Adventures in the Boiling Isles

Them's The Breaks, Kids

Enjoy this slightly extended chapter! -Mal.

Eda's POV

I saw Luz and Peter outside of the house, experimenting with new glyph combos, one of which almost killed them. "Safe!" Luz exclaimed. "Thanks, Eda. That was definitely not the one." "What are you doing out here?" "Luz started going through Philip's diary again, even though he's a dick." Peter explains. "Since our trip with Lilith, we found that a lot of his margin doodles are actually unfinished glyph combos." Luz added. "I thought maybe they could help with the portal door, but... no luck." "Maybe it's for the best." I said. "I don't like that you're still thinking about that creep." "I know. I just miss my mom." Luz sighed. "Let's take a break, huh?" I suggested. "Maybe I could tell you a story?" "How so?" Peter asked. "Like a backstory kind of story?" Luz questioned. "Yes." I replied. "This is the story of how I met two awesome people. The most supportive friend I could ask for, and the coolest, baddest, kick-buttiest witch of all time. Adam Yenkins and Raine Whispers."

When I was a student at Hexside, Lilith and I would always go over our notes together. "Okay, Titan's five humors." I said, quizzing my sister. "Hmm. Earth, Bone, Blood, Bile, and, oh, I always forget the last one. It's on the tip of my tongue." Lilith replied. "It's..." I teased. "Snakes?" Lilith guessed. "Breath!" I joked. "Eda, you have smilk breath. Gross." Lilith groaned. "Give me another question." "On Scabuary 40th, the day Belos declared the Isles an empire, Think fast!" I shouted, tossing a ball at her. Lilith catches the ball. "Eda. We don't have time to play around." Lilith explains. "Tryouts for the Emperor's Coven are just around the corner." "7 months isn't just around the corner." I snorted. "Your turn. It's a half-moon, and you're mixing a Leadfoot potion." Lilith read. "What ratio of Blackroot Quills to Iron Ash do you use?" "Is it waning or waxing moon?" I asked. "I don't think that matters." Lilith replied. "Yeah, sure it does!" I explained. "If it's a waxing moon, it's a 2-to-1 mix, but if it's a waning, the Blackroot Quills lose their umph, and you gotta double down to a 4-to-1." "You're correct. On both accounts. Huh." Lilith thought. "Imagine us both getting in. We'll train together. We'll prank together. We'll study ancient history together." "We'll kick butt together." I added. "Help demons and witches together!" Lilith continued. "Take over the world together!" I exclaimed. "Nothing can stop the Clawthorne sisters! Our rivals shall be crushed beneath our feet! Even the Titan shall gasp in fear!" Lilith gasped. "Yeah, like that." I said. "No! Look! We're gonna be late!" Lilith panicked.

Lilith and I ran to school, worried about being late. "See, we're gonna be fine." I said. After the bell rang, Principal Faust gave detention to those of us who were late to class. Lilith snuck into the school before Faust and Bump could notice, but I wasn't so lucky. "Hey, Fausty. Vice Princey B." I greeted.

Long story short, I was sent to Faust's office. "Miss Clawthorne. Do you know why I keep you around?" Principal Faust asked. "My innate talents? My unbeatable charm?" I gloated. "No." He replied. "Because to fight evil, you must understand evil. All your misdeeds, pranks, schemes, they have given me insight into the depravity that lurks within the minds of children." "Wow, this is really shocking." I said. "I thought there'd be more. Hmm." "You're close with your sister, Lilith, I see. Plan on trying out for the Emperor's Coven together?" Principal Faust reads from my file. "Commendable." "Yeah, I do kinda rule." I explained. "Too bad you'll be ineligible when I expel you." Principal Faust said. "What?! You can't do that! I'll be separated from Lily!" I begged. "Maybe you should have thought of that before you filled the detention pit with green gelatin!" Principal Faust snapped. "It was his birthday. He liked it!" I argued. "Please, Principal Faust, I'll do anything." He called Vice Principal Bump to his office. "Yes, sir?" He asked. "No child is beyond redemption." Principal Faust said. "Didn't you stake your career on it?" I waved at Bump. "Every year, Hexside participates in a special training program called Instructing Future Witches of Tomorrow. I attend with our most gifted students, and we return with blue ribbons as testament to my... I mean, our excellence. Unfortunately..." "You expelled our most gifted student for chewing too loudly in the cafeteria." Bump interrupted. "Disgusting monster." Faust said. "This year, you can represent Hexside. Bring back a blue ribbon, and you can remain a student here. Come back empty handed, and I will savor the expulsion. And you'll go with her. If anything goes wrong, I might have to find a new Vice Principal."