn't run into him.
"We have much work to do my pet. Today, I've decided that you should start learning what your full-time position will be once your training is complete."
The throne was empty except for a few guards and a dark-haired woman in a crisp white dress. She wore a necklace with the symbol of the Emperor's Coven as the centerpiece.
The woman curtsied and eyed Luz-beast with judgment. "My Emperor, I live to serve you."
Emperor Belos gestured for the woman to rise. "Madam Pythia, I require your services. No doubt you recognize my new pet?"
"Indeed. It's hard to forget someone with a distinctive appearance," Madam Pythia replied in disdain. It was obvious most of the staff had a low opinion of Luz-beast.
Luz-beast forced herself not to squirm or show any emotion on her face. She needed to keep her end of the bargain to keep Eda safe for now.
"Her moments of lucidness are becoming more frequent. I believe she will soon be in full control of senses in a fortnight. If she is to serve me I need her to be ready to become my valet."
Madam Pythia arched her eyebrow slightly. He was giving a human a prominent position? "I thought that Ms. Kikimora filled that position sire."
Belos quietly explained that Kikimora was his right-hand woman when it came to running his coven and ensuring his subjects followed the law. Luz-beast was going to be taking care of his every need for the rest of her life.
He stood up and unhooked the leash from the collar. "This is your chance to prove your willpower is stronger than the curse. You will accompany Madam Pythia for the rest of the day to learn your role.
You will do anything she asks without question. You will behave yourself. If you start to feel the curse taking over, you will inform Madam Pythia. I expect you to keep your senses.
Do you understand Luz-beast?"
She nodded her head once. It was refreshing not to have her neck ache from the constant tugging. Hopefully, she wouldn't be on a leash for much longer.
As she was led away, she silently begged for a higher power to help her get through the rest of her brutal training.
Eda slowly woke up. The lights hurt her eyes as she covered them. As she pushed herself up, she realized her arm was back to normal.
"What in the name of the Titan?" Pulling off the covers she looked at herself. No feathers, talons, or wings. She was one hundred percent herself.
That's when she noticed her surroundings. The last thing she remembered was being hauled into the dungeon.
Now she was in a small, circular room. The walls were white and padded. She could hear a slight hum coming from the walls.
A single light hung in the center of the room. There was a tiny toilet and sink in the far right corner. There was a single door with a small slot on the bottom. At eye level was another small slot. Each slot could only be opened by someone outside the room.
"Where am I? How did I return to normal?" Eda asked out loud. Getting off the narrow bed, she realized she had something strapped to her ankle, hidden by her boot.
Pulling it off, she found a small anklet with a strange symbol on it. It appeared to be a warning symbol inside a yield sign. Eda grasped it and tried to pull it off. It didn't budge.
She attempted to make a spell circle only to discover she couldn't. She looked down at her gem. A small sliver of gold had reappeared. "Okay, so I have magic again. Why can't I use it then?"
There was a loud pounding on the door. "I hope your awake Owl Lady! Your guests have arrived. Hope you have a lovely visit," Warden Wraith cackled loudly.
The top slot opened and Belos glowing eyes appeared. "Edalyn Clawthorn. I was wondering when you were going to wake. The sleeping spell was removed over a week ago."
"YOU!" she lunged at the door, ready to claw his eyes out. She discovered there was a protective ward around the door when she was violently forced back by its power.
A tiny trail of blood appeared from a cut on her forehead. Eda panted heavily as she attempted to get her breathing back under control.
The emperor chuckled in amusement. "I see you have just discovered one of the features in this maximum security solitude cell. Coming too close to the door will only result in pain."
Eda glared at those eyes with hatred. "Where's Lilith? Did she come to gloat with you?" Clenching her hands she added, "Did you keep your promise to her only to lock me away as a reward for her?"
Emperor Belos replied in a sharp tone. "Your sister betrayed my coven by trying to rescue you. She and that pathetic pet demon of yours are locked in their solitary cells.
Once I figure out what to do with them, they will receive their punishments. Also, why would I waste magic on healing you? No, someone else transferred your curse to themselves."
He amused at the sight of seeing the Owl Lady's confused expression.
"It must be a shock to hear someone willingly took on your curse and made a Forever Oath to save your life. In exchange for becoming my life-long servant, you were spared petrification. Your sentence is now imprisonment for life."
Eda was startled to hear that. Who would make that sacrifice for her? Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Only one person would do something that drastic for her.
Once again, Eda lunged at the door and was thrown back. She didn't care as she repeated the process over and over. Desperate to find out what Emperor Belos implied wasn't true.
Tired of Eda's antics, Belos slammed his staff on the floor. The door vanished from sight. It revealed, Luz-beast standing next to him.
Eda gasped at what Luz had become. The human-beast girl had undergone a makeover. Not only was she now an owl-beast, but her entire style also changed.
Her feathers were neat and glossy after a warm bath followed by grooming. Her talons had been trimmed back so they on stuck out only an inch and a half. Her fangs were gleaming brightly while the rest of her face appeared lustered.
Her hair was in a tasteful bun with gold beads threaded through it. Her wings were folded slightly giving her an angelic appearance. She wore a white and black dress modeled off Lilith's. Slits had been added to accommodate her wings.
The collar had vanished from her neck. It had been replaced with a torc with the Emperor's symbol etched on it. Her posture was straight and she wasn't bouncing with energy.
"No, no, Luz! Please tell me you didn't do this to yourself! I sacrificed myself for you to protect you from harm," Eda screamed. Her voice went up in volume as she snapped at the emperor, "How did you trick her into doing this?"
Emperor Belos refused to reply. Luz-beast said nothing. Her expression blank. Her mentor wondered if she was able to see or hear what she said. She tried to remember what spell allowed a wall to disappear. Nothing came to mind.
Belos snapped his fingers and Luz-beast started talking. "Eda, you were caught and stuck in your owl-beast form, because I attempted to steal a relic from Emperor Belos castle to heal you.
You were going to be turned into a statue because you made me a cape. A cape that you should have knitted for yourself.
During my time here I have hurt my friends, King, and you. I needed to take responsibility for my actions. Entering into a Forever Oath with my master was the only way to keep you alive."
Another snap and Luz-beast stopped talking. Her expression blank. Her posture was once more ram-rod straight. The sight of Eda's student acting similar to Lilith made her mentor sick.
"Remarkable isn't she? It took only a month of training from her to rise from my pet to my valet." He enjoyed tormenting the Owl Lady. The woman who proclaimed she was the strongest witch on the Boiling Isles was at his mercy.
He slammed his staff again cutting Eda off from her student once more. He whispered something and the teenager walked away from the cell. It was obvious he didn't want his new valet to hear him talking to her.
Eda barely paid attention to what he was saying. All her thoughts were focused on the hybrid who had been like a daughter to her. How she had given up everything to spare her life.
She tuned back into the conversation when she heard the words Forever Oath. "Hey, can you repeat what you were saying? My mind was more on my kid than you."
"I said I might release your student from her oath if you give me the portal to the human world. I'm sure she would be delighted to return to her human family."
Luz's mom would want her daughter not a hybrid monster back. Luz cannot go home unless the curse was gone. The girl was smart enough to figure a way to transfer the curse to herself. Could the process be reversed?
"I don't believe you, bonehead. You went to a lot of trouble to catch me for my portal. You accept Luz's oath for a reason. I'm not dumb enough to hand you the portal knowing you would keep her as your slave."
Belos growled at the insult. "Perhaps, I was wrong to visit you today. You just woke up from a month of sleep. I'll give you a few days to decide if your student is worth more than your selfishness."
Once he was gone, Eda's resolve abated. Sitting on her bed, she started crying in anguish. She had never had her heartbroken before.
Meanwhile, in his cell, King perked up. He had heard Eda's voice which meant it was time to play his part. "The King of Demons demands to be let free! Release me at once!"
"Shut up!" one of the guards growled.
"The king of demons will not be silenced! I demand a great feast be served instead of the slop I've been getting. A new bed instead of this slap of metal! I want to be carried around in my coach!"
The other guard growled and slammed the door. "Go take a nap in your coach! We don't want to hear you complain anymore!"
King smirked as he scurried over to the satchel Luz had given him. It was just big enough for him to curl up in. That was the reason Luz had used it in the first place.
Since the satchel appeared to be empty, the guards had thrown it inside his cell with him. That was a mistake.
His first night in the cell, King had discovered the satchel wasn't empty. Luz had made her phone and the Bat Queen's whistle invisible. She had then attached gravity symbols so the items would float around.
The only way to find them was to put yourself fully in the bag. Making sure to turn the volume to its lowest setting King played Luz's video again.
The video had been taken just outside the Bat Queen's domain. "King, I want to say I'm sorry for not telling you my plan. I knew if I did, you wouldn't allow me to through with it.
I'm going to enter into a Forever Oath with Emperor Belos. In my note box, you'll find the outline of the oath. You'll notice that I had the emperor agree to life imprisonment for Eda. There's a reason for that."
King recalled how he almost broke the phone in anger when he heard that part of the message. He was angry that she hadn't tried to gain Eda's freedom. After reading the note, he had to admit Luz was more devious than she looked.
Emperor Belos had agreed to life imprisonment. What he forgot was to name the person who would be in charge of Eda during her life imprisonment. Also, he hadn't said where Eda was to serve her sentence.
If someone claimed the rights for Eda then Emperor Belos would have to accept because of ancient magical law about prisoners. It was just a matter of who claimed those rights first.
That's where the whistle came in. It was used to summon the Bat Queen. She was ready to rescue Owlbert and by extension, Eda. The only catch was King needed to convince Eda to give Emperor Belos what he wanted temporarily.
"Time for a royal summons," King giggled as he blew the whistle. The instrument was unique for only palismans could hear it. Now it was just a waiting game to find out when Bat Queen made her appearance.
Crawling out of the satchel, King resumed his effort to escape. He didn't have magical powers so he didn't have a suppressor anklet. Instead, he had his cute little paws and big mouth for tools.
He ran over to the left side of the room and began scratching against the padded wall once more. Over the last few days, he had been attempting to dig his way out of the cell.
"These comfy walls will not keep me prisoner!" He clawed over and over, but his tiny paws weren't strong enough to get through padded walls.
Cursing his little paws, he decided to try using his head. Taking a few steps back, he charged using his head to smash the wall.
It didn't work, but King was nothing if not persistent. He kept smashing his head into the wall. He left several impressions on the wall but was no closer to getting out.
Throwing himself on the ground he let out a squeal of rage. The guards outside ran away as the pitch got louder. Inside Eda's cell, the woman's head shot up and she moved as close to the door as she could.
"King? Is that you King? Answer me please!"
"Eda! I'm so glad to hear your voice! After a month of not hearing you speak, I almost forgot how you sound," King shouted. The echoes made the two prisoners realize they were across the hall and one door down from each other.
They were both relieved to find out they were close enough to each other. King had known she was close thanks to her screams earlier, but not how close she was.
Eda wiped a tear off her eye. She wanted to yell at King for not protecting Luz. Yet, in her heart, she knew even if King had known the plan, nothing would have stopped the teenager.
"King, fill me in on what's going on. I need to know everything if we're to get out of this mess."
King wanted to tell Eda directly what was going on, but he couldn't risk anyone overhearing him talking. He was sure the solitary cells were closely monitored.
He needed to get a message across without revealing anything. He had an idea. "Simply put, Luz gave up everything for you. Servitude to the jerky emperor for the remainder of her cursed life isn't something I would do.
She probably got the idea from the Good Witch Azura book series. Did you know that Luz and her book club friend were going to try writing their own Azura book?
I laughed at the plot line. I mean, why would a good witch switch places with a bad witch, to gain a bad girl's reputation? That's almost as stupid as girls writing poetic love letters to send to their crushes.
I suggested making the plot more interesting. It would be epic if Azura stole her nemeses staff to use it against her for the start of the story. Think of the blood bath that would happen in the climax!"
Eda was exasperated by King's nonsense. Then she realized what he was trying to tell her. "I rather listen to the flowery language than hear your complaining."
The guards came back and told the prisoners to knock it off. They shoved terrible food through the slots. "Enjoy your meals. They might be your last!"
In her cell, Lilith plucked another hair from her head. Squatting down, she placed the hair on her makeshift tally board.
According to the number of hairs, she had been in her cell for a month and three days. No one had come to see her. Not even Kikimora, who Lilith assumed would come to exult about her fall from grace.
She had no indication of what Emperor Belos would do to her. Would she waste away in here? Was he planning to sentence her to petrification? "Edalyn, I hope you're still alive," she whispered to herself.
Even now, Lilith was questioning if what she had seen in the dungeon happened. Her sister's curse had taken over completely. She couldn't have been lying on the floor as herself.
"My anger probably made me see things. There is no way a human could handle a curse." Centering herself, she started to plan her next move.
No doubt her staff had been destroyed. Without it, her magic wasn't as strong as it could be. Her suppressor anklet also kept her from accessing her magic.
As a former coven leader, she knew that she was in a maximum security isolation cell. Behind the foam walls, an enchanted mechanical system worked to produce traps to keep the prisoner from getting out. They could also be set to torment the prisoner as well.
Any attempt to tamper with the system would result in extreme pain. The food and viewing slots were too small for her hands to reach anything on the other side of the door.
There were no windows or vents to attempt an escape. The only weakness would be the floor if the stone beneath it was crumbling. A tap on the floor assured Lilith her cell floor was structurally sound.
"Face it, Lilith, you're never getting out of this cell. Everything you sacrificed was for nothing."
The head slot opened at that moment. Lilith turned to see who it was when a fog potion was thrown into the cell. The yellow smoke filled the room causing Lilith's eyes to water.
She tried to get under the smoke to clear her eyes when she was rushed by an assailant.
Lilith found herself being forced to the ground as her arms were excruciatingly pulled behind her for cuffing. A bag was thrown over her head blinding her as she was dragged out of the cell.
"Where are you taking me? Answer me!" Lilith muffled screamed. No one replied. Instead, her body was dragged over every crack and bump on the floor.
After a miserable journey, the former coven leader was forced into an office. She felt pressure on her legs as they were cuffed as well. The bag was torn off her head.
She was in Warden Wraith's office. Sitting at his desk was Emperor Belos. Standing on his right side was her sister's student. Lilith blinked several times yet the girl's appearance didn't change.
"You did it human. You took on my sister's curse."
Luz-beast growled as her eyes started glowing red. Her talons twitched ready to attack.
"Ah, dear Lilith. I've been wondering how you were fairing in isolation. It seems to be doing wonders for your hair," pointing to the bald spot.
"My lord, if you would just let me explain…"
"SILENCE!" The witch immediately stopped speaking.
Emperor Belos pulled out his staff and walked in front of the desk. His little valet followed him devotedly. He placed the tip of his staff on Lilith's jugular vein.
"You are a disgrace to my rule. You were charged with capturing your sister. You did as I asked, only to betray me when your sister was sentenced for her crimes as a wild witch."
"You pledged to me you would heal my sister," Lilith whispered. The staff pricked her neck as a small trail of blood appeared on her neck.
"Did you truly believe such a thing was possible? Surely, you read the curse spell completely before you cast it? After all, knowledge is power."
Lilith's expression fell as she looked at the ground. "No, I did not read it completely before casting it. Nor did I save the scroll it was written on. I imprudently burnt it after casting the spell."
Luz-beast wings beat angrily. Her fangs flashed as she gnashed them together.
"Patience, you'll have your revenge soon," Emperor Belos informed his valet. Turning his attention back to Lilith he said it was time for the sentencing to begin.
"Normally, you would be petrified for your traitorous actions. My valet suggested something different. A punishment making you wish for death."
His staff touched the ground. A red rope appeared anchoring her to the floor. Luz-beast shuffled forward eagerly.
"Lilith Clawthorn, for your traitorous actions you are to be sentenced to a life without magic or protection.
You will be without a coven, your staff shall be destroyed. Your palisman will be allowed to live. The Bat Queen has already laid claim to the creature. You will be exiled to her kingdom to spend the rest of your life as her slave.
Fail the Bat Queen and you will be eaten. If you seek aid for your survival from my subjects or return to my kingdom, you will be killed on sight."
He turned away for a moment before twisting his head back. "I almost forgot. You will be maimed within an inch of your life by my valet. After all, everyone deserves to take revenge on those who wronged them."
He walked out the door and locked it. He would return for his valet in thirty minutes. That should give Luz-beast plenty of time for revenge while he convinced Eda to hand over the portal.
Eda was waiting in her cell anxiously. She fingered the portal key trying not to break it. "Why would Luz want me to give this up? Is my freedom the most important thing to her?"
In her mind, Eda tried to figure out what her student's plan was. Luz had gone out of her way to ensure that her mentor was never petrified. It was strange she had insisted on life imprisonment.
"What is your plan, Luz? Why are you letting Belos win?"
Footsteps came closer to the door. Eda stood up clutching the key tightly.
The top panel slid away. "Hello, again Edalyn. Have you come to your senses?"
"Where's Luz? I want to see her."
"Currently she is dealing with your traitorous sister. Hopefully, she's still breathing when Luz-beast is done with her. After all, I would think you would want to punish Lilith yourself when you and that pet demon get to your new owner."
Hearing this surprised Eda. She was leaving the Conformtorium? Why would he allow that?
Seeing her surprise Emperor Belos decided to make her squirm. "Your new owner is the Bat Queen. She informed me that you were an excellent baby sitter for her little ones.
You were so good in fact, she's claimed all three of you to be her permanent slaves for taking care of her children and her subjects."
"Subjects? Bat Queen isn't just a name?"
Emperor Belos made a so-so gesture with his hand. "She has ruled over the deep forest long before the Titan first spoke to me. We have an agreement. The forest and its wild inhabitants belong to her. The rest of the Boiling Isles belong to me. It is a fitting place for a wild witch."
Eda clenched her fists. She would be so close to her home, but unable to live inside it. The tantalizing aspect of being able to go home would haunt her for the rest of her life.
"If I'm going to be spending the rest of eternity taking care of baby bats, I want my kid with me. Here, it's yours!" She thrust the key out and Belos summoned it to his hand.
"Thank you for your cooperation Edalyn. Thanks to you, the Day of Unity will happen on schedule. Enjoy your new life."
Seeing him walk away, she called out, "Hey! Wait a minute, what about Luz? You said if I gave you the key you would release her from her oath!"
Emperor Belos laughed. "I said I might release her, not that I would. I'm afraid the girl's too valuable to me. Not only is she an obedient and dutiful servant, but she's the perfect test subject for an experiment I'm planning."
Eda started to scream after him. There were a hiss and her cell filled with the same magical gas that got Lilith. It was time for her to be moved.
It was nearly dusk when Willow and Gus made their way to the Owl House. Ever since the day at the Conformtorium, the two of them had been visiting Hooty. Once they had talked to him enough, they were allowed to enter.
Eda had not only interesting human stuff in her home. She had also hoarded texts related to wild magic, the unauthorized history books, and a dozen other banned texts. They were hoping to find a way to save Luz and others.
Hooty saw his guests coming. "Willow, Gus! I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!"
Gus groaned, "We were here last night Hooty. Just as we were here the night before that."
"I'm just a house. How am I supposed to keep track of the days?" Hooty moaned sadly.
Willow got in front of Hooty and held out a bag. "I picked some delicious bugs for you to eat."
Hooty's eyes got big and his big head went into the bag, snatching up the bugs. The kids slipped inside the house and removed their hoods.
"Alright, I'll check Eda's room again for more books. You check the basement."
"Do I have to? It's scary down there!" Gus wailed. Some of the things in the basement had scarred him for life.
Willow sighed and reminded him that he was the smaller one so he could fit into the nooks in the basement for the books. "There's a trove of books in this house. Some of them have to be on how to undo a curse or undo a Forever Oath."
She spun around and climbed the steps to the second floor. It was a maze up here thanks to the dimensional space found in magic homes. "Eda must have added several dozen rooms for all the junk she has. I wish things were a little more organized."
Pushing open the door to Eda's room, a shiver went down the girl's spine. She hadn't believed Luz when she said Eda slept in a nest until she saw it for herself.
Willow crawled into the nest and started poking through it. "Come on there have to be more books somewhere in here."
She found a few CDs, two belt buckles, and shiny beads, but no books. "Come on! I found a few books in here before! Where else are you hiding them, Eda?"
Suddenly the whole house shook. Willow fell out of the nest and started sliding across the floor. "AHH!" The house shook again and again as if someone was trying to wiggle it out of the ground.
Down in the basement, Gus let out a little girl scream. "The house is alive again!" He dashed up the stairs and hurried to the kitchen. "Hooty, what is going on?"
There was a tearing sound and the boy looked out the window before screaming. The house was flying through the air! "Hooty! Please don't tell me you grew wings!"
Hooty's head entered the kitchen. "I wish I had. But isn't it nice for all these palismans to give us a lift?"
Gus didn't have time to react when he heard Willow scream. She came tearing down the steps swatting something. "Stay away; stay away! AH!" The creature grabbed the back of her shirt and lifted her into the air.
"Willow! I'm coming to help ahhhhh!" Gus felt something bite him in the butt and something grabbing his shirt. Whimpering the boy was taken out the door and into the sky.
Gus and Willow kept their eyes closed, not sure they wanted to see where they were being taken. It didn't seem they were in the sky for very long until they were dropped from the air.
"AHHH!" they both screamed as they came to land in a dense patch of moss surrounded by bones.
The house was dropped down a foot in front of them causing them to yell. Opening their eyes, they saw they were surrounded by hundreds of palismans. The Bat Queen's babies were flying around their heads.
"AH! We're going to die!" Gus screamed.
"WAIT! Don't hurt them!" a familiar voice called out. The babies backed away and the palismans stood down.
"King?"
The little demon ran up to Willow and Gus, giving them a big hug. "It's great to see you again, but why were you in the house?"
Willow explained they were searching for a way to help rescue the odd little family. It seemed it wouldn't be necessary now.
King scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, um we still have to rescue Luz. Follow me, Eda can explain."
The group followed the demon to a small side cave from the Bat Queen's main one. Eda was sitting on the edge of a stone slab applying a potion to her sister's almost naked body.
Lilith was pretty mangled. Deep gashes covered her legs with her left foot broken. She was also missing two toes on her right foot.
Deep bite marks decorated her hips and butt. Her chest was a mess of long bleeding scratches that would leave many scars.
Both hands had broken fingers. The right wrist dislocated. Lilith's arms were very swollen. It appeared her something had attempted to crush her upper arms and shoulders.
They couldn't see her back, but it was most likely as damaged as her front. Thin scratches laced her neck. Lilith's face had taken a beating.
Her cheeks were marred by bruises. Her nose was broken and her right eye was swollen shut. The left one was starting to form a giant scar. Even her ears and hair hadn't escaped damage.
The tips of her ears were gone and her hair had been ripped off leaving a scraggly mess that ended at the bottom of Lilith's neck.
"Eda!" the kids yelled. The Owl Lady looked up and smiled.
"Kids! It's great to see you!" Eda shouted. She let them come over and hug her.
"How did you get here in the first place?"
"They were inside the house when it was brought here. We better update them on the current situation."
Together, they all carried Lilith carefully to the house. As they walked Eda explained everything that had happened since her imprisonment. As well as her limited knowledge about Luz.
When they entered the house Bat Queen was waiting for them. "It appears I've picked up some extra help, but your duties will have to wait. I must share the second part of the human's plan."
Willow and Gus were surprised that Luz had made a plan. Eda and King just wanted to know how to get their family member back.
"I warned the human her plan was dangerous. That she could lose everything, but she was determined to save her second mother."
Eda blushed upon hearing that. "Did she say why she agreed to serve Emperor Belos forever? King hinted that Luz had done this deliberately and there was a way to save her."
"Yeah, I'm kind of confused by that as well. How can Luz break the Forever Oath if she's bound to him for life?"
Bat Queen smiled. "She agreed to serve him for the rest of her current life. Her life as a palisman."
That confused everyone. How in the Boiling Isles was Luz a palisman?
Bat Queen explained how in times long past that witches placed interlocks on their apprentices' hands. Until the student was ready for their staff, they shared the power of their mentor's.
By interlocking with the staff, they gained strength, experience, and power. "The spell is ancient and forgotten by many. Belos has no idea it even exists.
To free the girl from her oath, she needs to being fully human. It carries its risks. The power granted by being a palisman helped her withstand the curse.
As for herself, I have no idea if she can without losing her mind."
It didn't matter to any of them. The group would rescue Luz and cross that bridge when they got there. For now, they needed to regain their strength before facing Emperor Belos again.