to pull him off to no avail. Mom moans in pain from underneath him. I jump onto his back in panic, not knowing what to do. I was panicking; I couldn’t even remember how to conjure fire! I couldn’t think in that moment. So I just tighten my grip on his fur. He bites my arm and I roll off him in pain. I was slipping in and out of consciousness, and everything becomes blurry until I submerge in total darkness.
I wake up in a hospital bed. I look around and see Emma and Sebastion sleeping on the extra bed and sofa, respectively. Sitting on a chair on my other side is my grandfather. I clear my throat as I try to speak. “Where’s mom?” I ask hoarsely.
Grandfather gets up and walks over to me, taking my hand. “How are you feeling Arabella?”
“Where’s mom?” I ask again, worried about her.
“I sent her back to Aquarian Falls, she needed a lot of healing, no mortal would have been able to help her otherwise.”
“But she’s okay?”
“Yes my dear.”
I exhale in relief. “What happened?” I ask.
“The wolf that came that night was indeed Jake and Riley’s father. Jake was the one who told his father, unaware that his father hunts our kind. I arrived just in time to save your mother. I’m sorry Arabella, but you and your brother must return to Aquarian Falls, our world will keep you safe.”
“How long have I been here?” I ask, feeling groggy.
“Several hours, my dear,” he grimaces.
I notice my arm is completely healed from the wolf bite. Grandfather must have healed my wound.
“Why am I in hospital and not in Aquarian Falls?”
“Ray brought you here, when I took your mother home.”
I look over at Emma. She and Sebastion were still sleeping despite our conversation.
“What happens to Emma and her father?” I ask worriedly.
“I spoke to her father, after my return and I have explained everything. You’ll be happy to know that they will be coming with us - a first for our kind to welcome mortals - but Emma is loyal and Ray poses no threat. Our kind agreed to help them.”
“Really?” I ask excitedly, maybe a little too excitedly, because Emma wakes up. She comes over with misted eyes and gives me a bone-crushing hug, her worry over my state the last couple of days apparent in her features.
“You’re coming with us!” I cry with happiness, hugging her back.
“Yeah babe, I’m coming with you!” she beams back.
I was so excited to see our world, to see my mom, and live in a world where I can use my magic and learn further with my best friend at my side.
Sebastion soon wakes up, rubbing his eyes.
“Arabella,” he shouts happily, “You’re finally awake!”
“Hey Sebastion.” I reply, marvelling at how he’s taking things so well.
“Guess what?”
“What?”
“We’re from another world, did you know I’m a warlock, and you’re a witch? Grandfather says I wasn’t supposed to know yet, but with the werewolf, he had no choice but to tell me.”
“Actually, she’s an enchantress, a little different to just the regular witch, son.” Grandfather corrects with a fond smile in his direction.
“Oh, that’s cool, but we have powers!” Reiterates Sebastion quite enthusiastically.
I couldn’t help but giggle. A nurse then enters the room.
“Good morning Arabella, I’m Dr Harris,” she smiles warmly.
“Good morning.”
“I’m just going to give you a quick look over, and you should be discharged in no time,” she says as she places her cold stethoscope upon my chest.
After some routine check-ups, she gives us the verdict. “Great news Arabella, you can go home as soon you’re ready.” She turns to my grandfather, “Don’t worry, she’ll be fine,” she states with assurance as she shakes grandfather’s hand.
“Thank you,” he says gratefully.
I gather my belongings and get dressed. As I walk out of the double glass doors and out into the fresh breeze, I see Riley and Jake standing there with worried expressions. I gulp nervously.
“Stay away from my granddaughter,” Grandfather rebukes harshly.
“Please sir, we would never want Arabella hurt, we had no idea who our father was. He has deserted us. We’re leaving Edgewood and returning to New York to live with our mom. Arabella, I’m so sorry,” explains a forlorn Riley.
Emma walks over to Jake and wraps herself in his arms; she can tell that he genuinely didn’t tell his father out of spite.
“We’ll get the car and when we’re back, it’s best that you two are ready,” commands grandfather sternly, glaring at Riley and Jake.
I look at Riley. His face was sad and his eyes empty. I couldn’t believe his father just left them like that - something else we have in common; we’re both fatherless and hide a secret. I slowly walk over to him. I know in my heart that he would never want me hurt. I believed that he loved me. It didn’t take long for me to wrap myself in his arms, and let the tears flow.
“Arabella,” he sniffles, holding me tightly. Was he crying? I peek up at him, tears welling up in his eyes.
“Arabella, I’m truly sorry this happened. I hate him for doing what he did, for who is he is. You must know that Jake and I are not like him, and I truly hope your mom will be okay,” he says apologetically.
“It’s okay, I believe you,” I console him as I enjoy his embrace, savouring our last moments together.
Grandfather and Ray pull up next to us in the car with Sebastion in the back, staring at us. Emma cries as she kisses Jake goodbye.
This is it. The end of what I thought would be a happily ever after. That’s it now? We’re instantly forbidden lovers? This isn’t fair.
I weep in Riley’s arms and try to be strong. I slowly let go and step back, looking at the tears that were silently streaming down his face. He looks away and turns around, walking away with dragged footsteps as if forcing himself to walk away from me. Jake joins him and swings his arm around Riley’s neck, both heads hanging in sadness.
“Arabella, let’s go,” Grandfather urges firmly. Emma was already in the car, crying her eyes out.
I wipe my tears and put all my emotions aside as Grandfather drives us from the hospital to Edgewood forest.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
The car stops, and we all proceed to get out. Grandfather starts walking and I look at Emma, Sebastion and Ray; they were just as curious, yet excitement shone in their eyes. We quickly follow my grandfather, who led us deep into Edgewood forest.
Grandfather suddenly comes to a halt, and holds his hand up. Emma looks at me in confusion and I respond with a slight shrug.
“Wow!” shrieks Sebastion suddenly.
“This is incredible.” Says Ray in awe.
I look around to see beautiful fireflies slowly lift from the ground and merge together. Emma’s mouth was wide open, which made me giggle silently. I turn my attention back to the stunning fireflies, and watch them form into a doorframe. They start to separate slowly to reveal a door, literally a door, in the middle of Edgewood forest! The fireflies then completely separate and fly away. I wanted to see what was beyond that door. Curiously, I move my head to look around as Grandfather slowly opens the door. However, there seemed to be a veil of beautiful blue and purple ombré fog beyond the door. Grandfather turns to look back at us.
“You all ready?” he asks.
As we stand there before the portal, I look at each and every one, faces excited, curious, and anxious, not knowing what to expect past the fog. Emma grips my hand and glances at me with a nervous smile.
“You ready?” I ask her.
“I think so.”
Sebastion goes through first, completely disappearing behind the fog.
“Hurry!” Grandfather yells suddenly, with a tone of panic in his voice.
“Why? What’s wrong?” I ask in alarm.
“They’re coming.” His voice turns grim as he p
ushes Ray towards the portal.
“C’mon Emma,” yells Ray with a note of urgency in his voice.
“She’ll be there, go through now, you’re wasting time. Girls hurry up!” He shouts as he comes behind us, and pushes us towards the door, looking behind us with trepidation, “The wolves are coming.”
Emma’s hand lets go of mine as she goes through the portal, and grandfather pushes me next after her. I fall through the portal and land on the grass on my hands and knees. I quickly look back at the portal and am left stunned.
The portal I fell through was not the portal we saw on the other end. It’s amazing! Emma helps me to my feet and holds my hand, equally amazed at what she is seeing. Ray stands beside Emma and holds her hand, while Sebastion comes to my left and holds mine, linking us in a loose line. The four of us are shell-shocked, utterly astonished at what we were seeing. I’m utterly speechless. We just stand there staring as we wait for grandfather to come through. Before our eyes was a huge wisteria tree, beautiful bright pink in colour, the tree trunk itself acting as the door in which we came from - it was open, hollow so to speak. The wisteria tree was glowing with beautiful swirls of glowing purple, pink and blue fog inside the hollow tree trunk. Wow, what a magical sight. I think to myself.
Grandfather jumps out through the portal and quickly turns back to face it, with his hands up, and yells something. The trunk is no longer hollow; it just looks like an ordinary tree trunk now.
Grandfather releases a sigh of relief and a crown slowly appears on his head.
“Grandfather are you ok?” I ask worriedly.
“The werewolves, they know I killed their leader, they seek revenge.”
I look at