Luz shook in the throne while the figure got closer. Two thorny-like horns could be seen from a man with long messy hair. The girl looked at the doorway, as she couldn't properly see him thanks to the shadows. But she could tell from the silhouette that he had long claws as well, and his eyes glowed a bright yet intimidating blue. He growled as he stepped closer, and because of no light source, he was almost completely in shadow.

"There's a stranger, sitting on my throne. Give me a good reason why," An annoyed and angry voice came from the shadows.

"Please, let me explain," Raine spoke up nervously. "She's a friend, and she was lost in the woods. She came from the cold, she could've been in the boiling rain, so-"

His thorny hands scratched against the squeaky floorboards, which let out a loud screech that pained all of their ears. Raine clamped their mouth shut while covering their ears. Darius cleared his throat and stood up.

"I'm taking my moment to tell you that...I had nothing to do with this. It was all their idea," He pointed at everyone. "I kept telling them no, but do they listen? No-"

He scratched the floorboards again and Darius gritted his teeth from the sound. Luz laughed nervously while looking around.

"N-No need to take it out on them. I'm just gonna step off here and go-" He extended his arm to grab her and she yelped. He then pulled her back to face him and she gasped from his appearance. She looked into his angry blue glowing eyes, and could see a large scar of sorts right across his face, along with a forelock between his eyes.

"Who are you, and why are you here?" He asked in a thin tone and she grunted, trying to break free.

"I...I-I was trying to get to school, and then my palisman got scared off. Well, it's not mine, but my sister's. And you're kinda freaking me out now with the whole scarred bad boy image-"

"You can't be here!" He shouted and she gave an annoyed pout from him interrupting.

"Yeah, I-I'm getting that. Look, I-I'm sorry," She said while eyeing him, which didn't go unnoticed.

"If you'll take a picture, it'll last longer," He retorted and she flinched. "You're already trespassing, I don't need a gawking audience!" By the tone of his voice, it seemed as if he didn't care about his appearance, more so annoyed than anything.

"I-I'm not staring," She denied while crossing her arms, looking away. He narrowed his eyes at her, as he could tell that she was lying.

"If you wanna sit here and judge me, be my guest!" He grunted as he raised her up higher and she screamed, recoiling back as she held up her arms.

"Please, don't eat me! I just needed somewhere safe from the rain!" She cried out and he blinked up at her.

"Eat you? I don't care for human flesh," He gave a deadpan look. "And I won't send you into the rain either. That'd be too easy. So hopefully you'll like my prison better," He glared up at her and walked off, kicking the door open. She kicked the air while protesting, trying to loosen his grip with her hands.

"No, don't! Please, I'll leave! Guys, help me!" She cried out while the others watched in fear, and the door closed behind the man and Luz.

It was now the next morning as back at the Owl House, Nevareth and Chris had arrived. They hid in the bushes as they watched Hooty from behind the bushes. There was a fly crawling on his face. "Stay still, bug!" He shouted while having his beak open, waiting for the bug to move.

"Oh gee! Lucila will start to sing once you give her the ring, Nevareth!" Chris smiled up at him. Nevareth was planning to propose, so that he could start his new life with Lucila as soon as possible...

"Yes, Chris, this will be the best day of her life," Nevareth smirked while looking at the box. He moved away a branch to hit Chris in the face with. He fell to the ground while the angsty prince walked over...to a wedding ceremony that he set up this morning. Several demons and witches were there as they were helping finish up. The arch was made out of red leaves and skulls, the table had drinks and various foods like rotten candy, griffin eggs, and a giant cake with spiders inside of it. He cleared his throat to get their attention. "I'd like to thank you all for coming to the wedding. Now I just gotta go in there and grab the bride," He chuckled, the others clapping for him. Meanwhile Amelia, Cat, and Boscha were all sobbing. "And you," He picked up the wobbling Chris and poked the top of his hat. "When Lucila and I step out-"

"I know, I know, I bow and then play the music!" He held up a composer's stick and had three demons playing the wedding march...with screeching fairies and monsters. Nevareth then punched Chris in the back of the head to get him to stop.

"Not yet, you idiot!" He groaned while rubbing a temple.

"Sorry."

Lucila hummed to herself while in the living room. She was reading the book Amity gave her, it was about something to do with two brothers coming into the demon realm. The door knocked and she looked up.

"No way would Odalia let Amity go out twice in a row," She murmured to herself as she put the book away. "Hopefully it's Lilith with some new information about our missing friends-" She flinched as she realized that Hooty hadn't said anything. "Hooty? Who is it?" She called out and didn't hear anything. She looked out the window, gasping as she saw Nevareth checking himself out in a handheld mirror. She turned around so that her back was to the window, groaning to herself. "What now?" She asked in annoyance while opening the door. Nevareth came in without prompting. "Nevareth...how ni-what brings you here?" She stated in hesitation. Usually, he'll bother her in town, so him coming to her house was...concerning her to say the least.

She then looked at Hooty, annoyed to see that Nevareth had bribed him with lots of bugs, hence why he didn't say anything. "The nice eyepatch man has blessed me so!" He smiled at the girl once he saw her look and she placed her hands on her hips, raising a brow. "...What?"

"Heh, I've got a surprise for a lucky witch," Nevareth winked and she wrinkled her nose in disgust. She then shook her head.

"No, don't wink at me," She said in a warning tone.

"You know, not one girl in town wouldn't love to be in your shoes right about now," He said while stepping closer and she backed away.

"I'd beg to differ," Lucila pointed out in a sarcastic tone while looking away. Since no one besides Amity and Lilith even talked to her or her sister positively. Nevareth didn't count because clearly he was always a bit pushy.

"This is the day..." He paused and made sure his teeth were both clean and white. "There we are. This is the day where our dreams are coming true."

"You don't know anything about my dreams, or what you really want, Nevareth," She denied awkwardly as he stepped forward, but she backed away to the table. She then stood behind it, not liking this at all. He had never been so...jovial before, it was freaking her out.

"I don't? Come on, Luci, picture it," He sat on the couch, planting his dirty boots onto her spell books. She raised an annoyed brow, hands on her hips. "A rustic hunting cottage, my latest kill roasting on the fire," He slipped his boots off and they fell to the carpet, leaving a stain. She groaned at this to herself. "And my beautiful wife massaging my feet and praising my abs...while the little ones play on the floor with the Slitherbeasts." She grimaced as Slitherbeasts and children...didn't exactly go together. "We'll have six or seven," He stood up, puckering his lips and she gagged to herself.

"Slitherbeasts?" She looked away so that she didn't have to see him trying to woo her again.

"No, Luci. Strapping boys like me. Or girls too, I could train them to be as beautiful as us."

"Ha, yeah, I can't picture it," She said in a strained voice while picking up her spell books. She then lifted up his boots and placed them onto his lap in disgust. The girl spun a spell finger to clean the stain on the carpet.

"And do you know who that little wife is gonna be?" Nevareth stepped up from behind and she closed her eyes, praying to herself that he wasn't really going through with this. The young witch silently kept hoping and hoping.

"No...enlighten me."

"You, Lucila!" He cornered her and she looked at him wide-eyed. She laughed awkwardly as she slithered away from him.

"Nevareth, you can't...you can't be serious," She said, a hand to her heart while backing away towards the door. He pushed past some of her furniture with a determined look in his eyes. "I honestly don't know how to respond to that."

He chuckled and cornered her again, smirking. "Say you'll marry me, of course."

"Haaa...yeah, um...this is gonna hurt me more than it hurts you. But...but..." She reached for the handle just as he was about to kiss her. "But I just can't marry you!" She opened the door, Hooty grabbing him from the back collar. "Hooty, don't let them in next time."

"You got it, Luci!" He muffled before tossing him into the mud. She gave a little playful wave while the music was playing, as Nevareth landed in headfirst. Lucila then tossed his boots out the door to land perfectly behind him.

"And if you're gonna come in uninvited next time, at least take your shoes off!" She called out before slamming the door closed.

"Let's have a tea party next time, okay?!" Hooty called out to them.

Chris glanced back in alarm to see Nevareth in mud, stopping the music. A muddy Slitherbeast popped out, and Nevareth sat up, the animal over his head. And he did not look happy for Lucila's reaction at all. He slid the Slitherbeast off his head. "So, what did she say? I'm sure she said yes in a joyful wa-" Nevareth grabbed him by the neck, standing up in anger.

"I WILL have Lucila for my wife. And I won't stop until I do, for I am Nevareth!" He declared angrily and tossed Chris into the mud. He stomped off, Chris huffing a bit.

"So angsty." The Slitherbeast nodded in agreement, Nevareth stomping away in defeat so he could clean up. The rest of the 'wedding party' and Chris also took their leave. After a few minutes, Lucila opened up the door, peeking outside.

"Are they still here?"

"Nope! But we'll have some fun next time," Hooty told her and she shook her head.

"You know, sometimes I wonder if you need a best friend so that you can have someone else to be weird with."

"I do! Lulu!" He answered and she recoiled back in confusion. She then shook her head as she decided not to question it. "Can't wait to tell her you almost had a hunk for a husband!" He winked at her and she frowned deeply.

"Hooty, shut up," She said in irritation from the annoyance, walking away from him towards the cliff nearby. She needed to cool off, so being near him definitely wouldn't help matters.

"Do you need my help?!" He hollered and she glanced back.

"No! Just...guard the house," Lucila replied in a small huff; she did not need him going too far like one time a few months back. "Unbelievable! Me, marry him?! I don't wanna be a wife to a brainless, selfish-" She let out an angry growl while rubbing a temple. Just the thought of it made her wanna throw up. She couldn't even see it; she had nothing in common with him. Not to mention she'd probably just be a housewife to his ego and not the man himself. He only wanted to marry her because she was apparently the most magical person in town. And yet he couldn't find someone else, it just had to be one of only two humans in town.

She let out a sigh while looking out to the sky. Something in her just wanted more from this. The animosity didn't bother her, but she did want more than being a powerful witch. She wanted someone she could connect with at her own age. She laid down on the grass with a sigh. She wanted...to be understood, like Luz wanted. And being Nevareth's wife was NOT on her wishlist for her life.

Melody suddenly flew in, panicked while chirping. "Melody?" Lucila stood up in alarm. "But what are you doing here? Where's...where's my sister?" She asked in concern; Melody was supposed to stay with Luz until her orientation was over, so she already knew something was wrong. And Luz wouldn't just disappear either like their friends...

Would she?

"W-Where is Luz, Melody? What happened out there?"

Melody chirped a lot of things to her owner that she couldn't get a grip on. Lucila shook her head rapidly. "A scary castle, Slitherbeasts, and a forest? Okay, we have to find Luz. Show me where you last had her," She said as Melody turned into staff form.

They followed Luz's footprints from when Melody flew off...and arrived at the castle. Lucila was wearing a purple witch's cloak, which...was actually a gift from Eda, right before she had disappeared. She shook her head rapidly. No, Luz wasn't gone like the others. She had a feeling about it. After all, only Camila disappeared a few months before Gus, Willow, King, and Eda. Unless...unless it was repeating itself.

She took a deep breath as Melody flew past the bridge and landed in front of the doors. "Is this...the castle Aunt Lilith talked about?" She murmured as she didn't think it would be...uninviting. Melody turned back to normal and chirped excessively, trying to leave. Lucila jumped up and caught her. "Melody, it's okay, calm down. Shh..." She said while rubbing Melody's back gently. The palisman chirped happily as she loved being petted there, and it usually calmed her down. The blue hummingbird palisman chirped softly while nuzzling her owner in slight fear. Lucila smiled and then looked down. She gasped as a piece of Luz's hoodie was on the floor, a bit burnt.

"Luz...!" She whispered while looking up. Either Luz had been here...or was still there.

"Oh, couldn't keep in the excitement, could we?" Darius scolded Raine inside the castle from the throne room. "Just had to invite Luz in to stay, didn't we? Serve her apple blood, sit in Hunter's throne, see all her friends."

"None of us had seen her in months!" Raine argued back to him. "Admit it, you were happy to see her too. If only she had enough time to see Eda."

The doors creaked as Lucila gently pushed them open. "Hello? Is-is anyone here?" She wondered while using a light spell to see better. "Hello? Luz? Luz? Are you here?" She started walking around the halls, but couldn't see anyone, let alone her sister. King looked at her from around a corner and gasped.

He then hopped over to Willow and Eda in the kitchen, who was a feather duster. Both of them were cleaning up. "Willow, Eda! Lucila's in the castle!" He cheered happily to them.

"What?!" The two whipped around in unison.

"There's no way Luci found her way here, King," Willow frowned a little.

"Then how come Luz did?" King pointed out and Eda immediately got in front of him.

"Luz? She came here?!" She asked with happy tears in her eyes. "Wait, you're not trying to trick me, are you?"

"Luci's in the castle!" Raine faintly called out and she looked annoyed that they knew before she did.

"See? Everyone's been talking about it! You didn't know? Why?" King raised a brow and she glanced away awkwardly, staying silent. "...Trying to see if you could drink apple blood again, huh?"

"No! ...Anyway, where is she?!"

"The prince threw her in the dungeon not too long ago," Willow looked away sadly.

"What?! Now he's gone too far!" Eda stormed off and they stared after her in alarm.

"Where are you going?" King called out after her.

"To give that kid a piece of my mind!" She shouted angrily and they winced a bit. Eda was the primary caretaker of Hunter during the war. So hearing that he threw Luz in the dungeon when she arrived was not a smart move on his part...

"You ignorant, irresponsible, wax-eared-" Darius was calling out Raine in another room.

"Luz?" They turned around to Lucila's voice as she was walking right past them.

"Have you forgotten who's here?" Raine gestured to her. They hopped off the table as they peeked around the corner, gasping at her. "She must've found out that Luz wasn't home."

"I know that Luci's here," Darius retorted, crossing his arms. "What I don't know is why aren't you telling her to leave?"

"Don't you get it, Darius? She might be able to help us!"

"What?!" Darius turned to them in alarm, but Raine hopped off.

"She's come to set us free!" They cheered happily while bouncing after Lucila in joy.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Darius chased after them, while Lucila continued looking around.

"Luz?" She whispered as she couldn't tell by the dark, golden hallways if anyone was around. She then heard a few creaks as Darius and Raine moved behind her. "Luz?" She turned around and stepped into the hall that led to the Conformatorium. "Hello? Is anyone there?" She could see a faint glow coming from the hall. "Wait! I'm looking for my sister, I..." As she left, Darius stared after her, looking very concerned. She continued down the hall, coming across lots of cells around her. She froze a little while looking around. "What? I could've sworn I saw someone. Unless my glasses are actually failing me," She took off her glasses to rub her eyes. She then quickly put them back on, walking past Raine. "I-is there someone here?"

"Luci?" A faint voice called out from a few cells down.

"Luz!" Lucila rushed over and grabbed a nearby torch. She bent down as she saw Luz in the cell, the girl rushing up to her rapidly.

"Luci, I'm sorry I didn't go to school! But wait, how'd you know I was here?" Luz looked a bit tired, but other than that, she seemed to be fine. Lucila touched Luz's arms and hands.

"Your hands are cold, I hope you didn't catch the common mold in here," She frowned while getting a hot cloth, putting it on Luz's head. The girl coughed a bit from the dust inside and Lucila looked around for a door knob or lock.

"I've gotta get you out of here," She said and then saw a lever, reaching out to it.

"Luci, no! Get out of here," Luz warned her sister.

"Are you crazy?! No, I'm gonna go to whoever put you in here. Then we'll go to Hexside and explain everything," Lucila tried to assure the girl. Luz rapidly shook her head, and the older witch had never seen her sister so serious ever.

"I can't put you in danger the longer you're here. You have to leave me, go!" Luz tried to wave her away.

"I can't do that to you, hermana!" Before she could pull the lever, a clawed hand grabbed her and turned her around.

"What are you doing here, intruder?!"

"Leave, Luci!" Luz cried out as Lucila dropped the torch down below and it landed in a jug of boiling water. She gasped as she could barely see anything now, looking around.

"Who's there? Who are you?"

"The master of this castle," The shadowy figure answered ominously. He moved to the side, examining her. She still couldn't get a good look on him, but she could see some thorns around his body. She gulped a little, as she had no idea who she was dealing with.

"I came here to free my sister. Luz is a lot of things-"

"Hey," Luz pouted at her.

"But whatever it is she did, please let her go. She might be getting her sickness back, and she's supposed to be in Hexside right now," Lucila pleaded with him, holding Luz's hand in an assuring way.

"Then she shouldn't have come here!" He replied angrily and she was just now noticing the blue glowing eyes.

"But she could die. Please, I-I'll do anything. She has a life," Lucila's eyes saddened a little.

"There's nothing you can do. She's my prisoner," He walked off and her heart sank. She couldn't let Luz stay here, she worked hard to get even considered for Hexside. Not to mention, Luz didn't belong in this cell, she belonged somewhere she could thrive her magic. Not to mention Luz still had to find their friends. Lucila bit her lip as she tried to think of something, anything.

"There must be some way I can..." Then it hit her, the only thing she could do for Luz. And it was going to be hard, but...she trusted her sister. "Wait!" He stopped and looked back at her, and she flinched. She glanced back at the cell again, sure of her decision now. "...Take me instead."

"You?!" Luz and the figure exclaimed at the same time.

"Absolutely you will not!" Luz protested from inside the cell, both of them ignoring her. The figure paused, staring at Lucila.

"...You would...take her place?" He asked slowly, since he had no idea what family was like, because...his uncle wasn't exactly Uncle of the Year.

"Luci, no! You can't do this," Luz pleaded with her sister.

"If you let her go back to Bonesborough, yes," Lucila answered without a doubt.

"...I'll let her go. But in return, you'll stay here forever to serve out her punishment," He growled a little and she faltered. That would mean...she'd never see Luz, Amity, or Lilith again. Or find out what happened to her friends and mother. She blinked and then squinted, wanting to know what he looked like.

"It's kind of hard to promise that when I don't even know who you are," She finally said after a few seconds. Hunter silently took one step forward, revealing green scarred-toes. As he came closer to the light, her eyes widened. He had pointed ears, blue glowing eyes, bags under his eyes, and blond hair. However, he had green horns, part of his face covered in basil-green scars. His hair was messy, as if he hadn't touched it, and his hands were completely basil-green, looking like giant claws. He also had green long-scarred toes peeking out from his torn boots. He was wearing a golden short-sleeved shirt over a dark yellow tunic, a brown belt, and black leggings. Both Lucila and Luz opened their mouths in shock at his appearance.

"I'm Hunter Wittebane, Prince of the Boiling Isles."