Tempting Fate

61 Chapter 61: The Closed Portal

Right away, Eve’s parents met Reed. He carried Eve until they reached her room. Reed laid Eve down. The servants and Eve’s mother came right away.

“Let’s go to the library,” Eve’s dad said.

Reed took a quick look at the sleeping woman before he followed the old man out of the room. When they understood the stairs, they went right to a room just a few meters away. As Reed walked, he looked at the old man in front of him. Both he and the old man walked into the room. The man was standing beside the couch.

“Sit down, my king ..”

Reed immediately sat down, and the old man did the same. The man was old. He was between 200 and 300 years old. Still, the way he talks acts, and dresses show that he is in power. Eve’s family is one of their best allies, so when he loses them to their side, it will be an enormous loss for him.

“Are you saying that a strange demon came out of the portal to kill you?” asked the old man.

“That’s how it is. Recently, Prince Devin and now Eve.” Reed said as he watched the old man fill his cup with a hot drink.

“Why them? Why aren’t you?”

“Because he hasn’t had a chance on me yet.”

.....

The old man said nothing. Instead, he drank the drink that had been made. Reed took his cup and drank a hot drink from it.

“I wish you wouldn’t let princess Eve go through the portal until I catch that jerk demon.”

“I’ll do that even if you didn’t tell me to.” the old man said.

“All right.”

The old man gave Reed a look. “You know Eve follows you in the other world, right?” Reed did not speak. “You are also the reason my daughter was so close to dying.”

He put the cup down on the table. “That demon jerk. You are really what he wants. Since you are in the other world, it is easier for him to kill you. He knows where you are weak, my king.”

Reed put his cup down on the table. “That’s why I’d like to ask you for something.”

“Say it...”

“Prince Devin is doing a secret investigation to find out who the jerk demon is that is fighting me. I just want you to do your research in your area and tell me everything you find out.”

“Okay, I’ll do it to get back at him for hurting my daughter.”

Reed nodded and drank from the cup again.

—

When Devin woke up, it was dark everywhere. He put his hand on his head, and he got up. Devon also looked around the room and realized he was at Eve’s house. He waved his hand and the window curtains closed on their own. Then he appeared out of nowhere in Reed’s yard.

He also knows that Reed had left and come back to the realm. It had also been gone for a few hours when he went to sleep. He needs to ask Reed what happened after he brought Eve back to the realm.

At the pool, Devin met up with Emy’s family. Eddie, her dad, was busy cooking food on the grill, and Emy’s siblings were playing in the water and having a good time. Almost at the same time, Maria saw him walk toward the edge of the pool. Maria left the house, but he seemed to come out of nowhere.

Maria said, “Prince Devin...”

“Is he back yet, Maria? I need to get in touch with him.” Devin said.

“King Reed left?” “Reed left?”

Devin also glanced across at Emy, who was approaching him. They both asked him practically simultaneously, and he scowled.

“Does Reed have to leave?” Emy asked once more.

Emy took Devin’s arm and led him into the house. Maria walked away and went directly to where she was cooking on the grill. Devin gazed at Emy’s hand, which was clutching his, and suddenly, Emy let go of Devin.

“When did Reed go?” Emy asked again.

“Yes, after what happened last night, he returned to the realm. How are you?” Devin saw Emy had a bandage on her head.

“All okay,” Emy said. “How about Eve? Did you happen to see Eve?”

Devin gave a nod. “Eve returned to the realm with Reed.”

Emy frowned. “Why? Was something wrong with her? Is she hurt?” Emy couldn’t hide her concern for Eve. Even though she behaves like a rich girl, she still got to know her. Eve, on the other hand, is kind. People will misunderstand her if they pay more attention to how she looks and speaks than to what she is like inside.

Devin could not answer. Emy might be scared and worry more about Eve if he says that Eve almost died last night.

“Don’t be shy. Tell me what happened to Eve.”

“She’s alright.”

Emy looked at Devin like she didn’t believe what he was telling her. “She’s not as strong as me or Reed. She needs to go back to the realm for her safety.” Said Devin.

“At least she’s safe. That’s good.”

“Come on, Emy, let’s eat...” Eddie called from a place close by. “Come on, Devin!”

Devin and Emy looked at each other from far away, and then Emy turned her head back to look at Devin.

“Have you eaten?” Emy didn’t even wait to see what Reed would say. She quickly pulled him out of the house.

Devin looked at the hand that Emy had on him. He looked at it like he didn’t want to take his eyes off of it because if he did, Emy’s hand would slip out of his. As soon as they got close to the group, Emy took her hand off Devin’s and gave him a plate.

“Just eat, okay?” smiling, Emy said to him.

Devin gave a smile and a nod. Devin caught Maria’s eye.

—

Reed was standing in front of the portal and had been trying to get through it for hours, but it wouldn’t let him.

“Damn it, it was locked from the other side.” Reed took hold of his head. From the other side of the portal, he needs to talk to Maria or Devin to get rid of the seal.

“My king....”

Reed turned his back and saw Damon. Devin trusted Damon, but Reed didn’t.

“What are you doing here, my king, with the portal?” Damon asked.

“Someone from the other side sealed the door,” said Reed.

Damon shook his head and tried to get out of the portal, but he couldn’t.

“It’s truly sealed,” said Damon.

Reed shook his head slightly. Instead of trusting him right away, Damon verified first if the portal was sealed. He was offended, but let it go.

“I need to get in touch with Prince Devin so that he can open it from the other side.”

“But how will you do it?” Reed asked.

“I’m sure your question has an answer, my king,” said Damon.

Back at his palace, Reed took him to the huge library room and sat him down there. An enormous book about the size of a table was on the table. Reed wants to get in touch with Maria and Devin. He filled the glass with wine and drank it again. He’s spent hours reading, but he doesn’t see a way out.

“You still can’t find a way out of that book, can you?”

His dad came over to talk to him. “Is this book my mom’s? Are you sure about it?”

The man who used to be king laughed at what he said. “Why would I make a mistake when it belonged to my former queen?”

“But why can’t I find a solution in this book?” Reed asks irritably after he’s had a few drinks.

“You might not read well.”

“I’ve been here for a while now. You can see that this book is very thick, Dad. I might need a few months to figure it out, and my queen will have to wait a few years. Do you see how the timeline goes with both realms, father?”

“I know because you’ve told me that more than once. But do you think you can find a solution if you lose your temper?” Eldron asked. “You’re not fighting a war, Reed. You’re trying to find a solution, so can you calm down?”

Reed put more wine in his glass while he looked at the enormous book.

—-

From his bedroom window, Devin saw Emy looking around while she stood in the garden. Most likely, she was waiting for Reed. He moved toward it by teleporting. It’s been a few days since Reed left and took Eve to the realm, but it still hasn’t come back.

“You can’t sleep?”

“Oh, shit!” Emy screamed.

It surprised Emy when Devin showed up next to her out of the blue. Once she was around the man, she grabbed her chest.

“What you did is going to give me a heart attack,” Emy growled at him.

Devin didn’t say a word or even apologize. He just scratched his head.

“Devin, why is he taking so long?” After a while, Emy asked. “Isn’t it possible that something bad happened?”

“I don’t know why he hasn’t come back yet, but I’m not sure that something bad has happened. Reed is in our realm, and he rules there.” What could happen if he’s in there?”

Emy said nothing. She just inhaled deeply. She was used to Reed always being with her, so the few days she didn’t see him were a big loss for her.

“It’s not safe for you to stay out here. We haven’t found the person who attacked yet,” said Devin. “It would be better if you went inside.”

“Good enough,” Emy said, then she turned away from Devin and went into the house.

Devin went home and opened a portal when he got there. From the other side, he saw the red mark. His brows drew together.

.....

“The portal on the other side is sealed,” Devin whispered.

If he goes in, he cannot get out. Devin tries to send a message through the portal with black smoke, but the smoke just goes away and doesn’t get through.

“Because of this, he can’t cross,” Devin said.