magic • j. hale [✓]

Chapter 24

Ariella immediately grabbed Bella and rushed towards where Alice was, arriving there in less than a second. Bella glared at her sister as she went to Edward's side. Alice whispered, "I couldn't see, I couldn't tell."

"What is it, Alice?" Carlisle asked, his voice calm with the underlying tone of authority.

"What changed?" Jasper and Ariella asked, looking at each other in worry.

"They heard us playing, and it changed their path." Alice replied, contrite, as if she felt that it was her fault. Eight pairs of eyes, including Ariella's, glanced at Bella before looking away.

"How soon?"

The question was directed to any who could answer. Ariella was the first to, "Four minutes and 33 – no – 30 seconds."

Carlisle looked at her in surprise. Ariella continued with her ramblings. "It is too late for Edward to bring Bella back to the house. But it's not safe for her to stay here either. The only thing I can do to help is to protect her by shield, I don't have a spell that makes scents disappear."

"Do what you must." Edward pleaded. Ariella glanced at her sister and nodded her head.

"Disseptum Maxima." Ariella cast. The golden mist surrounded the wand for a brief moment, before floating over to where Bella was and surrounded her as well. After a few seconds, the mist dissipated. "Throw a rock at her."

"Uh – what?!" Bella yelled. Ariella rolled her eyes. She picked up a rock and threw it at her sister. Before the rock could even enter a meter's radius of her, it dissipated and crumbled to dust. The Cullens looked at each other in surprise.

"Was not expecting that." Rosalie marveled at the happenings.

"Alice, how many?" Emmett asked.

"Three." Alice, Edward and Ariella responded simultaneously.

"Three?" Emmett asked incredulously. "Let them come! We'll be enough if ever something unfortunate happens."

And so the game continued on, but there was already the tension that was building up from underneath. Ariella looked at her sister in worry. Shaking her head, Ariella continued umpiring with Esme, pretending as though nothing had happened. But, not even a few minutes later, the three nomads walked out from the forest, catching the ball that was thrown by the Cullens.

Everyone glanced at one another and immediately huddled in the middle with Bella placed at the back to attract less attraction. The man in the front was the one that caught the attention of Ariella the most. It was safe to say that he was the most good-looking one of the three, with olive skin and glossy black hair.

The woman had curly, chaotic red hair surrounding her. Her posture was distinctly feline. Her eyes darted from the men facing her, which made Bella and Ariella quite uneasy. The second male hovered unobtrusively behind them. He was slightly taller than the man with olive skin, and had light brown hair. They didn't possess the Cullens' golden eyes, but possessed deep burgundy ones that made the Swan sisters shiver. Ariella grasped Jasper's hand, seeking comfort.

She had no idea what was going to happen.