"This is the spot where you found me?" Eda asked Luz for clarification, joined by the others in finding the portal that brought the Boiling Isles' inhabitants to the Human Realm.
"I never knew this was here," Camila said as they stopped before the long rundown cabin in the woods.
"Neither did I, until yesterday," Luz admitted. All of them stopped to stare for a moment. The sight of the old thing was giving them all goosebumps.
Luz noticed her mother pull out a little cross necklace from under her shirt. Camila has always told her daughter to keep one on her, believing some higher power would watch after her that way. She did not believe something like that back then. But now, she feels like she should have listened. More so that she now knows demons are real. And something told her that not all of them were as friendly or cute as King.
"I can feel the magic coming off this place," Eda said, extending her hand out. "It's weak, but it's there. The portal is probably inside. Or maybe something like it."
"Todavía no puedo creer que la magia sea real." Luz whispered to herself.
"Are you sure about this, Eda?" King asked, having a bad feeling about the place. Hoot. Owlbert felt the same way.
"Don't worry; we'll be fine." The witchling tried to keep her confidence, took a deep breath, walked ahead of the others and through the doorless opening. Creak. Creak. Creak. Each step she took on the floorboards made that sound. Creak. Creak. Creak.
She stepped right inside what looked like the remnants of a living room. There was a fireplace to the right and an abandoned armchair in the far-left corner. Beyond the living room, there was a staircase leading upstairs to the second level of the house. The place was filled with abandoned items, and the floor was littered with paper.
"Woah, and I thought I owned some weird stuff as a kid," Luz said from behind.
"Eep!" It was so sudden that it made Eda jump. "Don't do that." The witchling pushed at the adult with one hand, blushing from embarrassment.
"Sorry." Luz apologized. "But seriously, this is impressive."
The house was filled with broken toys, knickknacks that looked like they came from foreign lands, and other trinkets. Eda even recognized some items from the Isles; a broken potions vial, a ripped apart spellbook, and snapped training wand. Any suspicions Eda had about a way home being here were confirmed.
Creak. Creak. Creak. The teen and adult continued searching. "I feel like I'm being spied on." Eda looked around, now knowing what it felt like. "Note to self: When I get back home, I'm gonna owe everyone in the boy's locker room an apology." Creak. Creak. Creak. And before she gets back home, she needs to ask Luz for that mangú. She never imagined there could be a human cuisine better than burgers.
Eda and King sat at the kitchen table, chowing down on the reheated leftovers. Neither witchling nor demon thought they would be as hungry as they were — a combination of having gone a day without eating in addition to the stress of their current situation. Luz and Camila watched them dig in.
"I see you're enjoying it," Luz said.
Eda finished chewing and swallowed her mouthful. "This is seriously some of the best stuff I've ever had." She then filled her mouth with more until her cheeks puffed up.
"Hey, Eda, if you don't mind me asking, I know you're a witch from what King told me. But what kind are you?"
Eda looked up from her food at the woman and swallowed another mouthful. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, are you an elemental witch? Or a dark magic witch? Or…"
The redhead figured out what the human was asking. "Oh, you think it's a title, right? Witch is the name of our species. Anyone in the Demon Realm can do magic."
"Really?"
"Yep. Tell me, where do you think magic comes from?"
Luz went with her first guess, applying the same logic for her Good Witch Azura book series. "The heart?"
Eda blinked. "Yeah, you're right."
Luz gasped; she felt like a little kid again at the moment. "Really?"
"Yep." Eda then dug into her hair and pulled out what looked like a sketch of a heart with some sort coming out of it. "All witches and demons draw their magic from the Bile Sac attached to their heart."
"You had that in your hair the whole time?" Camila asked.
"Not the answer I was expecting, but still fascinating," Luz admitted. "And what is your home like? Uh… the Demon Realm, I mean."
"Well, for starters, it's not the place you or the granny were thinking of. So you don't have to worry about that." Eda snickered. "My family have mostly lived our whole lives on an island called the Boiling Isles. The best way I'd describe it is a kid-friendly hellscape that happens to be a giant carcass."
"Lo siento, pero ¿qué fue eso?"
"And from there, every myth you have in this world is caused by a little of mine leaking in."
"L… like what?"
"Oh, y'know. Griffons, vampires, giraffes…"
"Wait, giraffes?" Camila interrupted, wondering if she heard that right.
Luz chuckled. "Okay, you have to be making that one up."
"No, really, the Isles kicked them out ages ago. A bunch of freaks if you ask me."
"Entonces… tal vez no."
Eda kept searching, trying to find the same magical energy she felt outside. Creak. Creak. Creak. "This is weird."
"What is?" Luz asked.
"I know I sensed something in here outside, but it's weaker inside the building than outside. It doesn't make any—" Snap! "AHH!" Eda felt something ensnare her right foot, pulling off the ground and hanging her upside down.
"EDA?!" The human woman saw Eda upturned, flinging her arms and one free leg around, trying to escape. Hoot! Hoot! Owlbert was panicking as well, flapping his wings agitatedly in the air.
"Help! Help!"
"Mija!" Camila shouted as she ran into the house alongside King, the older woman and little demon gasping at the teenager's position.
"What happened?" King asked.
"It looks like a trap was left abandoned here." Luz guessed as she approached the panicking witchling. "Eda, stop moving. You'll just make it tighter." She grabbed the girl's hands. "Calm down. You're gonna be okay. You believe me, right?" Eda took a moment to calm herself, breathing in and out before nodding. "Okay, Eda, I'm gonna help get you down now." Luz reached for Eda's ankle.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm looking for a little thingamabobber." Luz chuckled apologetically. "Sorry, I don't know what it's called." She eventually found it. "Aha. Now, nice and easy." Luz pulled the metal object slowly and caught Eda in her arms before she fell. "There you go."
Eda let out a breath and looked away from Luz, trying to hide some of the tears coming from her. "Thank you."
"No problem." Luz settled her down.
"Are you alright?" King ran up to his sister.
Eda patted his head. "I'm fine little guy, just got scared." Hoot. Hoot. Owlbert was equally worried. "Don't worry, I'm good."
Camila approached them. "Is she alright, Luz?" She asked her daughter.
"The wire didn't cut her skin," Luz assured as she stood up. "I think we should head back to the house. It's gonna get dark soon."
"But we still haven't found what we were looking for." King protested.
"I know, but we need to search the area for more traps. We don't want this happening again."
The little demon let out a sigh. "I guess you're right."
Luz gave him a warm smile. "Besides, there's a warm bed back home with your names on it."
King's pupils dilated. "Really?"
"Hold on." Eda began, looking at Luz as if she was expecting a catch of some sort. "Why would you let us stay at your place?"
The human woman looked confused at the question. "Why not?"
"Call me a cynic, but no one does anything this nice without expecting something back." She speaks from experience, as many students who have tried to befriend her or Lily pretended to be nice to them just to improve their status on the Isles.
"I don't have any ulterior motives. I just think you both deserve a place to stay for a couple of nights; until we can figure all of… whatever this is… out."
"I agree," King said, pawing at Eda's leg. "She can also make us more food like that… uh..." The little demon paused and looked over at Luz. "What was that stuff you made for us called again?"
"Mangú," Luz answered.
"Yes, that." King looked back at Eda. "And I think it would be better than just hanging around this place and possibly eating roadkill or something." Hoot. Owlbert agreed with him.
"Since when do you always take his side?" Eda questioned her palisman, with her hands on her hips. Owlbert folded his wings and gave her a disappointed look. Hoot. Hoot. Hoot. Eda looked down at the ground, feeling ashamed. "Okay, fair enough. I won't worry either of you like that again. I promise."
"We can also use this to figure out what exactly you've been cursed with," King added. "That way, we can find a cure before or when we get back home."
Eda looked at her brother. "You're right. And if I ever find out who cursed me, it'll be the last mistake they've ever made."
"Do you have any suspects?" Luz asked curiously.
"I could list off all the people who have it out for me, but if I did, we'd be here 'til morning."
"I say we return to the house before doing anything else," Camila suggested.
"Alright." Luz agreed before turning to Eda. "Mamá and I will get the guest bedroom set up for you and King. And I think I have a birdcage for Owlbert if he wants it. Funny story about that, it was a gift mailed to me by a fan who thought I owed a bird for some reason." Luz rambled on as her mother, Eda, King, and Owlbert traveled beside her and left the cabin behind. They walked through the woods down the same path they took to return to the kind human's home.
But home, for Eda, felt wrong to think about… Eda tried hiding it from the others, but she had a look on her face as if she had just bit into something bitter tasting. More of her memories came back… horrible memories… That girl's a freak! Get out of here, monster! Get out of here! Get lost! Someone kill that damned thing! Freak! Monster! Hellspawn! If Eda finds a way back to the Isles, will they even feel like her home anymore? Will her family and friends even take her back or notice she is gone? What do the Isles call her now behind her back? The Cursed Child? The Lost Owlet? Maybe something harsher?
"Ah, hogar dulce hogar." Luz said.
"Hm?" Eda was so deep in her thoughts that she did not even realize they were back at Luz's house. It was a lovely home. Nothing like Blight Manor, but nice, nonetheless. But something bothered her about the place, though. And it had to do with the carving of a barn owl's face on the door.
"What's the matter?" Camila asked the girl, then noticed what she was staring at. "Oh, that thing. As far as Luz and I know, it came with the house when she bought it."
"I find it charming," Luz replied. "In a darkly humorous kind of way."
"I just wanna test something really quick," Eda said as she walked up to the door.
"What is it?"
Eda extended her finger out and drew a spell circle in front of the carving. The energy was then absorbed into the door. The pair of x's on the owl's face then transformed into beady eyes. "I live! Hoot! Hoot!" The door suddenly exclaimed in an ear-piercing voice, making everyone jump back with screams. The talking face then extended out like a tubular worm. "I've been asleep for so long! I had so many good dreams! Like dreaming about being awake again! And it came true! Hoot! Hoot!"
"What the…'' Luz's mouth was left agape at what had just happened. "Yo... yo... yo... tú... cómo... yo... tú... What did you do to my door?"
"Just wanted to prove what I suspected. But I didn't think it would work." Eda replied. "You've got yourself a house demon here, one that's been docile for who knows how long."
The strange bird tube then wrapped around Eda tightly, as if giving her a strange hug. "Thank you for waking me up! Hoot! Hoot!" The house demon released her, allowing the witchling to catch her breath and slithering over to Luz, getting uncomfortably close to her face. "I'm Hooty! It's so nice to meet my owner finally! Hoot! Hoot!"
"Um… Nice to meet you too… Hooty." Luz replied, still unsure what to make of all this. "I'm… Luz."
"I know! Hoot! Hoot!"
"Wait, how do you know who I am? Or that I'm your owner?"
"I could hear everything while I was asleep. I know you like… well, I would say the back of my hands, but I don't have any! Pretty creepy, huh?! Hoot! Hoot!"
"I don't think my heart can take any more craziness today," Camila admitted.
"Oh, that doesn't sound good! You better come inside and get some rest! Hoot! Hoot!" The door opened on its own.
"I have so many questions right now," King said.
"Me too," Eda replied, letting out a yawn. "But they can wait 'til morning." She entered the house first with Owlbert on her shoulder, followed by Luz helping Camila inside.
King was the last to enter, keeping his eyes on Hooty. "Uh… Goodnight, Hooty." He told the house demon.
"Goodnight! Hoot! Hoot!" Hooty wished the residence. Wumpth! Then closed the door. "I'll be out here! Defending the place! And watching the stars! Hoot! Hoot!" Bzzz. An innocent little fly then buzzed within the house's vicinity, and the demon let out an excited gasp. "Oh my gosh! A new friend! I'm Hooty! What's your name? I can tell we're all gonna be best friends! Hoot! Hoot!"
And this is how I introduce Hooty into the story. Speaking of introductions, I mentioned how Vida and Mateo would play bigger roles after Eda woke up. I planned to introduce them properly in this chapter but decided to save it for the next one. Stay tuned for that. Please favorite, follow and leave a review; feedback is appreciated.