SPELLBOUND

"Of course." His eyes gleamed with pure amusement as he landed on the roof top of a certain castle. Evie waited for him to leap again and when he didn't move, she lifted her face to look at him. She regretted immediately because his eyes held hers in an intense but still somehow sad gaze now. "You're not angry with me, anymore?" he asked.

When Evie couldn't find her voice, he looked at her while patiently awaiting her response. And then he sat on top of the watchtower's edge, with her in his lap.

"Still angry?" he whispered again after a long while of silence, causing Evie to swallow. She managed to pull her eyes off him and when she looked down, wonder filled her eyes. She felt like she had been transported to a different world. She had never once thought or imagined that a night could be this alive and vivacious.

'So, this is how the world looks like when everyone doesn't sleep and rest at night.' She thought to herself. Because this vampire's capital had so many bigger castles compared to any human cities she had ever seen, the lights from the castles and the big houses and the streets spread throughout the land as far as she could see.

The view was so different and breath-taking, but it still wasn't enough to distract her from the man holding her.

"W-why did we stop?" she asked instead.

"Because it's not good if we reached home while you're still angry with me."

Evie blinked at him again as she creased her brows. "Was that… vampires' belief?"

"Well…" Gavriel tilted his head slightly. "Yes. It's our castle's long tradition that a husband shouldn't bring an angry wife home, and vice versa. They said that's a bad luck that could ruin the household."

"What? Vampires believe in bad luck?!!" Evie's eyes were wide in disbelief.

When he chuckled again, Evie puffed her cheeks. "You're tricking me, aren't you?"

"No. I am trying to soothe your anger."

Evie could no longer keep her expression in check, and she buried her face in her palms to hide her expression. What should she do? Was she really doomed now? Oh please, Evie… hold your ground!

"I… I am not angry with you anymore." She uttered in a small voice.

"Really?" his voice sounded worried, but she nodded frantically. All she wanted now was for them to go back so she could escape from his clutches. If they were to stay here any longer than this…

"Yes. So, let's go home now, Gavriel. Please." Her voice was so weak it was barely a whisper.

Gavriel silently stared at her as she continued hiding her face in her hands. He lifted his hand and was about to touch her hair that was being blown about by the breeze, but he stopped. He retracted his hand and finally, he stood.

Without a word he leapt, and it didn't take long for them to reach Gavriel's castle. As soon as Gavriel put Evie down, Evie curtsied to her husband and wished him goodnight before immediately running towards the grand staircase without turning back.

As soon as Evie's back disappeared from his view, Gavriel ran his fingers through his raven black hair. "Elias." He called out as his silver-grey eyes sharpened.

"Yes, Your Highness." Elias appeared before him.

"I need you to investigate Lady Thea's motive on refusing to break our engagement. I need results as soon as possible."

Though Elias looked surprised, he didn't dare ask further questions. "Yes, Your highness."

Once Elias was gone, another man appeared before Gavriel. It was Zolan. The most intelligent of his men. "What is it?"

"The emperor has started his move, Your Highness."

Gavriel smiled. But it was a smile way far from the kind of smile he had showed to Evie. His smile that moment was sinister and screaming with dark and wicked amusement. "Gather everyone in the hall." He ordered and Zolan gave a curt nod.

...

As soon as Evie rushed in, she closed the doors to their chambers. She then rested her arms against the wall and leaned her forehead there, feeling totally drained emotionally. Her mind and heart were in chaos; the kind of chaos she didn't know how to deal with. She wasn't prepared for something like this. God knows how she had worked so hard for many days to learn everything that was related to vampires, their customs, habits and whatever she could get her hands on, all just to help her survive in the vampire's land. She had even trained herself on how to deal with her fears and how to react if it overtakes her. A general even made her memorize the exact words she should say if and when any vampires threaten or blackmail her to divulge information about the dragon keeper, her father. It was these kinds of extreme matters which had been the main content of her brain for days before her wedding.

Never in a million years would she have even imagined that there would come a time that she had to deal with something completely different and non-related. She never thought she would end up having to deal with herself first, more specifically the matters of her own heart, that had already started rebelling against herself. What should she do?