SPELLBOUND

Fully sated now after few more rounds of love making, Evie was contentedly resting her head against Gav's chest while he leaned back on the cushioned headboard and was fondly caressing her hair. Despite their long hours of exercise, neither of them looked sleepy or tired yet. Instead, they seemed to be more refreshed than ever.

"Gav…" Evie called his name softly, running her fingers in little circles on his toned muscles. 

"Hmm…?" He replied indulgently.

"How did you enter the portal?" she asked, and the room went silent. She had been meaning to ask him about this ever since he appeared before her. And now, after the more important matters between them had been dealt with, it was the perfect time to ask him.

"Honestly, I'm not quite sure how it happened as well. The portal was already opened when I arrived there, and I didn't even have to do anything to have it allow me to enter." Gavriel explained. His voice sounded neutral. "I didn't feel any effects on me at all even after I had crossed it. I believe, perhaps the magic that is holding the portals steady are now wearing out and the barrier that separates the dark fae's land and the light fae's land is now crumbling." 

"Do you have a theory why it is crumbling only now?" Evie asked, wanting to know Gav's thoughts though she herself had some suspicions on it once hearing him say the portals were affected.

"I've thought of two reasons. The first reason is that the dark fae king and the light fae queen who had created the barrier in the past must have set a time limit for these portals to exist. Maybe they had made it such so that the barrier will dissolve on its own after a certain amount of time had already passed. Or perhaps the magic that they had bound the portal with wasn't meant to last forever. My second guess is, it might have something to do with that current problem that the Under Lands are facing right now, that mysterious Abyss of Darkness. And I am leaning more along the second guess."

Evie nodded at that. "I too am suspecting that it could be more along the lines of having to do with that abyss." Gavriel only hummed at her comment and his brows creased a little.

"Did you already talk to your father about this issue?" Evie asked again and Gav nodded. 

"Yes, I have already told him about it when we went and surveyed the abyss." 

"I wanted to go see the abyss too…" 

"If possible, I don't want you going to such a place, Evie." Gavriel's voice became a little weak and worried. Evie noticed that Gav's tone, whenever he tells her not to go or do something was always weaker now. Unlike before, that he would insist on what he thinks was the best way to keep her safe. "It's very risky and the place is like a very dangerous volcano. It is obvious that it might erupt anytime soon, but we just can't tell exactly when. All we know is that it will erupt sooner or later." 

"Are you going to stop me if I still want to go and have a look?" she asked carefully and Gavriel was quiet for a moment. 

"No," he eventually said. "I will respect your wishes no matter how hard it is for me. However, if you still insist on going to have a look, I will be coming along with you as well." 

Evie rose and looked into his eyes, thankful for having a husband that supported her in her personal endeavours. She knew how hard it was for him to supress his natural instincts to bar her from going anywhere that might be even remotely dangerous, much less to the abyss. However, out of love for her, he would willingly supress his instincts and consent to her requests.

He smiled slightly at her and caressed her face lovingly. His eyes gleaming in the dark with a quiet and calm yet seemingly dangerous intensity.

"I will protect you and our child, Evie… with everything that I have." He said and he pulled her to him and kissed her forehead. "In this war, I have a feeling that we can't do much about it but fight it head on. This isn't just a war for the dark faes… this is a war that could destroy the entire land of Lirea." 

"I am thinking the same way too. We must all work together to stop my vision from coming true. I believe that if we all work together, including Gideon, we will be able to seal that abyss." 

Gavriel went quiet again at the mention of Gideon that Evie could not help but feel curious at what he was thinking. "A penny for your thoughts?" she finally prodded him after he kept silent for a long while.

"Yes, you're right. We all need to work together." He said eventually while nodding, but in a seemingly absentminded tone. 

"Gav… what do you think about Gideon's role in this?"

"I'm… I'm not certain yet. He's a mysterious being. And I still can't figure out what could have triggered the war that you saw in your dreams when Gideon can control and command those monsters so easily."

"Actually, Gideon's friend, Lord Kione, had earlier on told me his theory about what Gideon was aiming for. Kione had informed me back then that Gideon had planned it such that he wanted you to kill him. And that was why we tried to stop him."

"That's why you said all those things in that letter."

"Yes. We had thought that if you somehow managed to kill him or something happens to him, his death might have caused the monsters to wreak havoc since they seem to be protecting him."

Gavriel fell silent for a while before shaking his head. "I don't think that's what he's aiming for. As in for me to kill him."

"Well, right now, I think his aim has already changed because of Vera being here. I believe he has gotten rid of his wish to die now."

"That might be true… but I don't think he had wanted me to kill him anyway. He knew that no one could kill him and that his monsters will destroy anyone who even tries to attack him. I just don't think that's what he's planning all this time."

Evie had also realized that. The longer she encountered Gideon, the more she realized that Gideon was just too complicated to be figured out like that. 

"But… why then had he wanted you to come here? He had told me himself that he kidnapped me to lure you –"

Evie bit down on her lip at the realization of what she had just said.

"I already know about him abducting you." Gavriel just said and Evie grinned apologetically. 

"He's very careful of me when he kidnapped me, don't worry." Evie explained and Gavriel sighed. 

"I still want to punch him hard when there's a chance."

"You still didn't answer my question."

"I am not sure. I am planning to interrogate him once he's back here."

"Really? You have no theory why?" Evie lifted a brow. Knowing her husband, he must have one or two theories about the reason why. 

"Enough with the theories for now, my dear wife. They're just theories anyway."

"Your theories mostly end up being facts though." Evie grumbled a little, not believing for a moment that Gav had no idea on the matter.

"It's hard to figure out Gideon. I'm sure you know that. I'll definitely tell you more once I'm sure of it. So just rest now, my love. You need it." his voice reduced to a whisper at the end as he moved to scoop her into his arms again. 

"Alright, alright. But I have one more question. The last one. After this, I'll sleep." Evie grinned mischievously as she said that.

"Alright. The last one, okay?" Gavriel sighed in surrender and Evie smiled. But she became serious almost immediately.

"How did you find that other portal you crossed to come here?" 

___

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