"We all have monsters. And sometimes, we have to let them out to play."

Seanan McGuire

I do not own 'The Owl House.'


Chapter 5

Past Demons


A chocolate and caramel latte made with a double espresso, topped with vanilla cream and blackberry syrup for that extra sweetness that came as a welcome surprise to the taster.

Otherwise known as a nightingale, a specialty beverage served at the Robin's Roast Cafe in Gravesfield, popular for its high caffeine level and keeping you up with the rest of the night owls.

Luz stepped out of the cafe with one such drink in her hand. Her personal favorite, she got one almost every time she came to Gravesfield. She loved the amount of energy it gave her. The drink almost seemed to force a smile on her face, whether she wanted it or not, and she appreciated the drink all the more for that.

In no big hurry, Luz took a drink from her latte and casually looked around. She didn't bother putting up her hood or wearing a mask when she came to the Human Realm. Why would she? She blended in better in the Human Realm than she ever did on the Boiling Isles. She was a human, walking among other humans. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

Luz enjoyed it. No one gawking at her ears, no one talking down to her for not being able to use magic like everyone else. The authorities here didn't care about the fact that she had been raised by a criminal (although they might've cared if they knew). In Gravesfield, Luz was just a normal girl, standing outside a cafe, drinking a really good latte.

But at the same time, Luz wasn't entirely comfortable with the normal experience of the Human Realm. A part of her enjoyed how unique she was among the witches of the Boiling Isles. Especially now that she could use magic with the glyphs she had discovered. Her own sort of act of rebellion in the face of Wiccan society and all that was deemed both possible and impossible. And it's not like she ever felt 'at home' here in Gravesfield. It was strange for her to think of these humans walking past her as 'her people.' Sure, she was from this place. Maybe her parents had been too.

The blood in her veins might have been human, but she would always have the heart of a witch. A heart that would always belong to the Boiling Isles.

A couple and their kid happened to walk down the street in front of the cafe. Luz watched as the young girl held her dad's hand while her other hand held the popsicle she was licking. The little girl looked like she was only five, and when she offered the rest of her popsicle to her mother, the mom chuckled and ruffled her daughter's hair, politely declining her offer.

Luz watched as the family walked away down the street, keeping her eyes on them longer than she should have. The kid looked so happy. And why shouldn't she? She had a mom and a dad. No little brother to keep an eye on. Heck, she even had a popsicle.

As mundane as it might've been…that kid's life was probably a happy one.

Luz took a deep breath. She hoisted her backpack full of stuff for the stand over her shoulder and began down the street. She was suddenly in even less of a hurry to return home than before. And so, Luz simply began to roam. Wandering through town, with no set destination in mind. She happened to pass by a statue of two guys, but didn't even give it a brief glance.

Eventually, Luz arrived at some Victorian-style, two-story building with brown walls and a black, domed roof with two chimneys on each side. The town's logo decorated the building above the entrance. A sigil of a golden eagle, wings at either side, letting out an upward cry, placed in a golden column arc.

"Gravesfield Historical Society," Luz said, reading the sign outside aloud. "Oh, okay. The museum."

Luz decided for no particular reason to head inside. Tiled floor and gray walls, it was what you would expect from a museum, even if it was just the museum's front office. The front desk was small, and the receptionist looked to be in high school. Just some bored-looking kid with somewhat tan skin and black, pixie-cut hair. The receptionist wore a green t-shirt with 'G.H.S.' written on the front and 'STAFF' written below that, decorated with a gold ribbon graphic.

Luz walked up to the desk. The receptionist's dark brown eyes looked up at Luz. A black choker, a black skirt with looped accents on the bottom, a pair of black boots, and gray-blue stockings also decorated the teen receptionist's person in addition to the work shirt.

"Hey, what's up? How can I help you?" the receptionist asked.

"Uh, well, Miss…" Luz read the name on the desk plate. "Myers. I–"

"Up, up, up, ah-ah," the receptionist said with a finger wag. "Don't call me Miss. I ain't a Miss." The museum worker's hand turned around, showing off the pattern that the painted nails made.

Luz recognized the yellow, white, purple, and black design on the receptionist's nails. "Oh, I see. My bad."

"You're cool," the receptionist smiled, showing off the gap in their teeth. "Call me Masha. If you're here with any questions, or complaints for that matter, about Mr. Hopkin's research on witchcraft, I'm afraid he's out today. I wouldn't bother sticking around and waiting for him, he might get arrested before you can talk to him."

"Actually, Masha, I'm just sort of killing time and avoiding having to deal with my feelings, I guess," said Luz.

"Romantic feelings, or inner turmoil and trauma?" Masha asked.

"Uh…the second one sounds right," Luz admitted. She set her backpack full of stuff down. "So, since I'm here, maybe I could…I don't know, learn history or something, as boring as that might sound."

"This town's history is actually more interesting than you think," said Masha. "Mystery shrouds this town like London fog. Gravesfield got its name from having the largest graveyard in the Colonies at the time. A whole bunch of weird stuff is said to happen in this town."

"Yeah, like what?" Luz asked. "If you really wanna impress me, you're gonna have to do better than possessed rats eating out of the dumpster behind the Robin's Roast Cafe."

"Oh, yeah?" Masha raised an eyebrow in challenge. "Have you ever heard the story of the missing Noceda baby?" Masha asked.

Luz's eyes instantly went wide. "The what?"

"The Noceda baby," Masha repeated. "A true story, and a real tragic one at that. It happened about fourteen, fifteen years ago. The Nocedas were new in town, a really nice couple. But one day, they got caught in an explosion of some kind. Here's the weird part: it happened out in the woods and the authorities still have no idea what caused the explosion. They were just walking through the forest one day, near that old abandoned house I think, when out of nowhere, boom. And here's the even weirder and sadder part: their baby, little Luz Noceda, disappeared that day. No one knows what happened to her, it's like the baby just straight-up vanished into thin air when the explosion took out her parents. There were search parties, there were forensics, but they came up empty every time."

Masha began to speak with a spooky tone for dramatic effect. "Some say, on dark, cold, windy nights, you can hear the Noceda baby crying out for her parents, sobbing loudly for somebody, anybody, to find her, and bring her home."

"I'm fairly certain that the Noceda baby doesn't really do that." She attempted to sound confident, but her voice was an octave higher than it had been a moment ago. "...Noceda, you said?"

"Yeah, Noceda. They were a Hispanic couple." Masha tilted their head at Luz. "You okay there?"

"I'm fine." Luz squeaked.

Masha chuckled. "It's a spooky story, I know. One of the two best stories of mysterious disappearance this town has."

"How many stories of mysterious disappearances does this town have?" Luz asked.

"Disturbingly more than you'd think," said Masha.

"Okay, then, what's the other one of two best stories of mysterious disappearance this town has?" Luz asked next.

Masha grinned. "You know that statue of those two guys? The one by the Panera Bread?"

"Oh, yeah. I must've passed by that statue a dozen times," Luz said. "Is it a statue of the town founders or something?"

"Oh, you're gonna love this. This town has a lot of weird stories and legends, but this one's my favorite." Looking excited, Masha folded their arms over the table.

"Have you ever heard the tale of the Wittebane Brothers?"

Luz shook her head.

"I normally save this for the Halloween hayrides, but, what the hell, I love this story," said Masha. "So as you might already know, back in the 17th century, during the early years of the American Colonies, this town was killing people accused of witchcraft left and right. Hanging them. Sometimes drowning them. In some rarer cases, they even stoned them to death or, even worse, burned them at the stake flippin' medieval style. Salem ain't got shit on this town."

Masha steepled their fingers. "One day, appearing almost out of nowhere, like two ghosts emerging from purgatory, a pair of orphan boys came walkin' into town. Caleb Wittebane, and his little brother, Philip."

"Orphans?" Luz asked.

"That's right. The Gravesfield records don't say anything about where they were from or what happened to them. Apparently, the two brothers refused to say anything about their past, and what few surviving documents from the colonial era that still exist don't even mention the name Wittebane. As far as history is concerned, prior to arriving in Gravesfield, the Wittebane boys didn't exist."

"Well, what happened to them once they came to Gravesfield?" Luz asked. "Did they get adopted or something?"

"Not exactly. Back then, this town wasn't too trusting of outsiders, and they were wary of the two boys at first," Masha went on. "But Caleb was just a kid, looking to put a roof over his baby bro's head. So the town let them into their community. Even gave Caleb and Philip a house to live in, where Caleb sort of became a single parent to his little brother. He even got a job in town as a carpenter. In exchange, the Brothers Wittebane joined the Witch Hunters of Gravesfield."

"Did they," Luz leaned in. "...Ever meet a real witch?"

"That's where it gets really interesting," said Masha. "Now stay with me here. According to surviving diary entries, Caleb Wittebane is described as a 'handsome gentleman' numerous times. And his unknown background gave him a sort of mystique that only made him more attractive."

"Were chicks seriously that lame back then? Luz asked.

"Honestly, not a lot has changed," said Masha. "Anyway, the girls of Gravesfield all really liked Caleb. And he was a talented carpenter and woodworker, who knew how to read and write and stuff. The girls' fathers were all trying to get Caleb to marry one of their daughters. Even the Witch Hunter General at the time tried to marry his daughter off to Caleb."

"Must have been having the time of his life," said Luz.

"Actually, Caleb Wittebane is also described as kinda gloomy and…somewhat of a downer," Masha said. "Nice enough guy, but he didn't smile very often, and he was quiet and reserved most of the time. It didn't seem like he was all that interested in finding a wife. Today's historians believe that Caleb didn't really care much for Gravesfield, and he didn't take being a Witch Hunter seriously either, only participating in hunts, searches, and witnessing punishments as required by the law. Most historians agree that Caleb didn't even believe in witches. He only joined the Witch Hunters in order to provide for his brother."

Masha smiled excitedly, as if happy to get the more boring stuff out of the way and move on to the juicy stuff. "But then one day…a witch came to town. And this one was the real deal, talented in all kinds of sorcery. She started stealing from the townsfolk and pulling mean pranks on everyone. She was a real menace. They say she could move in a dozen different places at once. The animals and even the plant life obeyed her every command, and she could summon fire from her hands and summon demons out of thin air."

"She sounds awesome," Luz commented.

"I know, right?" Masha held up a finger. "And get this: According to the stories, the witch, Evelyn, as she's called in the old Witch Hunter records, eventually took an 'interest' in the handsome and hardworking Caleb Wittebane. And Caleb returned her affection…by helping the Witch Hunters track her down through the woods."

"Seriously?" Luz asked. "What a dick."

"She got away, don't worry," said Masha. "The other Witch Hunters found Caleb lying on the forest floor. He was still breathing, but there was smoke coming off of his chest. The Witch Evelyn must have fireballed Caleb in the chest or something and made a run for it. She was injured, and the Witch Hunters followed the blood trail. But they lost her."

"And then what happened?" Luz asked.

Masha shrugged. "Couple days went by, totally peaceful and calm. People were starting to believe that the Witch Hunters had run Witch Evelyn off back to Hell, and they were on the verge of rejoicing. But then, dun, dun, dun, little Philip Wittebane came running to the Witch Hunter General, yelling and shouting in panic that the witch had taken his brother back to Hell with her."

"Oh, snap," said Luz. "She got her revenge, huh?"

"So it would seem," Masha agreed. "Some say that once the witch had Caleb in Hell, she subjected him to every kind of torment imaginable until he finally expired. Others say the witch gave Caleb over to the Devil to be his eternal servant to pay off a debt." Masha smirked. "And some say, finding herself still infatuated with Caleb, she made him her inamorato against his will. Forced him to do all kinds of sick and perverted things to satisfy her lust, and even loaned him over to every vampire and succubus in Hell who was willing to pay her for some time with her boytoy."

Luz grimaced. "Uh, that last one sounds unnecessarily…eh, vulgar."

"I actually wrote a pretty steamy fanfiction based on that last one," said Masha. "I wouldn't recommend reading it though. I'm not gonna lie, it is very detailed and graphic. I was honestly just trying to challenge myself when I wrote it and am genuinely startled at how it turned out."

"Wait, with Caleb gone, what happened to his little brother?" Luz asked. "Little Phil?"

"Weeks went by, and Philip was becoming more and more alienated from the rest of the town," Masha said. "He was depressed. Losing his big brother, man, it must have hit pretty hard for the poor guy. The only family he had left. Just, gone one day. And then, after about a month had passed…Philip disappeared too. They say he knew where to find the entrance to Hell that the witch had used, and went to go save his brother from her. Regardless of whether or not that's true, neither of the Wittebane brothers were ever seen again."

"Ah, geez." Luz looked to the side thoughtfully. "...I wonder though… Back then…the Demon Realm would probably be referred to as Hell, what with all the demons and monsters and stuff. And things are always leaking through the cracks between our two worlds. Heck, the witches of the Skull Tribe even banished the Giraffes to this world, though no one knows exactly how they did it."

Masha blinked and stared at Luz in confusion. "...I'm sorry, am I missing something?"

"More than you can imagine." Luz picked her backpack back up. "Thanks for the stories, Masha." Luz headed for the door. "I'll look up that fanfic you wrote one of these days."

"Please don't. It is very…lemony," Masha warned as Luz exited the building. "But at the same time, I am kinda proud of it!" they called after her. "So…you know what, yeah! Go for it!"


Luz walked out of the portal door and into the living room of the Owl House. She set her backpack full of sellables down on the coffee table and looked around.

"Mom?" she called out. "King? Anybody?"

Luz then heard someone knocking on the basement door. Curious, she walked over and opened the door, revealing King.

"King?" Luz asked. "What are you doing in the basement?"

"The door closed when I went down there to find Francois," King explained.

"But it wasn't even locked."

"I'm too short to reach the handle!" King said, stomping his foot on the floor.

"Awwwww, my tiny little King cutie." Luz picked King up and gave him a kiss on his forehead. "Too short to reach door handles and too short to reach the chips on the top shelf, huh?"

"Stop rubbing it in!"

Luz laughed as she carried King into the living. "Where's Mom?"

"Hiding upstairs," said King.

"From what?" Luz set King down on the floor. "Coven Scouts? Ex-boyfriend? Charity group?"

"Even better!" King exclaimed.

There was a knock on the front door. "Hello?!" a voice called from outside. "Edalyn?! Are you home?! Hooty said you were home! And hiding upstairs! Because you didn't want to see me! And that you have a bit of a drinking problem! And that you steal! All the time! From a lot of people! We have a lot to talk about, young lady!"

Luz's eyes widened excitedly. She ran to the door and swung it open, revealing the elderly woman standing on the other side. She had pale skin and violet lipstick, eyes as green as peridot, and a dimpled, round face decorated with crescent eyeglasses and a pair of rectangular, gold earrings. Her large, neck-length hair was light gray, with two shocks of white on either side of her head, and her pointed ears flanked her hair. She had a thick, well-toned body for an old lady, and wasn't much taller than Luz. Her dark violet, short-sleeved dress went down to her ankles and sported white fur trims and a broad white fur collar.

"Grandma!" Luz rushed up and embraced the old woman.

Gwendolyn Clawthorne laughed warmly as she ruffled Luz's hair with one hand, her other hand held her tall, hooked staff of dark wood. Her hawk palisman, the ever-loyal Hawksley, sat atop the staff.

"Hello there, little sparrow," Gwendolyn greeted. "My goodness, how you've sprouted."

Gwendolyn let go of Luz just in time for King to leap into her arms. "Hi, Grandma Gwen!"

"King, my little tyrant of the house." Gwendolyn kissed him on his skull head. "I think you might've gotten even shorter."

"Wait, what?!" In a panic, King examined his limbs. "Luz, be honest, does it look like I'm getting shorter?!"

"Oh, I think she might be right," said Luz. "You kinda look like you've shrunk an inch or two."

"Weh!" King leapt out of Gwendolyn's arms and raced on all fours to the kitchen. "Where's the milk?!"

Gwendolyn and Luz shared a laugh. "Adorable little thing," said Gwen.

"Come on in, Grandma." Luz walked back into the house and Gwendolyn followed.

"So, is your mom upstairs?" Gwendolyn asked.

Hooty stretched his body through the window into the house. "Yup. She's buried in there like a tick, hoot hoot. I love ticks! They're not as filling as flies, but they have a really nice crunch, hoot hoot!"

Gwendolyn patted Hooty's head. "I'll take your word for it."

"It's the same routine every year when you visit, you know that, Grandma," Luz said. "I'm not even sure why she keeps trying to avoid you. Every single time you come over, Mom just tries to shoo you out of the house as if you were a snaggleback. What do you two keep arguing about anyway?"

"So she still hasn't talked to you about that, huh?" Gwen said.

"About what?" Luz asked.

"I…don't think it's my place to tell." Gwendolyn sighed regretfully. "I'll go talk to Eda. We'll see what happens this time."

"Before you go and argue with Mom, and before she shoos you out of the house, can I ask you something?" Luz asked. "You're really old and knowledgeable, right, Grandma?"

"I'm knowledgeable, yes."

"Have you ever heard of a human who was brought to the Boiling Isles other than me?" Luz asked.

Gwendolyn tapped her chin and looked thoughtfully to the side. "...I'll…get back to you on that." She made her way upstairs. "Hold on to that thought."

King rushed into the living room. "We're out of milk!"

Gwen walked up the stairs and headed to Eda's room. She knocked on the door of her daughter's bedroom, feeling somewhat nostalgic from doing so.

"Eda, sweetheart?" Gwendolyn asked. "Let me in, please. Come now, little witchlet, we need to talk."

"Sorry, no one here by that name," Gwendolyn heard from the other side of the door. "Try again next week."

Gwendolyn rolled her eyes. "Open up, Edalyn. You know I won't leave until you do."

A moment later, the door opened, revealing an aggravated Owl Lady.

"Mom, hey, how's it going?" Eda asked. "You look great. How's Dad? Well, see you next year." Eda closed the door.

"Ah-ah-ah, not so fast, young lady." Gwen wedged the door open with her staff.

Eda let out a miserable groan. She relented and let Gwendolyn in. Eda closed the door as her mother looked around her bedroom.

"Surprisingly well-kept," Gwen said. "You know, I think this place used to be a storage barn back in the day. The old tower has been around since the Deadwardian Era. You know, your father was happy to hear that you had fixed up the old place. This property still legally belongs to the Clawthornes, and he always wanted to put this place to use somehow, but he never had a good enough reason to."

"What is it this time, Mom?" Eda asked tiredly. "What's the new potion, or lotion, or incantation?"

Gwendolyn walked over to the small, wooden crate sitting on the floor. Using her staff, she lifted the lid and peered at the remaining bottles of golden elixir inside.

"...Luz still doesn't know, does she?" Gwen asked. "King neither."

"And I intend to keep it that way," Eda said with a bit of an edge to her voice.

"Edalyn. I know what happened to you was scary. It scared your father and me as well," Gwen said softly. "But look at the impact it's had on your relationships. You never want to talk to me, you haven't spoken to your father since you ran away. When's the last time you even spoke to Lily?"

"Last week, actually. She gave me a call," Eda answered. "She wants me to turn myself in so she can look good in front of her boss."

Gwen sighed. "It's not just your family. What about your dating life?"

"Oh, fucking Titan, here we go again," Eda grumbled.

"Don't you talk to your mother that way," Gwendolyn scolded. "I'm serious, when's the last time you were in a healthy and promising relationship–you know, I actually really liked Raine, your father and I both did."

"Oh, enough already," Eda complained. "Is there a point to this?"

"How much longer do you think you can keep this a secret from the kids?" Gwen asked. "Edalyn, if you're not careful, it'll–"

"If I'm not careful?" Eda demanded. "All I've ever been is careful with this. Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep it a secret from the kids? The elixirs, the late nights out in the woods,"

"The lies," said Gwendolyn. "Don't forget the lies."

"I'm a parent, we're allowed to lie to our kids," said Eda. "Mom, listen. The last thing those two need, especially Luz, is to see me as…" She looked to the side. "...as a monster."

"They won't, witchlet," Gwen said gently. "And you should tell them the truth."

"Mom. I have this handled. I have this all handled," Eda said. "I know you're trying to help, but believe me, there's nothing you can do to help me. Don't you think I've already tried every possibility with this?"

"I have a good feeling about this one, though." Gwen reached into her hair and pulled out a tall glass bottle of potion. The liquid inside looked like watered-down quicksilver.

"Did Master Wortlop recommend this one?" Eda mocked.

"No, Master Wortlop did not recommend this one," Gwen said pointedly. "I'll have you know, I quit going to him, or them, rather, for guidance."

"Good to know you finally saw it for the scam that it was."

"Furthermore, I saw to it that their scamming days are over." Gwendolyn held the bottle up to Eda. "But this is different, Edalyn. I got the recipe for this elixir from Head Witch Vitimir himself."

"Woah, hold on." Eda immediately took a step back. "You went to the Emperor's Coven for this?"

"No, I went to the Potion's Coven for this," said Gwen.

"You did business with Head Witch Vitimir, a foul-mouthed, disgustingly arrogant and greedy demon," Eda said. "And, like all of the Head Witches, he answers to the Emperor. Who, need I remind you, has placed the highest bounty in history on my head."

"He's a businessman, he knows the craft of potion brewing better than anyone, and his greed can be counted on," said Gwen.

"That potion is probably some kind of mind-control or poison or something," Eda said.

"Lilith is his superior, whether he likes it or not. Vitimir won't cross the Clawthornes, he doesn't have the spine," Gwen argued.

"You clearly have way more faith in Lilith than I do, Mom," said Eda. "And even if you got Lilith to breathe down Vitimir's neck while he was brewing that stuff, there's no way it was free of charge."

"It cost a lot of our savings, not to mention a tad bit of hardballing, but I convinced him to brew a potion for your condition," Gwen said.

"How much did it cost you?" Eda demanded. "Mom, you have to stop doing this. It won't work. Nothing you do will work. Believe me, I wish it were otherwise, but I have come to terms with the hopelessness of the situation. You should too."

"Edalyn." Gwendolyn met her daughter's gaze with a steely one of her own. "I made a vow, as your mother, to save you from this. I have practically dedicated my life to that promise I made, the day you ran away from home."

Gwen offered Eda the elixir again. "So, please. Please trust me, and the work and the effort I have put into finding a cure."

Eda stared down at the bottle of potion.

"Just drink this, and I'll get out of your hair," said Gwendolyn. "Which by the way, could really use a trim, dear."

Eda let out a deep sigh. Silently, she took the bottle from Gwen, who smiled eagerly when she did.

"This better not kill me," Eda said.

"No, of course not," said Gwen. "Ah, but, according to Vitimir, the sensation will be like puking up all of your organs."

Eda popped the cork. When she did, her eyes nearly bulged out of her skull.

"Oh, Titan fucking dammit!" she exclaimed in a strained voice. "The smell alone is enough to make me wanna do that!"

"It's all about expulsion, dear," Gwen said.

Eda shuddered in disgust. "I swear, this is the last time I am accepting any kind of medication from you," she said. "You so much as offer me a band-aid, and I'm letting Hooty eat it."

Gwendolyn glanced at the bottle of elixir impatiently.

"Yeah, yeah, just…let me work up the nerve." Eda took a really deep breath. She held her nose and brought the bottle to her lips, lifting it up and chugging down the contents and fighting the urge to gag and cry as she did.

It felt like a painful eternity before the bottle finally emptied. Once it was, Eda tossed the bottle aside and gasped for breath.

"Did Vitimir filter the potion through his gym socks or something?!" Eda complained.

"How do you feel?" Gwen asked.

"Like I just drank rat worm piss, that's how I feel." Eda stuck her tongue out. "Luz mixed some pretty bad brews when she first started, but my Titan. I gotta wash this down with some apple blood."

"Maybe you shouldn't drink anything that might interfere with the elixir's effects," Gwen suggested.

"Hey, I drank this disgusting concoction, I did what you wanted, now I'm gonna drink the taste out of my mouth." Eda turned to the door.

Then she froze. Her eyes widened, and then rolled back in her head.

"Eda?!" Gwen hurried up to Eda's side.

Her panic only increased as Eda began to shake. Her whole body developed a violent tremble.

"Eda!" Gwen grabbed Eda's arm and attempted to stop her shaking.

Then she stopped, and passed out into her mother's arms.

"Eda?" Gwendolyn asked.

Edalyn remained unresponsive, slumped in the arms of her mother.

Gwendolyn picked Eda up in her arms with a strength you wouldn't expect from an old lady like her, and carried her to the large nest Eda called her bed. She set Eda down, laying her head gently down on the edge of the nest.

"You should really have a blanket or a quilt or something." Gwen kissed Eda's forehead. "...Get well, my little witchlet."

Gwendolyn turned around to leave, but then looked over at the crate of elixir Edalyn kept in her bedroom. She gave it a little thought before walking over and picking up the crate of elixirs.

"Best she doesn't take this stuff and try to suppress what needs to be expelled," Gwen decided before carrying the crate out of Eda's room.


Luz and King were sitting on the couch when Gwendolyn came back down. They hopped off the couch when Gwen walked into the living room.

"Do you have to leave already?" King asked.

"Actually, I think I'll stick around for a little bit." Gwen walked over and set the crate of elixir down on the coffee table before sitting down on the couch. "Eda is asleep right now. I'll stay until she wakes up and kicks me out, I suppose."

"Alright!" King leapt up back on the couch next to Grandma Gwen. Hawksley came to life and flew up onto the rafters. Owlbert flew from his nest and perched next to Hawksley. The two palismans greeted each other, happy to see one another again. Gwen set her staff down on the table next to the crate.

"Why did you bring Mom's potions down here?" Luz asked, pointing at the crate.

King crawled onto Gwen's lap and laid down comfortably, enjoying the feel of her hands giving him a back rub. "You…know what that stuff is for?" Gwen asked.

"She told me she takes this stuff to, and I'm quoting her directly here, 'keep her feeling young'," said Luz.

Gwen laughed. "Is that what she told you?"

"What is it really for, then?" Luz asked, sitting down on the couch next to Gwendolyn opposite from King.

"Edalyn has an…ailment, of sorts," Gwen confessed. "She drinks these in order to fight against it, but I've been looking for a permanent cure for decades now. Your mom doesn't believe there is one, but I have held onto hope for this long, and I will continue to do so."

"An ailment?" Luz asked. "Uh…you…you mean, like…" she coughed into her fist in embarrassment. "Something she…got while she was on a date?"

"Oh, no no no, nothing like that! I promise," said Gwen. "Long story short, she's had it since she was about your age, and the poor girl's been dealing with it ever since."

"Grandma, I've always wanted to ask you: what was Mom like when she was my age?" Luz asked. "She doesn't like to talk about her past very much."

"Believe it or not, she was a lot like you back then," said Gwendolyn. "Always full of surprises. A dauntless and daring young girl. You, however, are a lot more…let's say virtuous, than Eda. You wouldn't believe how many times I got a call from the principal back when she was still in school. I had to practically plead for Eda not to be expelled. Thank the Titan she met Raine, they really managed to calm that wild child down…eh, somewhat."

"Who's Raine?" Luz asked.

"Of course she wouldn't tell you," said Gwen. "Truth be told, Raine might've been the best thing to ever happen to Eda." She smiled and wrapped an arm around Luz while giving King's forehead a kiss. "Aside from you two, of course."

"And me! Don't forget me! You can't forget me!" Hooty stretched his body up to Gwen and pressed his face against hers. "I'm a blessing! Everyone knows it! Hoot hoot!"

"Of course, Hooty, of course." Gwendolyn patted the side of Hooty's head. "Keeping everyone safe, you loyal house demon."

"Grandma…how do you feel about…Mom's whole 'most wanted' thing?" Luz asked. "Do you think she should…you know, join a Coven?"

"As a concerned mother, I never agreed with Edalyn's choice to refuse to join a Coven." Gwendolyn shook her head sourly. "Silas, that damn old buzzard. He's the reason Edalyn never joined a Coven, she always admired her stubborn grandfather. I love Edalyn's free spirit, I always have. But I never would've imagined her notoriety would ever become so high."

"Joining a Coven would put a permanent limit on the magic she can perform." Luz looked down at the Beast Keeping sigil brand on Gwen's wrist. "Mom would never sell out like that."

"That's why she wanted to join the Emperor's Coven when she was a child," said Gwen. "So she could continue to study all forms of magic."

"Woah. What?!" Luz exclaimed. "Mom wanted to join the Emperor's Coven?"

"She might've been a willful troublemaker and a Hexside menace, but she was one of the top students in her class," Gwen said. "Edalyn had big dreams of becoming the most powerful and respected witch of the Boiling Isles. That's why she and Lilith both wanted to join the Emperor's Coven."

"Who's Lilith?" Luz asked.

Gwendolyn blinked her eyes and frowned. "Who's Lilith? You can't be serious, dear," she said, sounding quite dumbfounded. "Has Edalyn truly been that unforthcoming with you kids? Not telling you about Raine is one thing, but you really don't know about your own–"

From upstairs, they all heard a sound between a roar and a screech.

It was the most terrifying sound Luz had ever heard. Like the screech of a banshee queen. Nobody moved. Nobody was brave enough to so much as breathe as they sat there with looks of pure fear on their faces. Even Hooty slowly moved his head under Gwendolyn's arm, shivering as he attempted to hide from view.

"...What…was…that?" Luz asked in a quiet whisper.

"I really don't want to find out," King whispered back. "Maybe if we close our eyes and bury our heads in the couch cushions, it'll go away. Either way, that's what I'm doing." And then he did just that.

"Oh, no," Gwen whispered. She looked scared as well, but in a more haunted way, as if she knew the sound of that screech.

Then they all heard the loud crash of breaking wood and shattering glass. Something…big, sounded like it landed on the front lawn. Luz has just enough time to look through the window and see a gray blur vanish into the woods.

Luz gasped. "Mom!" She leapt out of the couch and rushed upstairs. "I think that sound came from her bedroom!"

"Luz, wait!" Gwendolyn quickly got up and went after her, King following close behind.

Luz burst into Eda's room. Her eyes widened in horror at what she saw. There were large claw marks on the floor, and the circular window in Eda's room had been busted out.

"MOM!" Luz ran up to the hole where the window had been and looked through. The circular frame lay on the ground on the front lawn, surrounded by the shattered glass that used to be the window.

Gwendolyn and King came running into the room. Gwen gasped and King let out a frightened squeak.

"What…what happened?!" King asked.

"I think a monster or something came in here and took Mom!" Luz said. "But how did it get past Hooty?! Even when he's inside, nothing ever gets past him!"

"I am going to make Vitimir eat that ridiculous hat he wears," Gwendolyn growled dangerously.

Luz turned around. "What are you talking about?"

Instead of answering, Gwendolyn turned around and walked out of the bedroom, quickly heading back downstairs. Luz and King hurried after the old woman, who went back into the living room and picked her staff up off the table.

"You two stay here." Hawksley flew down and returned to his place atop Gwen's staff. "I'll take care of this."

"Let us go with you, we can track down whatever took Mom together," Luz said.

"No," Gwen said, using the word 'no' in a way that only a mother could master. "You two are going to stay here. Hooty, keep them safe, and protect the house."

"Yes, Ma'am, hoot hoot!" said Hooty. "I'd salute you, but…you know…hooty hoot."

"Grandma, I can help," Luz persisted. "I know you think I'm just gonna get in the way, but I can use magic now! Watch!" Luz quickly pulled out a fire glyph she kept in her pocket, a little something she liked to keep on her person for emergencies ever since she first discovered it in the dragon's cave. She tapped the glyph, and a fire suddenly ignited in her palm. "See?"

"...That is," Gwen blinked her eyes in shock. "quite something. But you're still staying here."

"But–"

"No 'but's', young lady." Gwendolyn placed her hand over Luz's hand and put out the fire burning in her palm. "No more arguing. You and King are going to stay here with Hooty."

"I can help," Luz stated, beginning to feel angry. "I want to help."

"...I know, little sparrow." Gwen placed her hand on Luz's shoulder, meeting her gaze gently. "But Edalyn wouldn't want you or King to risk your lives to save hers. And besides…this is my mistake to fix. And I have no right to bring you two along to help me fix it."

"What do you mean?" Luz asked. "What took Mom? What's going on?"

"Stay here." Gwendolyn took her hand off of Luz's shoulder and opened Edalyn's crate of elixirs. She took out a couple of bottles and stuffed them into her hair.

"What do you need those for?" Luz asked.

"Never you mind." Gwen headed for the door. "Just sit tight. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Luz and King watched as Gwendolyn went outside, beginning her pursuit of whatever creature had taken Eda.

King looked up at Luz. "We're not actually gonna just sit here, right?"


Using all that she had learned during her time as a member of the Beast Keeping Coven and a study of that particular branch of magic, Gwendolyn tracked the beast through the woods. And although the frequent claw marks and slashes across the trees made it easy to track, it also revealed that the beast was just as violent as ever.

Gwen came upon a tree that had a huge bite taken out of it. It was an old, femur oak tree. Same circumference as your average dining room table, and about as strong as a block of brass. And the beast had taken a bite out of the tree as if it were a stick of string cheese.

Gwendolyn shook her head. "All these years. So much effort," she quietly mumbled to herself. "...And it's still as bad as it's ever been."

She sighed before continuing to follow the trail. Then, suddenly, she froze, tensing up like a wary deer.

Gwen rolled her eyes and drew a magic circle. Four seconds and two frightened yelps later, two large birds flew above Gwendolyn and dropped Luz and King at her feet.

"Oh, come on!" Luz complained. "What gave us away?"

"I'm the mother of the Owl Lady, the infamous Edalyn Clawthorne," Gwen reminded her granddaughter. "I can smell the rebellion in a child from a mile away. Let alone fifteen feet. You two really need to improve upon your stealth skills."

"It was all Luz's idea! I didn't wanna come, she made me do it!" King shouted, pointing his finger at his big sister.

Gwendolyn sighed and shook her head. "Boy, does this take me back." Using her staff, she pointed back toward the Owl House. "Okay, back to the Owl House, the both of you."

"We want to help." Luz walked up to Gwendolyn. "I want to help you. I'm a part of this family too, I want to do my part in keeping it safe."

"Luz, you don't understand the situation," Gwen said to her. "Eda didn't want you kids to get involved. Especially you, Luz."

"Because I'm not a real witch?" Luz demanded. "Because I can't handle it?"

"That has nothing to do with–"

"The hex it doesn't!" Luz yelled, surprising Gwendolyn. "I know I'm not a real witch, I know I'm not even from this world. Every single time someone looks at me and sees my round ears, I'm reminded of that. Some Clawthorne, can't even draw a magic circle. But I want to be a part of this family. More than anything. I just want…"

Luz bowed her head and shut her eyes, daming the tears. "...I just want to be a Clawthorne…even if I can never be a real one."

Gwen and King both stared at Luz as she fought the urge to cry. Her fists were clenched, but slowly letting up on tension, as if losing the fight against her own turmoil.

"Luz." Speaking gently, Gwendolyn came up and placed both her hands on her granddaughter's shoulders. "You are a Clawthorne. What could possibly make you think otherwise?"

"These." Luz pointed two fingers at her ears. "These could possibly make me think otherwise."

Gwendolyn chuckled. "Ah, yes. You know, when I first held you in my arms, I thought you were one of the cutest little babies I had ever held. I loved those tiny little ears. And I was quick to accept you as my granddaughter."

Luz looked off to the side. "Oh, you accepted King into the family just as easily."

Gwen's eyes sparkled. "He was, without a doubt, the most adorable demon baby I have ever laid eyes on."

"What do you mean 'was'?"

"Ah, good point."

"I'm right here, you know," King complained. "And I am to be feared, darn you all!"

"You know, Luz, I wasn't born into the Clawthorne family," Gwen said. "I married into it. And I was beyond happy to become a part of this family."

"Yeah, but, like, you're the most intimidating old lady on the Boiling Isles," Luz argued. "People take one look at you, wet themselves, and assume you're an OG Clawthorne. People take one look at me, see my ears, laugh, and assume I'm the Owl Lady's pet."

"You do not need to pass a test to be a part of this family," said Gwen. "You do not need to prove your strength or your skill to be Clawthorne. Even if you possess both in spades."

Gwen smiled and used a single finger to gently lift Luz's chin up, looking her in the eyes with nothing but warmth and pride.

"You do, little sparrow. Make no mistake of that. But you are indeed mistaken if you believe that is what makes you a part of this family."

Gwendolyn kissed Luz's forehead.

"Love, sparrow. That is what makes you family. Nothing more, nothing less."

Luz stared at Gwendolyn, blinking only once, and very slowly. King walked up and placed a hand on Luz's leg. She closed her eyes, and let some tears fall.

"...It's hard for me," Luz admitted. "Trying to feel like I'm one of you."

"You are a human, Luz, and we both know you cannot change that," Gwen said. "But you are a Clawthorne. Never let anybody tell you otherwise. Especially yourself."

Luz smiled gratefully at her grandmother. She closed the distance between them and embraced the old woman, who was more than happy to return the hug. King joined the hug too, clinging to Luz's leg.

Then they all heard the roar again.

King's fur stood on end like a frightened cat. He immediately scampered up Gwendolyn and clung to the top of her hair.

Luz's frightened eyes search all around her. She couldn't see any sign of any beast. But her instincts told her that danger was close by. Gwendolyn's gaze searched the surrounding area as well, but for some reason, she looked more…worried, than genuinely scared. But why that was currently remained unclear. Back to back, the two of them moved in a slow, careful circle, keeping their guard up and ready. Gwendolyn was armed with her magic staff, and Luz had an ice glyph and another fire glyph in her hands.

"...Grandma?" Luz asked softly, keeping her eyes focused and alert. "What took Mom?"

"Nothing took your mom," Gwendolyn admitted.

"But…" Luz blinked in confusion. "Then what crashed through the window? What made that roar, what–"

Something large and gray charged out of the woods. Reacting instantly, Luz readied her fire glyph and summoned a fireball.

"Luz, no!" Gwendolyn pushed Luz's arm aside right as she threw her fireball. Instead of hitting the beast, the attack hit the base of a nearby tree, scorching the bark and leaving a large black mark. Luz was about to question her grandmother,

But then she got a better look at the beast, and horror flooded her face.

Still atop Gwendolyn's head, King's pupils shrank at the sight of the monster.

"Wha…wha…" Luz could hardly even form words.

"...Weh…" King squeaked in terror.

The beast was like a crossbreed of a lion and an owl, with a little bit of hyena thrown in the mix, but more resembled a sphinx than it did any kind of griffin. It was a large beast, appearing suited for being a predator with few contenders, covered in black, gray, and white feathers with a long mane of light gray hair running along its back. It had dark wings and a long tail of white feathers that nearly looked like fur. Its dark hind legs were birdlike, sporting sharp talons, but still looked powerful. Its front legs were longer and thinner, with white feathers and yellow claws, and looked built for sprinting and catching prey.

And the beast's face.

Her eyes were dark and pupilless, as if a light had gone out in them, her ears were much longer, her hair hung down at either side of her head, and she had a mouth full of yellow fangs. The golden gem that decorated her chest was now embedded in her feathery front, now as dark and dull as an unlit dungeon.

But it was still her face.

"...Mom?" Luz asked in a quiet voice.

"Eda!" King cried.

"Kids, get behind me." Moving slowly, so as not to antagonize the creature before her, Gwendolyn reached into her hair and took out one of the elixirs. Luz and King did as she asked, taking cover behind the old witch woman.

Eda the Owl Beast snarled at her mother. She remained where she was, as if looking for an opening. The sight of the golden elixir in Gwendolyn's hand appeared to make her angry.

"Listen to me carefully," Gwen whispered to the two kids behind her. "She is going to attack soon. And when she does, I want you both to simply duck. Hold your ground, and don't run. She'll only see you as prey to be caught if you do."

"Wh-what happened to her?" Luz asked. "How…how did she–"

"Later," Gwen said. "For now, just do as I say. You can't reason with Eda when she gets like this. You need to understand that, right now, that's not your mother anymore."

"When she gets like this?" Luz asked. "How long has she–"

Then the Owl Beast charged.

Luz held King and they both yelped as Luz ducked, holding King close to her. Gwendolyn spun her staff in a full 360 that ended in a powerful strike to the side of Beast Eda's head. An explosion of golden light blasted the beast right off of her feet. She did a barrel roll through the air before crashing into the very tree that Luz had scorched.

"Sorry, dear!" Gwen apologized.

Eda rose back on her feet. The enraged beast looked anything but forgiving. She let out an angry growl, baring her fangs and raising her wings.

"We have to get her to take one of these." Gwen raised up the round bottle of golden elixir.

The Owl Beast snarled at the sight of elixir in Gwen's hand.

"I don't think she wants to take her medicine," Luz asked.

"Ah, it's just like when she was little," Gwendolyn reminisced. "Oh, she had the cutest little angry face. She would scrunch up her nose, her face would turn red, and she would shake her fists–"

The Owl Beast charged at them while Gwen was distracted.

Luz slammed her ice glyph down on the ground and right before Eda's claws could reach them, the beast became trapped in ice.

Stuck in the ice, only her head and her two front claws were free. Beast Eda blinked her eyes. She struggled for a little bit, trying to break free, then her ears drooped and she gave up.

"Wow," Gwendolyn marveled. "Those picture spells of yours are no joke."

"Aww. Thanks, Grandma," said Luz.

"Now, let's pour this elixir down your mom's throat," Gwen said.

Beast Eda growled threateningly at Gwendolyn.

"Uh, maybe we should trick her or something," Luz suggested. "We could make her think she's drinking apple blood."

As soon as Luz said 'apple blood,' Eda's ears perked up and her attention immediately focused on Luz.

"...Huh." Luz blinked. "Beast or not, I guess she's still Eda. I wonder what else she still remembers?"

"Money," King said.

Eda's ears twitched excitedly.

"Pickpocketing," said Luz.

Eda flexed her claws, like she was eager to steal something.

"Emperor's Coven," said King.

Eda growled angrily.

"Taxes," said Luz.

An even angrier growl.

"Okay, kids, that's enough. Let's just get her to take her elixir. " Gwen said. "And why do taxes make her so angry? The Owl House and the property it's on is owned by her father and I. We're the ones who pay her taxes. She's forty-two for Titan's sake–this is a discussion we seriously need to have, I'm giving her the elixir."

"Ah, come on, this is fun." King looked at Eda. "Socks and sandals."

Beast Eda stuck out her tongue.

"Hey, what's wrong with socks and sandals? I like to rock the crocs in socks." Luz looked at Eda. "Punching children in the face."

Eda's head bobbed up and down and she made a gurgling growling sound, something resembling laughter.

Gwendolyn sighed and shook her head. "Well, at least she's good to you kids."

Luz looked back and forth between Eda and Gwen, then looked at Beast Eda.

"Raine."

Gwen's eyes widened in panic. "No, Luz, don't–"

With a loud, furious shriek, the Owl Beast burst out of her icy prison, sending shards of ice flying.

"Get down!" Gwendolyn ran up and raised her staff.

Beast Eda backhanded Gwen, swatting her aside and sending the elixir she had flying. Then she pounced on Luz, pinning her back to the ground with her claws.

Eyes wide with terror and breathing heavily, Luz stared up into the dark, blank eyes of the witch who had raised her, desperately searching for any sign of Eda that might still be in there, but she saw none. The beast snarled down at the prey caught in her grasp. Gwendolyn was still down, struggling to rise back up.

"Luz!" King cried out.

Keeping Luz pinned under one claw, the Owl Beast raised its other arm, preparing to strike.

"Mom!" Luz cried, tears building up in her eyes.

The Owl Beast froze. Her claw hung in the air as she stared down at the frightened girl in her clutches. Her black and soulless eyes widened and her mouth full of sharp teeth frowned.

An explosion…

A baby's cry…

"Dale un hogar, Lechuza."

Beast Eda let out another shriek as she released Luz from her hold. This roar was not one of rage this time, but sounded more like a cry of pain. She continued to shriek and she shook her head and stumbled around as if she were trying to toss something off of her head.

Using her staff for support, Gwen finally rose to her and pulled another bottle of elixir out of her hair.

"Luz!" Gwendolyn tossed her the bottle.

Luz caught the bottle and turned toward Eda, who was still freaking out and shaking her head, roaring loudly. Luz raised the round bottle and waited for an opening.

The Owl Beast raised her head and spread her wings, opening her wide maw and letting out a deafening roar.

Luz chose that moment to throw the bottle of elixir at Eda's head. Much to her delight and surprise, her aim proved true, and the bottle went straight into the Owl Beast's mouth. Suddenly having a glass bottle thrown in her mouth appeared to startle and confuse the beast, but she still swallowed the entire thing without even chewing.

It looked like the Owl Beast was trying to fight it, but even so, the elixir appeared to be working. Slowly but surely, the roaring beast began to shrink and her feathers began to recede.

"Oh no, this isn't werewolf rules is it?" Luz averted her gaze and blocked the sight with her hands. "She's not going to be naked once she's back to normal, is she?"

"No, don't worry, this is the kind of magical transformation that keeps her clothing on and intact," Gwen assured Luz.

"Oh thank Titan," Luz said, letting out a breath of relief.

Finally, Eda returned to her normal self, fully clothed in her red dress just as Gwendolyn promised. The gemstone decorating her chest, which had been as dark as her eyes as a beast, returned to its golden color just as her eyes did.

Edalyn, appearing unconscious, laid on the ground, seeming at peace despite everything that had transpired.

"Mom!" Luz shouted before running up to Eda's side.

King scampered up to Eda as well. "Eda!"

With the kids at either side of Eda, Gwendolyn came up and stared down sadly at her daughter. She knelt down and lifted Edalyn's head up, setting it down to rest on Gwen's lap as she gently caressed her hair.

Eda's eyes began to move. Slowly, they opened, revealing tired confusion. "...Why am I out in the woods?"

Overcome with relief and joy, Luz and King both embraced the startled Eda. She placed her arms over them, then looked up at her smiling mother.

"...It happened again, didn't it?"

Gwendolyn nodded.

"And…they both saw it?"

Another nod.

Eda closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "...Let's head home."


Seated around the table in the kitchen, King and Luz waited patiently for Eda to begin explaining. Currently, she was drinking some apple blood to get the taste of elixir and tree out of her mouth. Gwendolyn was there as well, and Hooty had his head stretched into the kitchen so he could get the dirt too.

Edalyn placed her cup of apple blood down on the table. "...Okay, so, listen…I–"

"Is Raine an ex?" Luz suddenly asked. "Is that it?"

"Wait, what?" Eda blinked in confusion as Gwendolyn chuckled behind her hand. "That's your biggest question right now? Not how I'm able to turn into a horrifying monster?"

"You turn into a horrifying monster every time you run out of apple blood, but it's not every day I get a peek into your personal life," Luz said. "Is Raine an ex-boyfriend? An ex-girlfriend?"

"Well, technically, neither," Gwen told Luz. "Raine is non-binary, dear. But, yes, they're an ex. The two of them started dating in school until they broke up, oh, thirteen years later."

"Woah, really?" Luz asked. "You think they'd be married at that point."

"You would, wouldn't you?" Gwen agreed.

"Luz, stop gossiping with your grandma about my dating life," Eda ordered in a bitter and grouchy tone. "Mom, stop engaging and encouraging her to do so."

"How did you turn into that…thing?" King asked. "And, if it's possible…can I learn how to do that?"

"I'm cursed," Eda confessed.

"With parenthood? Yeah, you tell us that all the time," King said.

"Edalyn," Gwen chided.

"No, I'm literally cursed. As in, someone placed a curse on me," Eda explained. "If I don't take those elixirs daily, I turn into that owl beast. That's actually why people started calling me the Owl Lady."

"I thought it was because you love shiny things and eat rodents," King said.

"You still eat rodents?" Gwen asked in disgust. "I figured that was just a phase you were going through."

Eda sighed and rubbed her temples. "This. This is why I hate it when you come over, Mom."

"Exactly how long have you been cursed?" Luz asked. "And who would put that kind of curse on you?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Eda said. "I've had it since I was your age, kid. And I don't have the slightest clue who could've placed this curse on me."

"We went to every healer, every apothecarist, and every practitioner of the ancient arts we knew," Gwendolyn said woefully. "But the curse was unlike anything anyone had ever seen. In the end, the best that could be done for her were the potions and that gemstone."

"You mean that gem Mom wears on her dress?" Luz asked. "What does that do?"

"The curse doesn't just turn me into a beast, it also affects my magic," Eda explained, touching the gemstone on her chest. "Whenever the curse gets bad, my magic stops working, as if the curse is some kind of anti-magic spell or something. The gem helps with that, in addition to helping hold the curse back."

"You've had this curse since you were a kid, and you never bothered to tell us?" King asked. "A heads up would've been nice."

"You know, I actually knew about Eda's curse," said Hooty. "I'm kinda glad I didn't say anything though. This whole reveal thing is way more interesting this way. Hooty hoot hoot."

Eda finished off the rest of her apple blood. "Look, I didn't want to worry you kids. And besides, I have this curse under control." Eda gave her mother an oblique look. "Or I did, anyway."

Gwendolyn looked away guiltily. "That's fair, I suppose. But, Edalyn–"

"Mom. You can't cure me," Eda said sternly. "The only thing you can do is trust me to keep a handle on this curse."

"Well, if it's truly beyond my abilities, then maybe you should finally go talk to Lilith," Gwen suggested. "She has connections, she might be able to find a way to–"

"Mom. Can we not do this in front of them?" Eda asked, gesturing to Luz and King.

Gwendolyn sighed. "...You can't keep living like this, witchlet. That's all I'm saying."

"Who's Lilith?" Luz asked again.

"And for Titan's sake, be more open with these two," said Gwen.

Eda stood up from her chair. "I'll show you to the door."

Gwendolyn closed her eyes and bowed her head. "...As you wish." She got out of her chair and grabbed her staff before she and Eda headed for the front door.

"Grandma, wait," Luz said. "Before you go, can you tell me if you've ever heard of a human other than me who was brought to the Boiling Isles?"

"Luz, you're the only human to ever come to the Isles," Eda said.

"That, my dear little witchlet, may not be true," said Gwendolyn.

Luz's eyes widened. "You mean…I'm not the first human to be brought to the Demon Realm?"

"When we first learned that Edalyn was peddling human trinkets for a living…we became deeply troubled, and considered loaning her some money." Gwen turned to Eda. "But your father also told me about a story passed down in his family. Something old Silas once told him."

"Grandad?" Eda asked, becoming interested. "Well, what was it?"

"He talked about how the Clawthorne family once hosted a man who was from another world, centuries years ago," Gwendolyn said. "A man who worshiped an invisible god. Who hailed from a land where the rain doesn't boil and the plants are all green."

"He had to have been a human!" Luz exclaimed excitedly. "He was from the Human Realm, like me!"

"I'm afraid I have no more knowledge on the matter," Gwen said. "You might have more luck at the Bonesborough Library. Such a unique visit may very well have been documented."

"Good idea," said Luz. "I've been looking for an excuse to check out some Boiling Isles literature."

"Okay, enough crazy stories." Eda placed her hand on her mom's back and guided her to the door. "Say goodbye to Grandma, everyone."

"Bye, Grandma!" Luz and King and even Hooty all said.

"Goodbye, kids. Be good!" Gwendolyn said as she and Eda exited the kitchen. "And keep practicing that picture magic of yours, Luz! There might be more to it than you realize."

Luz frowned thoughtfully. "...Yeah…maybe."

"Mom. You gotta stop getting Luz all worked up and excited like that," Eda insisted as they crossed through the living room.

"Edalyn, she's just being curious eager, it's called being a child," Gwen said. "You should be proud of her for wanting to expand her abilities and her knowledge."

"I am proud of her." Eda opened the front door and ducked under Hooty's stretched body. "But I don't want her drawing attention to herself."

Eda and Gwen walked outside and Eda closed the door.

"Why do you think I don't want her to find out about Lilith?" Eda asked. "The less she knows about the crap I have to deal with, the better off she is. I don't want her thinking she needs to get involved. Not with the Coven, not with my curse, and especially not with my dating life, thank you very much. She deserves to live her own life. She doesn't deserve to have to try to fix mine."

"You are a part of her life. She wants to help you, Eda, she wants to help her family stay afloat," Gwen said. "I understand you want to keep her safe, but don't leave her thinking you think she's useless and that you want her to stay out of the way. She just wants to protect her family. You included."

"It is my responsibility to protect her. Not the other way around. I need the kid to keep her head down," Eda said. "The Emperor's Coven has been all over me lately. They've even got Lilith coming to my house and demanding that I join their Coven."

Gwen shook her head. "Ever since you both parted ways, I had a feeling things would sour between you two. But, Edalyn, you know Lilith just wants to help you out of this."

"Lilith just wants to please the Emperor and prove to me that what she did was better than what I did," Eda replied bitterly. "Mom, listen. All I want is to make sure that…if I do end up ever going down, Luz doesn't end up going down with me. Okay? And if that ever happens, then the Owl House and everything in it goes to Luz, and she and King get placed into you and Dad's care."

"Of course," Gwen replied. "But Eda, please, take caution. The Emperor's Coven has been behaving strangely lately. They've been more…proficient, than usual. I'm sure you've noticed. Arrests are more frequent, more witches are being branded. I've even heard tell that the Emperor finally enlisted a new Golden Guard. I'm not sure how else to explain it, but it's like Belos is preparing for something."

"What, the 'fated Day of Unity'?" Eda asked with evident mocking in her voice. "Please, that's not actually real. The Emperor just uses that to inspire his Coven's zealotry."

"Be that as it may," said Gwen. "Please be careful."

"You don't need to tell me to be careful," Eda said.

"I will anyway." Gwendolyn smiled warmly and reached her hand up, gently placing her hand on Edalyn's cheek. "It's called being a mother. Something you've become quite good at."

Eda blinked. She bit her lip and looked to the side.

"See you later, my little witchlet." Gwendolyn turned around and walked away. "And you really oughta introduce the kids to their grandfather one of these days. He would love to meet them."

Once her mother had flown away on her staff, Edalyn took a deep breath before heading back inside. Returning to the kitchen, she saw Luz, King, and Hooty sorting through the collection of Human Realm trinkets that Luz had collected from Gravesfield.

"Ah, so you got a good haul, huh?" Eda asked, putting on a smile. She came up to the table and picked up a headless Barbie doll. "This'll sell for a good few snails."

"Hey, Mom. About your curse," Luz said. "Are you sure there isn't anything I can do to–"

"No, Luz," Eda said. "I appreciate it, but I'm afraid there's nothing you can do. Believe me, I've had this curse for over twenty-five years now. There's nothing anybody can do for me."

"Oh." Luz looked down at the table sadly.

"Hey, it's okay," Eda came up and placed her hands on Luz's shoulders. "You don't need to worry about me. I have this curse under control, I promise."

Eda kissed Luz's forehead. "I love you, little owlet. You do the Clawthornes proud."

Luz beamed up at Eda. "I love you too, Mom."

Eda gave King a tummy rub, just so he wouldn't feel left out, patted the side of Hooty's head, and then headed out of the kitchen.

She stopped suddenly, standing there for a moment, before turning back around.

"Uh, hey, Luz. You're getting pretty good with that 'Spanish' or whatever it's called, right?" Eda asked.

Luz nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Help me out then. What does…" Eda tapped her chin. "Oh, what was it…hogar, mean?"

"Hogar? It means 'home'," Luz said.

"I thought that was 'casa'?" King asked.

"Casa is used more frequently, and generally refers to the house. Like, the actual household or the building in general," Luz explained. "Hogar means 'home,' as in, 'family life'."

"...I see." Eda nodded. "Thanks."

"Why do you ask?" Luz asked curiously.

"Eh, no reason. Just…something I heard one time." Eda turned back around. "I'll be upstairs fixing my window if you need me."

Luz and King couldn't see Eda's smile melt away as she headed up the stairs.


"Inside each of us is a monster; inside each of us is a saint. The real question is which one we nurture the most, which one will smite the other."

Jodi Picoult