SPELLBOUND

Evie tilted her head to one side, wondering why Gavriel would make such a request out of her.

Gavriel took her hands in this and put the necklace which was already inside a small purse on her palm. "I don't want anyone, especially Lorcan and his men, to know about this. You understand Evie?" he said seriously. "Never let them see this… you can't give any more additional reasons for them to take interest in you. Not that they are not already interested in your person…" he hissed under his breath, sounding quite aggravated again. Evie could see Gavriel clench his teeth together in aggravation.

Feeling his aura becoming uncontrollable again, Evie quickly gripped the gem and then secured it in her pocket. Then she held his face with both her hands.

"You can be rest assured, I will never let them see it. I just wanted to keep it with me along with the dagger you gifted me." She told him as she smiled at him gently. "I just felt like these things you gave me are like my good luck charms. I feel that they can keep me safe as well."

As Evie hugged him tight again, a knock came and indicated that it was almost time for them to part. Their grip on each other tightened but eventually, they both let go. Gavriel interlocked his fingers with hers after fixing her coat and then he led her out of the quarters.

Everyone was standing at the top of the wall. The duchess and the duke were there too.

Zolan was busy talking to the duke and duchess while they waited for the prince. He leaned in on the duke and duchess when there were no vampires close enough to hear them and whispered. "Hear me my lord, my lady… you both must do everything to protect the princess. Keep in mind that she could be bearing His Highness' child right now. So no one should be able to know that the prince and the princess had already consummated their marriage. You need to make sure that everyone would believe the circulating rumours about Her Highness kicking the prince out of their chambers. All that everyone else need to do is to just support the princess' claims."

The duke and duchess were nodding intently, understanding what Zolan wanted them to do. The mention of the heir already possibly being conceived by the princess had made their reactions even more determined. This heir would be the hope of all their people who are supporting Prince Gavriel. As he is the last pure-blooded royal, it was imperative that the royal bloodline be secured as soon as possible. And if Evie does conceive, and providence playing a hand in it as well, the heir would very well be a mixed blood of a pure-blood royal and a human. Just the thought of that gives them the chills as there would be no telling how powerful the child would turn out to be. Thus, Evie's safety is of the utmost importance to them right now.

At that moment, the rain came a little heavier as Gavriel and Evie finally joined everyone.

Gavriel's grip on her hand tightened as they both fixed their gazes towards the gloomy and empty horizon where their enemies and her father would soon appear from.

A group of vampires then arrived. They were the watchers who were stationed at Darcria's border. With obvious fear in their faces, the soldiers immediately reported back to the fortress.

"T-they're coming, Your Highness!" their voices shook in fear and Evie felt Gavriel's body stiffened, and its not because of fear towards anyone but because their report was as good as them saying its time for them to part.

"And… and… the humans are with them! We believe the… the dragon guardian has come along with them too! Hence this strange rain that does not turn into snow!"

"Are you certain that the dragon guardian is with them?!" the duke questioned when another pair of vampires arrived, their faces looking even more horrified than the first group.

"Yes, My Lord! He's with them!" The second group just confirmed the news brought by the first scouting pair.

"Quickly! Follow after me!" the duke ordered, and the soldiers left the wall with the duke.

Evie swallowed and she tried her very best to calm the turmoil that surged inside her chest. She squared her shoulders. She cannot, must not waver now. Not in front of Gavriel. She must not show any doubt in front of him.

"G-gavri –" Before she could even face him, she was already yanked against his chest. And the first thing she felt the moment their bodies collided was the little tremors running through his body.

That was when she realized how terrible the impact of this parting was to them both. It was not just her that was affected this much, but Gavriel was as well. Evie's lips trembled despite her struggle to stop it, even going as far as to bite down on them as hard as she could, to the point of almost drawing blood. It was as if, at that moment, their souls were being ripped apart.

They were not truly going to be separated. It was just a temporary measure to overcome the problems they were facing with the emperor and her father. And despite knowing that, what she was feeling right now was beyond what she had expected. This was the first time Evie felt this kind of pain. She didn't know parting with someone you were madly in love with was this painful despite all the promises that you both will meet each other again.

As if they never wanted to part from the other, they embraced each other as tight as they could. Until Zolan's voice echoed in their ears. "It's time now, Your Highnesses." He said and Evie flinched. The lump in her throat was making it harder for her to speak but she swallowed and forced herself to.

"Gavriel…" she called out as she used every ounce of her strength to pull herself away. But he did not want to let her go. "It's time now, love." She added, caressing his back. "I'll wait for you." She forced a smile, "This wife of yours will wait patiently for her hero, so go now, Gav. For me."

With so much struggle within and without, Gavriel finally let her go. He gently bumped his forehead against hers as he held her shoulders. His eyes so intense as he stared hard at her, as if trying to burn her image into his retina permanently.

His throat worked up and down several times and his hands trembled as he spoke. "Wait for me, Evie. I won't take long… I promise." His voice came out hoarse and Evie smiled at him.

"I will. Promise."

The instant those words came out from her mouth, Gavriel's lips gently pressed on her forehead and then like a blur, he disappeared from her sight.