Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 869: Selfish Prince

The next morning, the sun had barely kissed the sky when Islinda and Aldric left the king’s palace. Aldric had reverted to his usual paranoid self, his sharp eyes constantly scanning their surroundings as though expecting an ambush. He spoke very little as they moved, but Islinda could feel the tension radiating from him.

It didn’t surprise her though. Aldric was always this way — quick to suspect danger at every turn. To the point he hadn’t even allowed them the comfort of a carriage ride back to the castle. It was clear he suspected Queen Maeve would plan something, an attack probably, on the road, something that would hurt them.

Or, more accurately, hurt her.

Aldric wasn’t afraid for himself. He was too confident in his abilities for that. But Islinda was different. To him, she was his weakness, the fragile piece of his life that could be exploited by anyone looking to harm him. A weakness at his side that he couldn’t stand to lose.

Except she wasn’t that same weak helpless human. Shame, Aldric would still not test that theory.

They had barely crossed the boundary of the palace grounds before Aldric conjured a portal. Without a word, he grabbed her hand and pulled her through it, the world around them twisting into a blur of colors and shapes.

Islinda’s stomach churned as the familiar sense of vertigo washed over her. But this time, she recovered quickly, no longer the unprepared human who had first stumbled through this magical transport.

When the spinning stopped, they landed in the familiar confines of Aldric’s castle.

Islinda stood there, catching her breath, her eyes adjusting to their environment. It felt strange being back here. Even though she had barely been gone for a week, it felt like years.

While she was still trying to reorient herself, Aldric had already discarded his royal coat, slipping into a simpler tunic.

He looked back at her, his expression unreadable, as he said, "I’ll tell the servants to move your things into my room. You’ll stay with me from now on. We’re mated, Islinda. That’s as good as married in our world."

Islinda didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she watched him carefully, noting the way he moved about the room, rifling through his things as if searching for something — or checking if anything had been tampered with. His paranoia ran deep, always assuming the worst, always ready for betrayal.

When he finally turned toward her, empty-handed and distracted, Islinda’s patience snapped.

"So what now?" she asked, her voice sharper than she intended.

Aldric furrowed his brows, clearly annoyed by her tone. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean," she spat, her anger bubbling to the surface, "do you plan to get yourself killed in two days’ time and leave me stranded here, alone in the Fae realm? Is that your grand plan?"

Aldric’s expression darkened. His eyes flashed dangerously as he took a step closer to her, his voice lowering to a growl. "Who said anything about dying? I’m going to win that duel."

"As if Queen Maeve would just let you walk away unscathed," Islinda spat, her voice rising in frustration. "Do you really think she’ll let you live after killing her son?"

"Queen Maeve doesn’t have the power—"

"She doesn’t need to!" Islinda interrupted, her voice rising. "The people of Astaria don’t like you, Aldric! They’ve never liked you! What makes you think they’ll sit back and let you live after you kill their beloved prince?"

Aldric froze at her words, his jaw clenching. But Islinda wasn’t finished. The floodgates had opened, and she couldn’t hold back the storm of emotions any longer.

"You had a way out," she continued, her voice trembling with a mix of frustration and heartbreak. "King Oberon gave you an out! He offered you the chance to build a sanctuary for the Dark Fae, for everyone who’s been rejected and cast out. That was your dream, Aldric. And you threw it all away for what? Revenge? A pointless death?"

Tears welled in her eyes, but she furiously wiped them away, refusing to let herself break in front of him. "I believed in you, Aldric. I believed we could build something better together. But you—" her voice cracked, "you’re so consumed by your desire for vengeance that you’ve forgotten what really matters."

"And what would you have me do?" Aldric snarled, stepping into her space, his face inches from hers. "Smile and applaud them for what they did? Maeve caused my mother’s death! Valerie deserves to pay! A life for a life!"

"There’s more to life than revenge!" Islinda screamed, her voice raw with emotion. "I’m pregnant, Aldric! I’m carrying your child!" Her hands balled into fists as she trembled with fury. "I need you. Our baby needs you! And you’re about to throw it all away. You can’t keep making decisions like this, as if you’re the only one who matters!"

A stunned silence fell between them as her words hung in the air. Aldric’s face shifted from shock to something darker, more primal. For a long, heavy moment, they simply glared at each other, their chests heaving with barely contained anger. Islinda could feel the tension crackling between them, like a storm on the verge of breaking. fгeewebnovёl.com

Then, in a blink, Aldric’s expression softened. He reached out, trying to touch her face, but Islinda slapped his hand away with a snarl.

"Don’t touch me!" she snapped, baring her teeth at him, her body trembling with pent-up frustration. She was furious. Why couldn’t he see beyond his endless thirst for blood and violence? Why couldn’t he understand the pain he was causing?

Aldric, ever the troublemaker, reached for her again, this time with more determination. But before he could make contact, Islinda moved with incredible speed. She grabbed him by the collar and, in one swift motion, shoved him hard against the wall.

Aldric’s eyes widened in surprise, but then a slow, dangerous smile crept across his lips. "Sexy," he drawled, his voice a deep rumble, "but it’s my turn now."