ᴾᵉᵗᵃˡˢ ᵒᶠ ᴰᵉᵃᵗʰ

[3] Wanted?!

Luz walked around Bonesborough, humming something awfully familiar.

"Hm hm hm hm hm~ Mmmmm~ Hm, hm, hm, hm, hm~"

(Its the theme song-)

She walked past a 'Join the Emperor's Coven' poster, not taking much notice of it. She quickly snapped back to look at it, shocked; Kikimora was now Coven Head.

The little red creature's face was plastered over all the posters, and Luz noticed that a Coven Scout was politely taking down the Golden Guard ones.

"Why aren't they burning the Golden Guard's? I mean, they burned Lilith's..." Luz mumbled, walking closer.

"Uhm, hey!" Luz said, leaning casually on the wall next to the Coven Scout. "Why are you taking down the old posters?"

The Coven Scout blinked, before shouting with rage.

"There! There's the human!"

Luz let out a small noise of shock as 20 Coven Scouts surrounded her.

"W-WHAT?!" she cried out, shocked. "WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE I'M SOME SORT OF WANTED CRIMINAL?!"

"Because you are one..."

Luz turned to see Kikimora standing on an Abomaton, glaring down at her.

"What?! I never broke any laws!" Luz cried out, looking around in confusion.

"Maybe not, but the Emperor wants your head." Kikimora said, the Abomaton positioning itself for an attack.

Luz whipped out an invisibility glyph, quickly holding her breath.

"What-" Kikimora said, looking around in confusion. "Find her! Find the human!"

Luz arrived back at the Owl House, sweating and panting.

"Woah, Luz!" Eda said, getting up from the couch. "What happened?"

"C-Coven Scouts... Kikimora... Wanted... My head...-"

"Luz, slow down!"

"No need," a voice said. "We can explain."

Eda and Luz turned around to see Gus and Willow.

Willow was holding a scroll in her hand, and Gus had a sad look on his face.

Letting out a sigh, Willow unwrapped the scroll, making Luz and Eda gasp.

'WANTED: The Owl Lady and the Human.'

'REWARD: 10, 000, 000, 000 snails'

Luz's jaw dropped.

"10 BILLION SNAILS?!"

"I'm afraid so, Luz..." Gus said, shaking his head sadly.

"This doesn't make any sense..." Luz muttered, sitting down on the couch. "I haven't broken any laws! Even Kikimora said so!"

"Luz, what else did Kikimora say?" Eda inquired, a flash of worry in her eyes.

"She said that the Emperor wants my head..."

"There's more," a new voice said.

"Amity!" Luz cried, running over to embrace her girlfriend.

"Hey, Luz!" Amity said, smiling slightly.

Luz released Amity, allowing her to speak.

"The Golden Guard has been removed from the position of Coven Head."

"I saw that! When I asked the Coven Scout changing the poster, he raised the alarm."

"Why was he removed?" Eda asked. Amity gladly answered her question.

"Well, he's not a traitor, for starters. Apparently something terrible happened to him, and Belos removed him as Coven Head. The news was released early to my parents, because they're suppliers for the Emperor." Amity scratched the back of her neck. "According to Coven gossip, Belos has been a lot harder on his members recently, seeming much angrier then usual."

"And how did you get that information?" Gus asked, giving Amity a skeptical look.

Amity giggled nervously. "E-Edric and Emira like pretending to be Coven Scouts... Apparently, they have the best gossip."

They all looked at Amity dumbfounded.

"So, what's the plan then?" Luz asked.

"What do you mean 'plan'?" Eda asked.

"Well, we've broken into the Emperor's Castle before," Luz suggested. "But we also have that Scrying Potion Lilith made."

"Well, I'd like to get in Emperor's Castle again," Eda said. "I say we infiltrate the place tonight! Who's with us?"

"I am!" Gus said.

"Me, too!" Willow spoke up.

"I'll go!" Amity said.

"Then we'll-"

"Ugh... Wait, where are you all going..?"

Everyone turned to a very sleepy King.

"Nothing, King, just getting some food."

"I'll go, too, then..." King said, before falling back asleep instantly.

"Then it's settled!" Luz said. "To the Emperor's Castle!"