Ariana hesitated as Dylan rolled himself off the ground, brushing dirt off his shirt with exaggerated drama. Finally, she called out tentatively, "Umm… Princess?"
Sheila turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "What?"
Ariana fidgeted, trying to choose her words carefully. "You, uh… don't seem to like Liam very much. Is there, um, a problem between you two?"
Sheila's piercing gaze lingered on Ariana for a moment, making her shift uncomfortably. "If there is, what does that have to do with you?"
"Nothing! I mean, not really," Ariana stammered. "It's just… well, Liam seems like a nice guy, and I don't get why you'd hate him."
Sheila let out a dry laugh, folding her arms. "Oh, is that so? Let's see if you still think he's so nice when you learn he's a dark magic user." Her voice was sharp, her tone dripping with disdain.
Ariana blinked, taken aback. "Uh… okay?" She tilted her head, clearly confused. "But… what's wrong with him being a dark magic user?"
