SPELLBOUND

Evie raised her brow at Gav's question. She had not expected him to ask that at all. Then she narrowed her eyes slightly at him.

"You think I'm looking for a female?" Evie asked. She wanted to think Gav had asked that because he was just hoping it was not a man and that he was just being jealous about this person she had been referring to as the 'most important'. However, for some reason, Evie felt as though that was not really the reason behind his question right now. Somehow, she did not know how, but she had a strong hunch that he had asked her about that not out of jealousy but because of something else. And that churning feeling in her gut made her really hesitant in answering straight up about the question that was posed to her. If it were in any normal situation, she would not have thought twice and would have just immediately answered him without any hesitance. But she held back the uneasiness and calmed her heart, deciding to trust in her husband.

"Hmm…" Gavriel hummed at her response and after meeting her suspicious gaze that was mixed in with curiosity as well, he bent and whispered into her ear. "Well, I am hoping it's a female. Because if it really was a man and with you calling him 'the most important', then I'll be crazy jealous, of course. How could I not be when my wife is looking for the 'most important' man and that person is not me? Hmm?" he tried to explain himself and Evie was mute, not knowing how to respond.

She did not know whether to laugh or not, but the fact that he was just apparently jealous somehow made her feel quite relieved. At least there seemed to be no other complicated reason behind it. Evie really did not want anything that could complicate things further at this point. Especially if it affected the relationship between them both. Things were already so strained and tense, and she had so much on her plate that she did not need more things to be piled on.

"My beloved husband," Evie caught his face and pressed his forehead against hers and just stayed there for a few moments to savour the feeling. Then she pinched his cheeks. "I can't believe you're still being jealous like this at this point in our relationship. I didn't say that man is the most important of all. He's just the most important among all the men who I am looking for, understood?" she then pretended to be angry and hmphed at him.

"So… that most important person really is a man, huh? I hope he's ugly." He commented succinctly and Evie could not help but laugh and shake her head helplessly at him.

"And what if he ends up not being as ugly as you had hoped? You're not going to plan to do something silly, are you?" Evie squinted her eyes at him.

"Well, if he dares lay eyes on you, that'd be a given."

"Geez… you really…" Evie trailed off when she saw King Belial and Queen Beatrice approaching. "Oh, they're here."

Gavriel looked over his shoulder and then he planted a kiss on Evie's cheek before he shut his eyes. Just as he switched places with Gavrael again, he quickly told Gavrael these words. "You were right, it was a male. And I think that the man you had told me about must really be the same man Evie is looking for."

When Gav open his eyes again, his grey orbs now had turned vividly blue.

"Is everything ready now, my dear daughter?" Queen Beatrice's voice echoed across the room and Gavrael watched Evie smile back at his mother.

The family then immediately set off and materialized right in the middle of the camp.

"Father, I think we should go check on it one more time before letting Evie enter." Gavrael said suddenly, causing King Belial to turn and stare at his son.

Evie also looked at Gav with questions in her eyes. They had already checked the abyss before they called them over. So why was he asking to do this again?

"Gav…" Evie squeezed his arm. "It's fine. King Belial had just checked on the abyss a while ago. Didn't he just come from there?" She reminded him.

"Well, I think my son is right, Queen Evielyn." The king agreed, "It wouldn't hurt to just run one more check again in order to be really sure everything's alright."

Evie could only fall silent as the king agreed with Gav's suggestion and asked her and Queen Beatrice to wait for them again.

"We'll be right back, real quick." King Belial said and the father and son duo, along with a few other lords and generals jumped into the abyss.

"So? What is the matter, son?" The king asked Gavrael as they were diving into the darkness. He knew his son had requested this for a reason. He would not have done it on a whim.

Gavrael immediately used his magic to set a soundproof barrier between them as soon as they reached the ground.

"I need to speak with you about something." Gavrael's face was a little severe now.

The King had already sensed the tension in his son's aura as he and Beatrice were approaching them in the room. So since Gav had looked at him as he told him to check on the abyss again, he had quickly agreed, knowing that something serious was bothering Gavrael.

"Tell me about it, son."

"About that man…" Gavrael hesitated. His expression darkening. "Do you know where he is right now?"

"That man… ?" King Belial was unsure who Gavrael was referring to.

"Klauz." Gavrael hissed that name out as if he loathed the action of even saying it aloud.

King Belial's eyes stretched and then slowly, his gaze became as severe as Gavrael's. He also looked as though the mere mention of that name was enough to make his blood boil. "Why are you asking me about that bastard of all creatures right now?" Belial growled out in agitation.

Gavrael looked like he was getting more agitated than the king himself now.

"I think he's the man Evie's been looking for."