SPELLBOUND

"Hmm…" Belial feigned being thoughtful. "If you can't forgive me, then I can't do anything about it. My sin is already done and if saying sorry is not enough then I don't think bribes or gifts, or any atonement will work as well. I don't beg and chase people for forgiveness except for my wife."

Evie raised a brow. "This means, you've done something wrong to my mother-in-law and you had begged and chased after her for forgiveness before, am I right?" She said in a taunting tone, really enjoying their light and relaxed bantering. It even shocked her at how seemingly natural it was for her to say those words 'mother-in-law'.

"Beatrice," he said suddenly. "I don't know if my damned son told you but that is my wife's name." He smiled, his gaze twinkled at the mention of the name.

"It's a beautiful name."

"It is. She's the most beautiful in my eyes. And yes, you're right… I did something bad to her." He could not quite hide that sheepish look when he said that.

"I bet she forgave you eventually, right? Of course, not before you had to beg and chase after her for a long time, I assume?" Evie snickered behind her hand.

Belial faked throwing her a dirty look before laughing good naturedly. "She's a gutsy little tiger. She really did give me quite the hard time. One hell of a time, in fact. I was actually afraid I'd spent a lifetime pursuing her without her accepting me."

There was only one thought in Evie's mind as she listened to him. And that was how amazing Beatrice was to make such a man like this beg, chase, and pursue her for what seemed for quite a long while. She could already see in this man's eyes the extent of his love for her.

"I wish I could meet with her one day." Evie said, smiling. But Belial's expression suddenly changed a little. He was just so much like Gav. He could hide his emotions very well. However, there were times when their emotions appeared in a flash before they disappeared like they did not exist in the first place.

"I'd love for her to meet you too, my dear. But I don't want to mislead or give you any false hopes. She cannot come up to the surface here anymore." He said and Evie felt a little sad.

"I see…" Evie felt a pang of disappointment after hearing that.

"Don't worry, I'll definitely tell her about you. She'd be thrilled to hear anything about her daughter in law."

Just as Belial said that, the magic in his hand seemed to pulse and he nodded at her, signalling her to prepare herself.

He lifted his other hand and his magic swirled around them both, getting stronger and more concentrated.

And then it burst out. The dark magic got pulled back into his palms and once Belial clenched his fists, Evie started to glow.

She felt that her body becoming ever so light, so different from before. She looked at herself and the light magic seemed to be overflowing from her very pores. It was as if her body could not contain it within her physical vessel and now, it was leaking out profusely.

And as natural it was for her to breathe, without her doing anything, or even thinking about it, she felt something growing on her back. Until white wings with silvery strands unfurled and stretched out so large and majestic behind her.

Her eyes could only circle wide as she looked over her shoulders and saw her massive wings.

"Why don't you try to fly?" Belial asked and Evie swallowed nervously at first. But after seeing the confidence and approval in the man's eyes she squared her shoulders and she imagined in her mind, the way Zanya and the other light faes fly.

Picturing herself doing exactly what the light faes had done, Evie tried flapping her newly acquired wings nervously.

She managed to fly but she wobbled in mid-air and started to drift downwards.

Zirrus was about to rush over to her rescue, but Belial stopped him before he could launch himself into the air. "Let her be for now. She'll figure it out herself." The king said and Zirrus just stood there, frozen, unable to defy him despite him wanting to.

To their surprise, they saw the queen quickly stabilise herself and propelled herself further up to fly higher again and Belial smirked. "See?" He lifted his brow at the light faes. "Don't treat her like a child because she's not. She's a queen. Your queen." He told them.

Once Evie landed on the ground, where the dead tree was situated, she looked back and smiled at Belial. Then she ordered Zanya to immediately start the ritual.

Belial stood there on the veranda, watching the light faes perform their ritual, until he saw Evie make a quick slash below her wrist with a dagger.

As soon as her blood dripped onto the tree's roots, the tree began to respond. It started with a light shudder where those nearby could hear the slight creaking of the bark of the tree. Everyone's eyes were glued expectantly onto the tree of light as they waited for more to happen. Thin cracks ran quickly from the roots and slowly spread up the sturdy trunk which then swept into each withered branch. Light then began to appear from within those cracks that had formed earlier.

The tree was reviving itself with the help of Evie's blood that had acted as the carrier of her powers to kickstart its recovery. The tree of life is finally coming back to life! All the branches were now lit up so brightly that it was almost blinding for anyone to look straight at it without shielding their eyes.

And with another drop of Evie's blood, light blasted out and everyone looking had to look away or cover their eyes completely to avoid the intense blinding light.

The light spread out in a warm wave, like the sun rising from the horizon. And the moment the light hit the dark castle; its colour miraculously changed.

And then, the sky which was covered with heavy clouds began to open.

The dragons scattered around in the barren land of Crescia rose and looked up as the clouds that had been there for thousands of years began to disperse and the clear sky was able to be seen from the ground level of the land of Crescia again. Undulating cheers rang out and could be heard from the once silent lands of the light faes, bringing warmth to whoever who listened to it.

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For those who didn't check my other books yet, do try Hellbound With You or I Love You, Monster. ^^