The Coven's Man: Forever Golden (The Owl House Spin-Off Fanfiction)

Chapter Three - Gold Days Are Over... Or Are They?

"Hey, Gus?"

That day at the cafeteria, Hunter couldn't stop eyeing another student sitting at a separate table across the room, that other student being the girl Hunter accidentally crashed into on the way to the Plant class, Emira. As he munched his PB&J sandwich, which Gus brought an extra for the two of them to share, Hunter had his eyes squinting at Emira.

"Hm?" Gus stopped chewing his lunch.

"Have I seen her before?" Hunter covertly pointed at the emerald green-haired student. Emira was behind Gus' view, so he turned around ever so slightly so he wouldn't be looked at suspiciously.

"Emira?" Gus raised his eyebrow. Hunter nodded at him. "I think you have. She's Amity's older sister." He said. "She fought alongside you against Adrian Graye, remember?"

"Well, there were a lot of people in the room. I didn't count all of them, just so you know." Hunter added. Willow, who was sitting next to Hunter holding a popper of apple blood, checked on Hunter after scanning the cafeteria.

Gus turned to take a glance at Emira again, seeing her being greeted by a couple of her friends. "So, what's about Emira that have you asking?" He asked.

"He bumped into her while racing me to class this morning," Willow giggled teasingly. That made Hunter blush in embarrassment and frown. "Which FYI, I won." She poked Hunter by the shoulder playfully. "He owes me a not dog."

"Okay, okay," Hunter rolled his eyes, smiling. "Maybe I did slip."

Gus chuckled along, "Well, if you're on your way to illusions next, make sure to race me." He leaned close to Hunter, "I'm down for a not dog too."

Hunter lets out a laugh, "You'll try." His eyes landed on Emira again, who seemed to be walking out of the cafeteria along with her friends. Seeing her smiling and laughing, sweetly covering her mouth, can't help but make Hunter think that he has met her once before.

Not during the hijinks at Hexside caused by Adrian, and definitely not when he and his friends were welcomed back to Hexside while the Collector reigned. His eyes turned blank as he spaced out again, his smile fading as he kept on pondering.

'Emira Blight.'

"So," Willow's lips disconnected from her apple blood straw. "About yesterday..." She took a nervous gulp. "Is it true?"

Hunter's eye stopped moving, going into a deep trance full of silence and revulsion the moment Willow mentioned Belos. His empty eyes drifted to stare at Willow.

"Belos is... back?" Willow asked.

Hunter eased off slightly. She doesn't know the rest. Only he knew, and he needed to keep it that way. Hide the recruitment part from last night.

"Titan, I hope not." Hunter muttered. "We have nothing to worry about. Graye killed him, remember? Gus?" He turned to Gus.

"Yeah... I'm not sure if that'll be the last time we'll see him," Gus said. "But if he is back... who's gonna stop him?"

Hunter shrugged and before he could speak up, Willow cut in, "We will," She said so confidently, pulling Hunter into a hug with one arm. "Just like last time. Right?"

Although Hunter adored the look of determination burning in her eyes, he hated the fact that she essentially was telling him to be a part of the fight against Belos again. He formed a fake smile and made a false nod, "Always."

-

Sometime later after lunch, Hunter threw away his juice box in the trash bin in the hall. The bell had not yet yelled, so he had a little more time to converse with his friends. Before he was able to return to the table where Willow and Gus were, he heard a familiar feminine voice calling out to him from the hallway.