Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 158: The Cost He Had To Pay

Chapter 158: The Cost He Had To Pay

Dorcas’ words rang in his head for a moment but Valerie balled his fist while his jaw clenched stubbornly, "I’m still going to do it." He made up his mind.

Quitters never win.

Valerie reminisced about the time spent together with Islinda and how good things were between them. And with shock, he realized that he loved her. Valerie couldn’t envision a life without Islinda at his side.

They simply had too many obstacles and that is more reason he couldn’t lose his crown prince position. The crown was the only way to protect her, not only from Aldric but his mother as well as any other Fae that would plan to touch a hair on her body.

Dorcas let out a big sigh, distressed, "This is why I don’t like dealing with high Faeries, your kind demands difficult tasks without understanding the consequences until it is too late."

She told him, her intense eyes boring into his, "Even if you were to find a compatible body and the transfusion went successfully, there could be side effects. Her memories might get cluttered with that of the original body and she might get confused and begin to question her identity. There are chances she might go mad or take her own life if things get overwhelming. "

Valerie swallowed at the repercussion, his heart sinking at once. Was having Islinda at his side worth putting her through this suffering? Would she come to hate him in the end because of this?

No, this option was better than letting her stay with Aldric! Valerie hardened his heart, refusing to listen to the voice of reasoning. Who knows what she’s going through in the hands of his monster of a brother? What if she’s been crying day and night for him to come and rescue her? His heart ached at the thought.

Even if the plans go south, he would be king by then and use Fae’s magic to preserve her. There was always a loophole in the use of magic and if he were to find a Fae body compatible with hers, that would make things easier.

"I don’t care," Valerie said, "Islinda is strong and I’m sure she can overcome anything. Not to mention that I would take care of her to ensure she doesn’t dive to the edge of madness or take her own life. Her beautiful soul is all I need. I just want her with me."

Dorcas threw her head back and muttered a foreign language under her breath that Valerie could not understand yet he had a feeling that she was cursing at him.

"Fine, I would help you." The witch finally said and Valerie let out the breath that he had been holding in. Everything was going to be fine.

"Thank you." He said, only to add at the last minute, "Surely, there is a way that you can help me with identifying a compatible body for her."

"Yes, there is, but it is going to cost you."

Valerie said with annoyance, perceiving that she was looking down at his determination, "I wouldn’t have come here if I wasn’t ready to pay the price."

"In that case, keep up that optimism, you are going to need it. And for the cost, I need your memory. Your memory of her."

"What?" Valerie blanched, almost flinching from Dorcas. He couldn’t give the witch the memory of the times spent together with Islinda, that was what keeps him going. How would he be able to rescue someone that he couldn’t remember?

Dorcas cackled like the witch she was, finding his reaction comical, "Calm down, my prince," She convinced him while still trying to hold back her laughter, "I don’t mean all your memories of her, just a wisp of it. Possibly a strong one, the emotions evoked is what would make the magic successful and the result potent."

"If you say so...." Valerie trailed off, thinking of the memory he had to give up. It wasn’t until now that he realized that he and Islinda had so many precious memories he couldn’t give up, not even one. But not all....

"There is one memory you can take,"

"Really?" Dorcas said, her brows raised in surprise. She had assumed it would take him more time to think about the memory he had to give up.

"Yes," Valerie answered, a sorrowful look on his face.

"In that case, hold onto that memory, while I put some things in order," Dorcas told him and set to work.

He watched as Dorcas took a bowl and began to mix some weird ingredients into it that stunk so much he felt nauseous. When she was done, the witch came over to him and while muttering some spell, used her finger to rub a mark on his forehead.

"Now recall the memory, Prince Valerie, and let’s hope it’s powerful enough for what I intend to do with it." She ordered, placing both fingers on the sides of his head muttering an incomprehensive spell just as Valerie closed his eyes and concentrated.

["I thought you were gone," Islinda whispered, her eyes swollen with tears.]

Valerie went back to that night that he left Islinda. The night destiny changed the course for them and a memory that had haunted him day and night.

["I don’t know how but they found me, I had to leave." ]

["But you’re back, right?" Islinda asked hopefully, ignoring the nagging feeling inside of her that things aren’t so simple anymore. ]

Valerie couldn’t forget the look on her face when she realized that this was him saying goodbye.

["No..." Islinda took a step back, shaking her head stubbornly, "You promised!" ]

"Yes, that is it, keep up the good work, my prince." Valerie could hear Dorcas’ voice from the distance urging him to sink deeper into the memory as if she got off on the emotion.

Valerie had no choice but to relieve that heartbreaking experience once again.

["I don’t have much time here Islinda and I don’t want to say goodbye this way," He said to her with a pained expression.]

["You said we would be together...." She whimpered, "What am I going to do now?" ]

["You do nothing but wait for me," Valerie took her hand firmly, "I am going to be back for you, Islinda. I just need to return home and figure things out for us." He begged her.]

["When? I don’t know. I’m scared. Can’t I come with you, I -" ]

Valerie silenced all of her insecurity with a kiss and while it was a memory, it was so real that he felt the lingering sensation on his lips.

[I’ll be back for you, Islinda. It’s a promise."]

Then Valerie awoke with a sharp gasp as if he had been drowning in the bottom of an ocean only to be abruptly pulled to the surface. He lifted his hand to his face and it came up wet. How had he been crying all along?

Valerie then looked up in time to see the witch swallow that wisp of memory she had taken from him.

What memory did she take?

He couldn’t remember. It was a blank space in his head and he couldn’t fill it up no matter how much he tried.

This was the cost he had to pay to get back the love of his life.