SPELLBOUND

Clenching her fists tight, Evie forced herself to take in deep breaths and calm down before deciding on how to proceed. Then she remembered how she had dealt with the same barrier back in Kirzan. Since that was the only option she has at the moment, she started performing the magic Claudius had taught her, in the hopes that it would work on this barrier as well.

To her distress, the magic did not seem to be working. Though she had somewhat expected it would be as such, it still caused her to feel a pang of disappointment. As for now, the ritual to awaken the tree of life could not be carried out so Evie and the then female light faes returned to the throne room, quiet and with faces that were gloomy. Those who were waiting for them to return were shocked as they did not expect the ritual to be completed that fast. Evie ignored the questioning glances and sat on her throne, brooding over the issue with the barrier.

She remembered that Claudius told her there were two types of barriers. He had mentioned that the protection barrier was easier to break if one was trying to break out from the inside. However, if one was coming in from the outside, breaking it would be impossible, especially if the caster was someone extremely powerful.

Remembering that information made Evie bite down on her lip so hard it nearly bled.. This barrier was exactly the same as the one Gav had used to keep her in that room in Kirzan. She was a hundred percent certain about it. This was the exact same dark magic that she always felt coming from him. And this infuriated her to no end. Why? What exactly was his purpose in doing this?

Evie fell silent for a long while, just clenching her fists tight as she wondered and thought more about the matter. Then suddenly she stood up and stormed out of the throne hall. Her face seemingly neutral but everyone could feel that something had displeased her terribly and angered her as they could sense her fluctuating aura as she moved past them.

The light faes did not dare question her and just cleared out a path for their queen. Every time she passed by them, they would lower their heads and only lift their faces again once their queen had passed them a couple steps ahead. 

Zolan was the one who approached her first as he walked up next to her. Of course, the light faes creased their brows in disapproval as they perceived the vampire's attitude to be disrespectful and flippant, but Zanya signalled them not to make a fuss about it.

"Princess, what's going on?" Zolan asked and Evie answered him without slowing down her pace as she headed outside with long, hasty strides.

"I don't know when, but Gav had put a barrier to prevent me from awakening the tree of life." She answered a little bitterly.

Her answer caused Zolan to sigh. "So, what are you going to do now, Your Highness?"

Evie did not answer him this time but only kept walking forward silently. Zolan respected her silence and followed behind her faithfully, waiting until she deemed it appropriate to tell him more. Once they were outside the castle, Evie shut her eyes close and in no time at all, her dragons arrived. She had used her magic to summon them. Silver and Crimson came swooping in and landed perfectly before them.

"Terrific! The princess can summon two dragons at one go now!" One of the vampires exclaimed, wheezing in amazement. They then wondered if the princess could actually call more then just two dragons at a time. Their hearts could not help but lurch and pound with much thrill as they imagined their princess summoning the whole flight of dragons who were under her command. What a magnificent sight it would be when that day comes!

"You all can ride on Crimson." Evie told the vampires and then she climbed onto Silver's back, and they immediately set off.

The light faes followed a few paces behind them. The female ones took to flight with their butterfly-like wings while the male ones spread out their bat-like white coloured wings.

By the time they reached the gates of Crescia, Evie was once again angered because there was suddenly another barrier that appeared out of nowhere now. And this time, Evie immediately realized this barrier was a prison barrier because the magic Claudius taught her was not working, despite her trying to get out from the inside this time.

Gritting her teeth furiously, she faced the vampires with eyes blazing as though it could spit out fire. They were shocked to see the princess looking like this as they have never seen her this enraged. 

"How did this happen? Did Gav actually followed you when you brought me here?" Evie asked them. "From what I have been told, he did not come along with us, right? So, what's the deal here?" The men could tell that Evie was getting a little impatient and wanted answers.

"He did, princess. But only until the border." Samuel answered in his deep serious voice as he was the one who felt the prince's presence during their journey. "He stopped following us after we crossed it."

"Then how…" Evie trailed off as she stared helplessly at that irritating barrier that was in her way. Her eyes then widened as a white light flashed in her mind and she suddenly thought of one other option she could try.

She quickly turned and climbed on Silver's back again. Then she brought the dragon up into the sky, beyond the gloomy and thick clouds. As she rode higher, her hopes soared together with their growing height.

Alas! She could only smile bitterly as the dragon too was stopped by a barrier that domed above the clouds above. It was the very same prison barrier that was holding them back at the gates.

"So, this was what you were up to the last time when we were here, huh…" Evie murmured, as a depreciating smile curved her lips. She was in disbelief and anger. Realizing that she was not the only with hidden agendas the last couple of days and nights made her bury her face on her palms, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. 

"So, you actually sent me here to imprison me, huh? Are you going to claim that doing this will protect me again, huh, Gav?" she gritted her teeth as she felt like wanting to scream and vent out her frustration with that impossibly stubborn male. "Why do you always do this to me?!" 

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