From that day on, Vee thought her world was perfect. Finally, she had someone who truly cared for her and a place to call home. The sight of her and Camila's picture hung in her bedroom, where Vee stood in her natural form, touched her deeply. She wondered if Luz had revealed her insecurities to Camila, but she knew it was more likely Camila had figured it out herself. She appreciated the love and support Camila gave her unconditionally, which made Vee feel more included in their family.

But, as it often happens in life, things were not as simple as they seemed. The week had been heavenly as Vee grew closer to Luz and opened up to Camila. However, it wasn't meant to last. That morning, the sun shone bright, and Vee had no reason to be in a bad mood. But, she lay on the couch, in her natural basilisk form, glaring at the ceiling, and ignoring everyone. Though she had a legitimate reason to be in a foul mood, she chose not to share it with anyone. Hunter was the focus of her irritation, though he had not done anything recently to deserve it. The real issue was his past actions and the memories that his presence evoked in Vee.

The day had started innocently enough, but little did Vee know that it was the calm before the storm. Luz had finally taken Vee's place at school, leaving Vee with a lot of spare time that she was using to learn more about Luz's new witch friends. She was not entirely comfortable spending time with them, preferring Camila's gentler and quieter presence over the more boisterous teenagers, but she knew that they were Luz's closest friends and there was little reason that she wouldn't get along with them. It was also a good excuse to push away the annoying thoughts that made her feel like she was being replaced by Luz. Besides, if Luz was going to make an effort to be closer to Vee's friends, then it was only fair that Vee did the same to Luz's. Vee's first mistake was choosing the quietest one to start with, Hunter. Her second mistake was not asking Luz about him beforehand.

So it was a very naive Vee who asked Hunter if he was free for a chat shortly after breakfast, unaware of the nightmare hiding behind such an innocent request. Hunter hadn't even hinted at any issues, just shrugging and following her away from the others into the kitchen. Vee made sure to plan ahead to make sure that she put her best foot forward, making sure to switch to her personalised human form so that they didn't have to deal with her demon basilisk form making them uncomfortable. She had even made sure that there was a cup of tea waiting for Hunter, aware that it was his preferred drink. It should have been the perfect way to start a proper introduction.

Unfortunately, as soon as Hunter sat at the table, the tea in his hand, Vee realised that she had entirely forgotten to think about what she was going to say. Her mind went blank as she tried to come up with a casual conversation, but all she could do was mentally scramble for any topic that would work. With sweat starting to form on her forehead, Vee finally noticed the rough cuts to Hunter's hair that looked new, giving her an easy topic to start with. But little did she know that this would only be the beginning of her troubles.

Vee's eyes fell upon Hunter's head and she finally found something to say. "Did you get a haircut?" she asked, relieved to have something to break the silence.

Hunter's hand went up to his hair, his unease palpable. "Yeah, ah, Willow helped," he answered, avoiding her gaze. Vee couldn't help but find his shyness endearing, but she knew better than to mention it. "I didn't really like how it looked before."

Vee nodded, trying to keep the conversation going. "Well, it looks good on you," she offered, desperate to fill the void with small talk.

Hunter's gaze pierced through her, his voice taking on a grave tone that sent a shiver down Vee's spine. "Vee, what did you want to talk about?" he asked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "I assume you didn't just want to talk about my hair."

"I just wanted to learn a bit about you all," she replied, her voice trembling with anxiety as she tried to keep up the facade of casual conversation. "How has the switch to the human realm been for you?"

Hunter's response was hesitant, his eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape. "It's been peaceful," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What's wrong?" Vee asked, taking a sip of water, wishing for a cup of hot chocolate to soothe her nerves. She sensed that something was amiss, her intuition telling her that Hunter was hiding something. "I know that Camila wanted to know if you wanted any changes to your meals, maybe give you something that reminds you of home?"

Hunter gazed down into the steaming tea, the swirling steam reminding him of the misty Boiling Isles that he had left behind. "Like you, I would rather forget the horrors of that place," he said, his voice laced with pain as he took a tentative sip of the tea.

Vee nodded, sensing Hunter's discomfort. "Of course, let's talk about something else," she said, eager to shift the conversation to a more pleasant topic. "I'm curious about your friendship with Luz. She struggled to make friends in this world, so I'm interested to know what changed over there."

Hunter's eyes darkened with a troubled look as he set his tea down, his frown deepening. "Ah, I'm probably not the best one to start with for that type of conversation," he confessed. "Luz and I didn't start as friends. Our first encounter involved me abducting her and crashing an airship. It took some time before we became true friends, and there are a lot of things that I'd rather not discuss."

Vee's face contorted with concern as she picked up on the gravity of Hunter's words. "I see," she said hesitantly, not liking the direction of the conversation. "But you are friends now, right?"

Hunter sighed heavily, the weight of his memories evident in his expression. "We are, but it's complicated. There are a lot of things we don't agree on, but she saved my life." He paused, running a hand through his hair. "But at the end of the day, she's Luz. She's brave and kind and has a heart of gold. I couldn't not be friends with her, even if it's difficult at times."

Vee scoffed at Hunter's story. "Well, that's one way to start a friendship."

Hunter chuckled wistfully. "It wasn't the smoothest beginning. After all, she did try to incinerate my face with a wild spell not long after that. But we eventually became friends, despite everything that happened."

Vee furrowed her brow at Hunter's cryptic tone. "That doesn't sound very reassuring. Why did Luz attack you?"

"It's not something I like to talk about," Hunter replied, taking a careful sip of his tea. "There's a lot of my past that I don't want to revisit. Too much darkness, too much pain."

Vee rolled her eyes. "Please. My own past is hardly a bed of roses."

Hunter remained silent, his gaze fixated on his cup as if he could find answers in the swirling liquid.

"You can't just drop that bombshell and expect me to leave it at that." Vee's voice was laced with a hint of annoyance, as she leaned over the table, her eyes locked onto Hunter's face. She was determined to get to the bottom of this, to uncover the secrets he was hiding.

"Vee, it's not a story I enjoy recounting." Hunter replied with a deep sigh, his elbow resting on the table to support his head. Vee's eyes saw a flash of gold from under his sleeve, and in one swift movement, grabbed Hunter's wrist and pulled up his long-sleeved shirt to reveal a golden sword emblem emblazoned on his skin. The same emblem she had seen on her captors, the same emblem that haunted her dreams.

"So, you were part of the Emperor's Coven?" Vee's voice was barely above a whisper, the gravity of the situation hitting her like a ton of bricks. Her breaths became shallow, and her palms grew clammy as she thought back to the trauma of her imprisonment.

Hunter's silence was deafening, and it took him a moment to compose himself before he spoke again. "I was, but not any more." His voice trailed off, as he tried to gauge Vee's reaction.

"I didn't realise they let anyone as young as you in," she remarked, trying to hide her growing unease.

Hunter's face darkened as he recalled his past. "Yeah, I was a special case," he said with a heavy sigh. "I joined the Emperor's Coven when I was just a child. It started out okay, but I don't really have the best relationship with the coven any more."

"Honestly, I could say the same thing." Vee snorted, no end to the disdain she felt to that coven. "They didn't exactly treat us Basilisks nicely."

"Were they that bad?" Hunter asked, a frown slowly forming as he considered Vee's words. "They told me that they were studying you."

Vee's eyes narrowed at Hunter's question. "Studying us? Is that what they told you? They were experimenting on us like we were lab rats. They caged us up and drained us dry. They didn't care about us, just about what we could do for them. They're capable of a lot more than that, believe me. I was lucky to get out when I did."

Hunter's gaze snapped up to meet hers. "How did you manage to escape?"

Vee hesitated, memories assaulting her like a relentless storm. "Let's just say it took a stroke of luck and a chaotic turn of events." She paused before continuing, her voice barely above a whisper. "Also, one of the inexperienced guards accidentally dropped one of the keys to our cages."

Hunter's words sliced through the air like a sharp blade. "That's not what the reports said."

Vee froze, it took her more than a few seconds to fully process what Hunter had said. To realise that he had been aware of her imprisonment and had thought that it was acceptable was not something that she was willing to ignore. She forced her jaw shut, trying to suppress the emotions threatening to spill out. "How much do you know about what was happening in the Emperor's Coven?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"I'm not sure if we should talk about this," Hunter hesitated, his eyes shifting away from Vee's piercing gaze.

But Vee wasn't about to let him off the hook. "I think we're beyond that, Hunter. Just tell me," she demanded, her voice cold and sharp as a knife.

Hunter's voice trembled as he made the confession. "I was the Emperor's right hand."

Hunter's admission hung in the air like a sinister fog, causing Vee's heart to race with a mix of fear and fury. "You were the head of the coven?" she asked, her voice tight with disbelief. His silence confirmed her worst suspicions, and she felt a surge of righteous anger bubbling up inside her. How could he have been involved in such atrocities? How could he have allowed the experimentation and torture of innocent beings like herself?

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Vee nodded slowly, her mind racing with a jumble of conflicting emotions. On the one hand, she wanted to lash out at Hunter, to scream and rail against him for the pain and suffering he had caused. But on the other hand, she knew that she had to be careful. Luz was his friend, and she couldn't risk alienating him by attacking Hunter.

The air between them was thick with tension, heavy with the weight of the past. Vee's voice was barely a whisper as she spoke, each word measured and deliberate. "Listen carefully," she began, her tone brooking no argument. "We will both pretend that this conversation never happened. You will stay out of my sight, and I will do the same. Do you understand?"

Hunter nodded, his face etched with worry.

"Good." Vee rose from her seat and disappeared into Luz's bedroom, needing to be alone with her thoughts. She couldn't bear to be in the same space as the man who was indirectly responsible for the untimely deaths of her fellow captives.

The following days were a gruelling test for Vee. She forced herself to endure Hunter's presence, though it was an unyielding struggle. She begrudgingly acknowledged that he also made a reasonable attempt to limit their interactions, but it did little to ease the tension between them. If it had been a week earlier the mere idea of ignoring the presence of a member of the Emperor's coven would have been unthinkable, however Camila's constant presence did a lot to make Vee feel safe. Sure, logically she knew that Camila might not actually be an expert fighter, but it was the idea that someone was actually looking out for her that made everything feel different. It was a welcome contrast to the constant state of apprehension she had been living in back in the Boiling Isles. Unfortunately, not everyone was as understanding of the frosty standoff between Vee and Hunter.

One morning in the basement, Gus cornered Vee as she searched for a scarf Amity had requested. The rest of the group was still upstairs, thankfully out of earshot. "You need to stop being mean to Hunter," Gus demanded sternly, Vee did her best to not admit that he looked adorable standing up to her. "Ignoring him is cruel and he deserves better from you."

Vee let out a deep sigh, her hands trembling slightly as she sifted through the cluttered box, searching for the scarf that Amity had requested. The mere mention of Hunter's name was enough to send a chill down her spine. "Ignoring him is all I can manage," she admitted, her voice laced with bitterness. "He was a part of the Emperor's Coven, Gus. I don't have to tell you what that means."

"He's different now," Gus insisted, his arms crossed defiantly over his chest. "He left it all behind."

Vee's hand trembled slightly as she reached for the scarf buried under a pile of dusty items. "He was running the coven during the worst of it," she spat out, her eyes flashing with anger as she glared at Gus. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Gus was just a kid, after all. "The Emperor's Coven inflicted so much pain on my kind, and Hunter was a part of that. Maybe he didn't know everything that was going on, or maybe he did. It doesn't matter. The point is that he was a part of it, and I don't want to see him."

"You can't blame him for everything that the Coven did." Gus' attempt to argue was futile as Vee shot him a furious glare, her eyes flashing with an intensity that could burn through steel.

"Gus, enough!" she nearly shouted, clenching her teeth and shutting her eyes to regain her composure. It was a struggle to keep in mind that Gus was just a child, unaware of the overwhelming fear that Hunter's presence instilled in her. Vee's voice softened as she continued, trying to be gentle. "Please, just don't get involved in the mess between myself and Hunter. We both know it isn't great, but we've mutually decided that this is the best we can both do at the moment. Stop getting involved."

Gus persisted, his voice laced with a sense of urgency. "I can't just sit idly by while my friends are at odds with each other. It's not right."

Vee's eyes narrowed, a wave of frustration crashing over her. "You don't understand, Gus. You don't know what it's like to be trapped in a cage for years, to be stripped of everything you ever knew and loved. Hunter represents all of that to me. I can't just brush it off like it's nothing."

Gus looked at her with a mix of concern and confusion. "But if you keep avoiding him, it's only going to make things worse. Can't you at least try to work things out?"

Vee's patience was wearing thin. "I don't have to do anything I don't want to do. And right now, I don't want to be around Hunter. It's as simple as that." She sighed heavily, wishing she could make him understand. "Look, Gus, I appreciate your concern. But this is my problem to deal with, and I'll deal with it on my own terms. Okay?"

Gus finally backed off, but the tense air lingered around Vee like a suffocating fog. She mentally berated herself for failing to say anything to him without making it worse. The disappointment in Gus's eyes weighed heavily on her conscience, and she felt a wave of remorse wash over her. All she wanted was to escape from the confines of her own head and the constant turmoil she was experiencing.

Finally, after sifting through countless mementos and trinkets, Vee unearthed the prized possession she was looking for. Yet, the victory felt hollow, and she trudged up the stairs with the scarf as if it were a burden. Handing it to Amity with little fanfare, she retreated to her room, her mind racing with thoughts of her own inadequacies. She longed for a reprieve from the emotional exhaustion that weighed her down. She wished that things could just be easy for once.

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense as the day wore on. Gus shot her dirty looks every chance he got, while Amity and Willow didn't even bother hiding their glares. Vee had no idea what Gus had told them, but their reactions were extreme. Perhaps they were overprotective of the youngest member in their group, but Vee was convinced that her words alone couldn't have caused such a reaction. If Luz wasn't still at school, Vee would have already been dragged into a confrontation to address the issue.

Growing frustrated with the constant need to watch her words around them, Vee retreated to their shared bedroom. She piled a few boxes in front of the door to delay any unwanted visitors. Finally alone, she took the opportunity to drop her transformation, slipping back into her basilisk form and settled onto one of the lower beds. She carefully propped up Camila's tablet with her tail beside her and quickly tapped through the list of apps. For the next few hours, she immersed herself in Spanish lessons using the evil owl app. Every new word she learned felt like a step closer to Luz and Camila, the only two that seemed happy to have her around.

Unfortunately her self imposed exile wasn't destined to last forever. Vee was lost in the Spanish lessons again, enjoying the strange owl's demented lesson plan, when the door to the bedroom was abruptly shoved open. Vee turned to see the carefully piled up boxes to topple over and spill their contents on the floor, clearly her makeshift barricade had not done a particularly good job. Vee rolled her eyes at the interruption and quickly shifted into her human form, waiting to find out who was the source of the interruption. She was not surprised to see Willow, who wore an expression of annoyance on the witch's face.

Vee shot her a disappointed glare, not in the mood for distractions. "Is this about Hunter?" she asked, cutting to the chase.

Willow rolled her eyes and took a seat on the other bed. "Of course it's about Hunter," she replied. "What's going on between you two that Gus had to get involved?"

Vee huffed, feeling defensive. "I didn't drag anyone into anything," she protested. "Gus cornered me and demanded that I start being nice to Hunter. Obviously I told him that it was none of his business."

Willow's voice grew more exasperated. "This house isn't that large, Vee," she pointed out. "If you're not getting along with one of us, it starts to involve all of us."

Vee seethed with anger, unable to contain her frustration at Willow's persistence. "This is not your concern," she spat out. "The issue is between Hunter and me. It doesn't involve you."

But Willow refused to back down. "I'm making it our concern," she said firmly. "Hunter has been through a lot, and I can't just sit back and watch this happen."

Vee rolled her eyes. "Do you think I'm not aware of what's happening here?" she snapped. "Camila and I do everything we can to make sure you're comfortable. I even stay in my transformed state because I know Amity and Gus are uncomfortable with my true form."

"I don't have the best history with basilisks either," Willow hesitated, recalling her last encounter with a basilisk and the way it had drained her of her magic.

"Exactly, hence why I am transformed now." Vee pointed out. "I would prefer to relax in my own skin, but if this makes things easier then I'll do it."

"I know that it's not easy for any of us." Willow conceded. "But we're still trying to adjust to life here."

Vee's voice remained strained as she tried to maintain composure. "I am doing everything in my power to make things easier for all of you," she said, her words dripping with frustration. "I refrain from mentioning the Boiling Isles, and I suppress my own emotions for the sake of this group."

"Why do you have an issue with Hunter?" Willow prodded. "He's never even encountered a basilisk before."

Vee inhaled sharply, gathering her thoughts. "Hunter was the leader of the Coven that hunted and slaughtered my family before I escaped here. I don't trust him, and I don't want anything to do with him. I want to ignore his existence altogether. This has nothing to do with any of you, and I'm trying my best to keep things civil," she spat out the words with venom.

Willow recoiled, her eyes widening as Vee's basilisk form was revealed once again. Fear and panic overtook her features as she took a step back, trembling at the sight of the creature before her. Vee blinked in confusion, wondering what had brought about such a sudden shift in Willow's demeanour. But then, she glanced down at herself and realised her mistake.

Her true form had taken over in her fury, a dangerous, serpentine body that towered over her Willow. Well maybe not towering over Willow, even transformed Vee didn't gain that much height. Yelping, Vee quickly transformed back into her human self, but the damage had been done. Willow's expression of terror and unease was etched into Vee's memory, a harsh reminder of the danger she posed to those around her.

"Sorry," Vee blurted out, trying to diffuse the situation with a weak smile.

"It's fine," Willow lied, but her trembling voice betrayed her unease. She stood up, wary of the monstrous basilisk standing in front of her. "I'm just going to go now," she said, and hurried out of the room without a backward glance.

Vee's heart pounded as she watched Willow disappear down the hall. "Wait, Willow!" she called desperately, but the door slammed shut, ending any attempt she could make to follow. Vee slumped onto the bed, the weight of her own anger crushing her. She cursed herself for her lack of control, for the way her emotions had betrayed her. How could she have been so careless, so foolish? Now, she had alienated all of Luz's friends, leaving her more isolated than ever before.

Shaking her head, Vee rose to her feet. She couldn't afford to give in to self-pity. She needed to find a way to make things right. "Think, Vee, think," she muttered to herself, racking her brain for a solution. Should she wait for Luz to return from school and hope for the best, or should she take matters into her own hands and try to make amends before it was too late?

Vee struggled to lift herself up, her muscles aching with the effort. She glanced down at her hands, clenching and unclenching them, to make sure she was in control of her form. The last thing she wanted to do was repeat the same mistake by dropping her form. But as she reached for the doorknob, her heart pounded with anxiety. It was as if an invisible force was holding her back, telling her to stay put and avoid the confrontation she needed to face.

Summoning her courage, Vee grasped the doorknob tightly, preparing to swing it open. But before she could turn the handle, the door flew open with a sudden jolt. Vee stumbled backward, taken aback by the unexpected force. And there, standing before her, were Luz and Amity, their expressions a mixture of surprise and concern.

"You're back early," Vee stammered, her voice catching in her throat as she realised the gravity of the situation. She glanced at the clock, realizing with a sinking feeling that she had lost track of time.

Luz rolled her eyes. "School ended ages ago, and I wasn't about to waste another second in that boring after-school program."

Vee sighed. "You know, you should really start thinking about your future. Extracurricular activities look good on college applications."

Luz shrugged. "I'm more concerned with the demon realm," she quipped, her tone light and carefree. Vee winced involuntarily at the mention of the otherworldly dimension, but Luz didn't seem to notice. "Hey, mind if Amity and I come in?" she asked, gesturing to her girlfriend who was waiting patiently in the hallway.

"Sure, I'll give you two some privacy," Vee sighed as she stepped aside to let them in, but Luz's hand shot out to stop Vee from leaving, her grip insistent. Vee tensed at the sudden touch, her heart racing with fear and anticipation of what was to come.

"Actually, we wanted to have a talk with you," Luz said, her face flushing with embarrassment at what Vee had said. The air was thick with tension as Amity stood silently beside Luz, her cheeks also a tad red. However their blushing went unnoticed by Vee who was too preoccupied wondering what this could possibly be about.

Vee's eyes narrowed as she braced herself for the worst. "Let me guess, you also want to talk about Hunter," she scoffed, her irritation palpable. "I already talked to the others, go badger Willow about it."

Amity's voice was shaking as she spoke up. "It's not about Hunter," she said, but Vee wasn't having it. "I know, Willow said the same thing," Vee snapped, cutting her off. "It's about all of us, not just him."

Luz gently took hold of Vee's hand. "This isn't about Hunter. We are worried about you, Willow said you transformed by mistake." Luz awkwardly interjected. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh that," she muttered, dreading the conversation to come. "I'm guessing you want me to sleep in the living room now, right? Willow isn't exactly going to be comfortable with me in the room."

Luz recoiled, her face contorting in horror. "No, no, no, that's not it at all," she said quickly. "Willow was just a bit freaked out, that's all. She's more worried about how this is affecting you. And so am I. I've seen how easy it is for you to maintain your human form normally. That's why Amity and I are here – to help you, if we can."

Vee's voice was shaky as she tried to placate Luz. "I assure you, Luz, I don't need your help. I may have let my emotions get the best of me, but I am in control now. You won't see me turning into that beast again, accidentally or otherwise."

Luz let out a light-hearted chuckle. "Well, I wouldn't mind a cute little basilisk running around, but I get it," she said, eliciting a dry glare from Vee.

Amity shook her head and directed her attention to Vee. "We all know how deeply connected you are to Hunter, and we respect your feelings. We're not here to invalidate them or convince you otherwise. We're here because we care about you and we're concerned about how this is affecting you."

Vee's voice was hoarse with emotion as she spoke. "I appreciate your concern, but I can handle my own problems. I was actually on my way to apologize to Willow and Gus when you stopped me."

Luz's eyes softened with understanding. "You don't have to face this alone. Amity and I can help you talk to Hunter."

Vee's brow furrowed in frustration. "I don't want to talk about Hunter, Luz. Can't you understand that?"

Luz's tone was gentle but insistent. "I do understand, Vee. But the tension between you and Hunter is affecting everyone. We just want to help you both move forward and find a way to heal."

"I don't know if I can talk to him about it," Vee sighed, feeling a knot form in her stomach at the mere thought of confronting Hunter.

"You must try," Amity insisted, her voice firm and unyielding. "Avoiding it won't make it go away."

Vee's face twisted with frustration. "Okay, okay. But if I'm going to do this, I'm going to need some real hot chocolate. I'm talking melted chocolate instead of powder, marshmallows, the works."