GOLDRIC

Chapter 11

2 WEEKS LATER

Since Hunter's disappearance from the Emperor's castle, scouts had been skittering through every little alleyway in Bonesborough and, as everyone knew, the halls of Hexside. Hunter was uneasy, he didn't want to go to school, and most of all, he didn't want the twins out of his sight– ESPECIALLY Edric. When Hunter slept, which wasn't often, it was either clutching the green-haired boy tightly or sitting guard outside his bedroom, slumped against the doorframe in the hallway or near the window.
This week, Belos broadcasted a message stating that he was searching for "One Special Young Witch" to be inducted to the Emperor's Coven earlier than the scheduled entrance trials– no surprise to any of the Hexside students that had gotten to know Hunter. He wasn't exactly quiet about his life in the castle. The St. Epiderm kids had even started to hear the news of Belos' true intentions seep into their Penstagram feeds and word of mouth.
Lilith was so taken aback by Odalia's attempt to kidnap the twins for recruitment that she became completely unhinged. It didn't help that she was so distraught over knowing Hunter was so badly hurt by Belos, too.
She started making anonymous Anti-Emperor posters to hang up around Bonesborough. It wasn't much, but she was so angry that these were enough to make a person shudder from a single glance.

EMPEROR BELOS: WAR CRIMINAL

YOUR CHILDREN ARE IN DANGER: BELOS ENSLAVES.

The list went on. Lilith was done with censoring, and she was done with the Emperor. Every time one of her posters went up, it was shortly seen burning at the edges, disintegrating from the Emperor's Coven scouts on a desperate hunt to remove all signs of what Belos called "treason" or something.
Even Eda was surprised to see such primal maternal instincts arise from her sister. Lilith was never one to be terribly protective. As kids, Eda and Lilith were close and stuck together, but it quickly became clear when they were around 15 that Eda was too "wild" for Lilith's studies, and their relationship dissolved nearly in its entirety.
That's why when Lilith suddenly went from being the president of the Hunter Hate Club to a surrogate parent to the boy, Eda was taken aback.

–

Even as fear started to rise and bubble over in town, there was a little glimmer of hope among the Hexside students: Grom was in only four days, and spirits were high and light for a change.

Edric woke up on a Monday morning, feeling refreshed from the weekend and a REALLY great sleep. He hadn't noticed how poorly he had been sleeping until he started sleeping at the Owl House. Blight Manor was anything but a restful place, but there was something so comforting about the disheveled nature of the Owl House. It was nothing like the sparkling cleanliness of his childhood home, but Edric appreciated the messes and the gross things crawling in the corners. Perhaps he even started to grow fond of them.
And then there was Hunter, who was practically strangling him, still asleep. His arms were wound tightly around Ed's neck. Even in this strong grip, Ed still had his hands free to move about, and he combed his fingers through Hunter's hair.
There was no sleep quite like one next to Hunter, and Ed thought maybe he couldn't sleep alone ever again after this. Whatever "after this" meant. He thought of the few lovers come and gone in the few years now of his teen life, and Edric assumed Hunter would have to be a person of his past at some point.
For the first time, though, the thought of someone leaving him made his eyes sting with tears.
The blonde boy stirred, as if on command to soothe the green-haired boy. He twisted softly, loosening his arms and propping himself on one elbow, the other lightly stroking Hunter's cheek. Right over his scar.
Hunter's eyes were still closed, and perhaps he wasn't even awake yet. At least he looked at peace for a change. Calm.
Ed couldn't resist: he nestled his nose in the crook of Hunter's neck and took a deep breath in, inhaling.
Hunter smelled so good, it was almost addicting. Edric loved the constant reminders of Hunter when they weren't together. His scent always lingered on his clothes or on his arms or on his jacket after a hug, so whatever the Emperor's Coven put in his soap, Edric wanted a lifetime supply of it.
"Mmph... you're being weird again."
Edric twitched in surprise, unaware that Hunter had woken up while he was buried in his shoulder.
"Shut up, Blondie!" Ed laughed, tilting his head up to meet Hunter's eyes. "You smell nice, is it a crime to like that? Also, I thought you were sleeping."
Hunter furrowed his eyebrow. "Yes, it is a crime, because I need to shower and I am disgusting. Also how much do you smell me while I'm asleep?"
Ed rolled his eyes and tried to kiss him, but Hunter pushed him away.
"GROSS! Let me brush my teeth first, or you'll catch some kind of disease."
The boys wrestled until Ed was finally victorious in planting a long, warm kiss on Hunter's lips, one that Hunter was secretly eager to accept, even after the playful struggle to evade it.
"You're not THAT gross, Blondie. But go ahead, I'll let you go shower."