SPELLBOUND

Gavrael who was nearby and had overheard everything that Claudius had explained to both his wife and his mother, immediately left as soon as he saw the pained look on Evie's face. 

The moment he was inside the forbidden library, his already leaking dark magic he had barely kept hidden inside his barrier a while ago now violently burst out of control as though it was a fire that had a life of its own. He slammed his clenched fist against the wall of the pitch-black entrance of the forbidden library. 

"No!" Gavrael hissed. "There must be another way around that! Gavriel is right, we'll definitely find a better way to do it!" 

His blue orbs blazed, remembering how Evie's face looked like before he left as he pushed back from the wall and entered the narrow and dark hallway coated with his protective dark magic. The pained look on Evie's face was permanently and firmly etched in his mind now… he would do anything to make her feel at ease again. He would be willing to go through that ritual now. He believed that their bond will be triggered but to hell with that consequence! Why must there be a price to be paid too when it worked?! F*cking dark magic!!! 

He would definitely not mind that temporary consequence, but knowing Evie, she would postpone the ritual until this problem with the war is solved. He was thinking of insisting on going ahead with it, but he was worried about her. She is currently pregnant and what if she ends up suffering the pain instead of getting just memory loss? 

A frustrated groan echoed inside the library before he shook his head, took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down. Remembering what Gavriel had told him earlier, that information from others might not be as accurate as what had been written in the books in this forbidden place, Gavrael slowly managed to calm down. That is right, he is going to find an answer in here. It is just too early to give up on it for now. There must be another way that Claudius knew nothing about!

…

Time passed by and Queen Beatrice had brought Evie out from the palace to sightsee around the city to distract her from her dark thoughts on the mating bond. 

It was such nice move as Evie and her vampire men were now absorbed in helping her men find a weapon that was imbued with dark magic that they could use. The queen had a soft spot towards these vampires as well and she looked at them as though they were also her young ones. 

Since she met up with them in Yryzia, she recalled the nostalgic feeling. It made her very happy, seeing the numbers of vampires with them now. And she wanted these men to be able to protect themselves well against magical monstrous beings. 

Beatrice had felt that they were not the average vampires she was used to. They were very strong. But she still worried about them, knowing how little a damage raw power would cause to the monsters without the help of any dark magic. Therefore, she had thought of this. Where she would give these men a worthy weapon they could use in their fight with the monsters. 

"I think this blade suits you best," Evie mention thoughtfully as Reed showed her two swords and asked the queen to help him choose between the two. "I feel like the dark magic on this one is stronger." She touched the sword with the greenish black blade as she said that, and Reed's smile widened. 

"I believe so too, Your Majesty. Thank you. Then I'll choose this one!" the young man said excitedly. 

"Your Majesty! Help me choose too!!" Levy's voice echoed loudly as he rushed towards Evie, but Zolan grabbed at Levy's collar from the back to stop his advance. 

"Don't be so insolent Levy, can't you see she's looking for something for herself too? If you need help, ask us. Don't ask the queen you, dimwit. Also, people are watching. The queen might not mind, but these dark faes might think we're treating our queen like she's our equal or something." Zolan scolded him with a low voice and Levy immediately pouted though he did stop trying to run off into Evie's direction. 

He did not argue anymore as he realized that the dark faes were really watching after giving a quick sweep of his eyes to their surroundings. He would never do anything to make these people think badly of their queen! No way! 

"I think you should choose this," Queen Beatrice was the one who spoke up, surprising not only Levy but all the vampires. 

They had felt Queen Beatrice's kindness towards them since they were in Yryzia and they felt such a strange feeling towards her. This woman was the last pure blooded vampire royalty. She would have been their queen in the northern empire since long ago if she was not here. 

The vampires were a bit stunned. They were thrown a little off and did not quite know how to act before this queen who was their king's royal mother. 

"I think with your physique, a longer but lighter sword would be fitted for you." Queen Beatrice continued, touching the sword that was held in Levy's right hand. "This dark magic in this sword will increase your speed and also have a potent poison meant for the monsters." 

"I… I see… I understand Your… Your Majesty. I'll choose this one then. Thank… thank you, Your Majesty." Levy stammered and Beatrice smiled gracefully. 

"I'm in fact amazed with your choices. It's like you guys already know what you already needed." Beatrice said as her gaze fell to the weapons in their hands. 

The vampires awkwardly nodded until Evie joined the conversation, pressing her lips tight at the awkward silence of her usually talkative men. She was trying her best not to laugh out loud at their awkwardness.

"They're still a bit shy towards you, mother. They're acting a bit cute sometimes but most of the times, they can be quite a chaotic bunch." Evie whispered to Beatrice before giggling, knowing that the vampires could clearly hear her every words. Some of them flushed red and looked away. 

Beatrice laughed fondly, enjoying the look on the men's faces. "Indeed, I can tell that they're a fun bunch to be with." 

And they continued their weapon shopping until the day ended and the king returned. Evie and Beatrice went out to welcome their husbands with the two of them quite thrilled to talk to them about the bow. 

"Where is Gav?" Evie asked at the realization that Gav was not with the king.

"Ah, he came back earlier. He must still be in –"

"I'm here, love.." Gav's voice cut off the King's words and he appeared right next to Evie.