SPELLBOUND

Vera blinked and thought that maybe she was just shocked into freezing up or something. She then looked at the man before her. She could tell that he was unhappy with what she had said, but she did not know why. As she tried to take another step backward, her body did not respond as she expected. She was truly frozen! Was it this man – she had heard Azrael call him Gideon earlier – that was responsible for causing this? Her heartbeat suddenly picked up, worrying if she had just inadvertently gotten herself out of one sticky situation and into another one. It was not long that she was being chased after by the disgusting viscount and then finally managing to be rid of him, courtesy of Gideon, of course. 

However, her situation now somehow seemed to be jumping out of the pan and into the fire. The very same person who had 'saved' her from being victimised by the viscount has now put her under some spell that kept her bound and not being able to move. Seeing his cold and unyielding eyes only made her shudder internally, wondering if he was sick of her denials and pleas of trying to go along with them. Though at the end, she only said that she would wait there for Azrael to return and not cling unto him, he did not seem to be glad about it. He did not seem to like the idea of her wanting to wait for his companion, Azrael to come back for her. Could it be that he hated her so much that even if she was not following him, but his companion, it was still so unbearable for him?

She looked at him with pleading eyes. As she could not move, she also could not talk. Vera desperately wanted to shout out to him, telling him to leave her here alone. It was fine for her to wait here until Azrael comes back to get her. She used her eyes and tried her best to convey the message to him. 'I will wait here. Don't bother about me. I'll wait for Azrael. You go do your thing.' Vera looked at him meaningfully, using her eyes to will the message across with her whole heart and body and soul, hoping that those words she had thought with all her strength would get through to him. 

All the while, Gideon was standing there, looking at Vera. He had been caught up in a whirr of jumbled emotions after hearing the girl say that she would wait there for Azrael. Those baby blues of hers looking at him so warily and her voice so trusting as she mentioned his companion, only fuelled those confusing thoughts running amok in his mind. He was so caught up in his thoughts that after casting the immobility spell on her, he had blanked out for a while.

When he came to, he saw her looking at him with those blue eyes, widened so large as she stared at him without blinking, that he knew she was wanting to say something. Looking at her expressive eyes and how she was straining against his spell, he guessed that she was telling him something along the lines of leaving her there and she waiting for Azrael. Nodding to himself, he decided on some things that he had thought on. 

As Vera saw Gideon nodding, she thought that her message had gotten across. However, she did not know why there was a sudden pang of pain when she thought he would be leaving her alone here. But she told herself that it was alright, she is used to this. People kept walking out of her life, and she was okay with it. Letting out a breath, she stared at Gideon, waiting for him to walk off. After waiting for some time, thinking that he would leave soon, however, he somehow did not. 

Instead, he used his magic to suspend her in the air as he walked toward a particular direction he had decided on. 

'Wait! Where are you going? Why are you bringing me along?!' Vera was shouting all this out in her head. She was shocked. Was he not going to leave her there on her own? Does this mean that he was indirectly telling her she was allowed to tag along and follow him? 

Vera could not help but feel a sudden surge of exhilaration and delight welling up in her heart, threatening to overflow and send her into a giddy spiral. She did not know why such a simple and unspoken gesture could make her fall into such a cheerful tizzy. Her saviour is willingly bringing her along with him! She prayed that these were not mere dreams that were happening to her. It would be such a devastating blow if she woke up and found that what she is going through now was not a reality.

However, as minutes passed, Vera was still here. It was not a dream! She was still suspended and immobile as she was pulled along behind Gideon as he walked before her. She had no idea where he was headed to but at the moment, she did not mind the least. She could only stare steadily at his back. 

After moving for some time, Vera noticed that they had approached something that looked like a round section in the air that had a view different from their surroundings. The air surrounding the circular opening seemed to be slightly distorted. 

'Oh my god! What is this?' Vera shouted out in her mind. This was the only thing she could think of when looking at that fantastical view. She was brimming over with questions and wanted to get answers from Gideon. Sadly, she was still under the spell, and he did not volunteer any information. 

They then crossed the portal. Still not speaking, Gideon then spread out his large wings and flew. Vera naturally followed behind him like a floating doll. 

As they travelled through the skies, Vera was shocked at the different scenes that passed before her eyes. They seemed to have gone to a whole different world. She could not recognise this as anything familiar from the human kingdom. She prayed that this is not a dream again, nor was she going crazy. 

As she looked around, she realised that they had landed. And before them there was a body of water. Vera wondered if they were stopping here for a break. Gideon seemed to be heading to the river. When they reached the riverbank, he then proceeded to unceremoniously drop her into the gleaming waters of the crystal-clear river. 

Landing into the shockingly cool waters and having it splashed into her face, Vera was shocked. That was so uncouth of him! She did not think he would literally dump her into the river without any warning. In her annoyance, with eyes sparking blue flames, she turned to him with the intention of giving him a piece of her mind. It was then that she realised she could move!

She turned around to look for him to find that he was sitting on top of a stone, looking down at her. She realised that he was still somewhat in control of her as she was able to be held afloat in the waters and was not sinking. 

She opened her mouth to speak but found that she could not do so. Flashing him an annoyed look, she pursed her lips and pouted. She had wanted to ask him why he had dropped her into the river. Was he washing her because he felt that she was filthy?

With a flick of his hand, he lifted her out of the water and stared at her feet. He then dipped her into the water again. Vera was confused at his actions that seemed to be spurred out of nothing. What was he doing with her? He lifted her again after leaving her soaking in the cool waters for a little longer. Vera noticed him focussing again on her feet and saw his displeased look on his face. 

Gideon frowned at the realisation that she was not healing. This was the river which had magical properties of healing that could work on every living thing in the Under Lands. However, this magic cannot be used to cure humans? 

He silently stood and Vera realised that there was now a large swath of dark smoke that was wrapping around her. It felt as though she was being encased in a protective pouch. Looking over at the ever-silent man, she saw him extending his powerful and magnificent wings again. 

Spreading his wings with an impressive wingspan, he flew into the skies again, taking Vera along. Where is he taking her to, now?

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