The Owl House: Emperors and Thorns

Covention

Eda dusts the table at her Human Collectibles stand while Luz reads the first Azura book to King. Cerise was practicing plant magic, her most gifted magic.

""Emboldened by the dishonor Hecate had shown, Azura lifted her staff to the cotton-candy skies and shouted, "I challenge you to a Witch's Duel!" And look! I drew a flip book." Luz flips between two pages, "Pew, pew, pew!"

"Show me the picture." King peeks over the top of the book.

"What?"

"Show me the picture!" King says as Luz shows him, "Hah! I can draw better than that. You know, they once called me the King of Artists." he gestures to the sky.

"Wait. I thought you were the King of Demons." Luz raises an eyebrow as King's eyes widened.

"King, are you just making this up now?" Cerise asks in amusement.

"Doesn't matter. What's important is that my followers would leave me offerings in fear of me!"

"Well, I can offer you more of this tantalizing book." Luz points at her Azura book.

"Ugh!" Eda groans, "Please stop reading that. Its flowery language is an insult to witches and driving away all our serious customers!"

"Um, Eda?" Luz looks ahead as the street they were on was empty, "What customers? There aren't even any other stands around. What's going on?"

"Maybe an important event is happening today that we don't know about." Cerise guesses.

"This is a bad omen. There must be something horrible happening today." Eda narrows her eyes.

"Luz! Professor Cerise!" Gus runs up to the stand with Willow, "Something amazing is happening today!"

"Gus, Willow! Hey!" Luz greets.

"Gus, I told you not to call me Professor Cerise outside me teaching you human stuff. We're friends. Besides, you know you can call me Cece." Cerise points out.

"Right! Sorry." Gus smiles sheepishly.

Willow holds up a flier to the two, "It's the annual covention! Student witches get to see all the types of covens before they're placed in one. There's even two mystery guests this year!"

"Ooh! Mystery guests!" Cerise smiles.

"A job fair for witches!" Luz exclaims in excitement, leaning against Eda, "Eda, can we go?"

"Absolutely not."

Luz groans and drops to the ground.

"But why?" Cerise asks in confusion.

"I never joined a coven for a reason. Sure it's like a fun club for witches, but you're also giving up your magical independence to be part of a crooked system." Eda slams her fist on the table.

"Mmm." Willow lowers the flier.

"Eh, but, you know, no judgment." Eda turns away, "In any case, I haven't been to one since we were girls."

""We"?"

"I-the-I mean-"

Luz pops back up in interest, "Who's "we"?" she points at her, "You have a mysterious past! Now we gotta go!"