Hi! Welcome back to my mindscape! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! :D This one is from Lilith's POV! Hope everyone is having a fantastic day :D

Lilith stood at the edge of the bridge, watching as the children carried Edalyn away. Her heart was heavy with guilt and confusion. She hadn't intended for any of this to happen, she had no knowledge of any plans of Luz's kidnapping or anything of the sort. If that was to transpire, Lilith felt like she would be the first one to know about it since she was the head of the Emperor's Coven. Sighing, she turned and walked purposefully towards the grand entrance of the Emperor's Castle. She couldn't get the sight of Edalyn lying there like that out of her mind. Shaking her head, she approached the doors and they swung open with a creak, the cold, sterile air of the castle washing over her. Coven Scouts nodded respectfully at her as she passed, but she barely noticed them, her mind racing with thoughts and questions about what had occurred. She needed to find answers and fast. She made her way through the winding corridors, her boots echoing off the stone floors. The castle was a labyrinth, designed to be imposing and disorienting to those who were not familiar with its layout. But she knew every twist and turn, having spent years within these walls. Her mind raced as she made her way to the lower levels of the castle. She needed to find any information on Luz's whereabouts without drawing too much attention to herself. The archives were her first stop; if there was any record of unusual activity or orders that involved Luz, it would be there.

The archives were dimly lit and silent, rows upon rows of scrolls and books lining the walls. Lilith moved quickly, scanning through records of recent missions, magical artifacts, and personnel files. She found several references to increased activity in the Illusion Coven but nothing concrete.

Frustrated, she decided to try another approach. She knew that some of the guards and lower-ranking members of the coven were often privy to gossip and rumors. If Luz's disappearance was orchestrated by someone within the castle, word would have spread.

Lilith made her way to the scouts quarters, where she found a group of them playing cards and chatting. She approached them with a calm, authoritative air.

"Gentlemen, I need to ask you a few questions," she said, causing them to look up in surprise.

One of the guards, a man with a pinkish complexion, pointed ears, blue eyes, thick eyebrows, and dark purple hair, also having a short, bone-white horn sticking out of the right side of his forehead, stood up and nodded. "Of course boss. What can we do for you?"

"Have any of you heard anything about a human girl named Luz Noceda?" Lilith asked, watching their reactions closely.

The guards exchanged glances. "Not that I can say." one of them admitted. "We know about her though. Her and the Owl Lady have been a pain for awhile now."

"Anything recent in specific?" Lilith pressed.

The guard shook his head. "Nope. Just usual things of what they are up to in the isles. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering." Lilith asked, trying to not put too much attention towards it.

Lilith thanked them and left, her mind racing. If no gossip had been spread through the castle, what could have happened? She needed to think like her sister, to be as cunning and resourceful as Edalyn would be. As she walked through the castle, she considered her next move. She didn't want to have to do this, but it seemed like she had no other option. She had to go to the Emperor.

After walking for a bit, she finally arrived at the door to the Emperor's study. Taking a deep breath, she knocked firmly.

"Enter," came the cold, authoritative voice from within.

Lilith pushed the door open and stepped inside. Emperor Belos was seated at his desk, surrounded by scrolls and ancient tomes. He looked up, his mask giving him an air of inscrutability.

"Ah, Lilith. To what do I owe this visit?" Belos asked, his tone measured.

"Emperor Belos, I need to speak with you about Luz Noceda," Lilith began, choosing her words carefully. "She has gone missing, and Edalyn believes that someone within the Emperor's Coven may be involved."

Belos tilted his head slightly, feigning interest. "Missing, you say? And why would Edalyn think that our coven is involved?"

"Because of the illusion magic used during her disappearance and the knowledge required to capture her," Lilith replied. "It points to someone with advanced knowledge of magic, someone who might have access to the resources within this castle. As well as the fact that we have been after my sister for a while now."

Belos leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled. "And what do you believe, Lilith?"

Lilith hesitated. "I don't know, my lord. But I intend to find out. Luz is important, not just to Edalyn, but to all of us. She has potential."

Belos nodded slowly. "Very well, Lilith. You have my permission to investigate. But tread carefully. We wouldn't want any... misunderstandings."

Lilith bowed her head slightly. "Thank you, my lord. I will be discreet."

As she turned to leave, Belos spoke again. "And Lilith, do keep me informed of your progress."

"Of course, my lord," she replied, exiting the study.

As Lilith exited the study, she smiled. She knew that the Emperor's Coven couldn't be behind it. If they were, certainly Lord Belos would have told her. However, who was behind it then. If not the Emperor's Coven, who would want to capture the human? Or get back at Edalyn? She needed more information. Sadly Edalyn had not given her much of the story when she came to fight, she just started screaming and throwing spells. Lilith pondered for a moment. She had to go to the Owl House and talk to her sister. She made her way back to her quarters, grabbing her staff as well as some other small things she would need. Leaving the castle, she hopped on her staff and made her way towards the Owl House.

WAHOOOO STEVE CAMEO! Anyways! Sorry this chapter was a bit shorter but don't worry, the next one is going to be a super long one *wink.* Thank you so much for reading this chapter! If you have any ideas of how I can improve this fic, just leave a comment! If you love it so far, leave a Kudos! Next chapter coming soon to a mindscape near you!