Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 178: The Guilt In His Heart

Chapter 178: The Guilt In His Heart

"You’re back, and late." Aldric pointed out when Issac finally arrived at his lab. He lifted his head to look at him only for his eyes to narrow at his appearance.

Although there was no visible injury on Issac, Aldric had fought enough to know when an injury healed and he looked worn out.

"What happened?" He questioned Issac who placed the supplies on one of the tables in the room.

"Some of the items were not easy to get their hands on," Issac subtly answered.

However, Aldric was the king of shrewdness and knew when one was indirectly avoiding a question.

"Is that so?" He asked, his eyes gauging his reaction, noticing how Issac wouldn’t look him in the eyes. Nonetheless, Aldric didn’t pursue the matter. Perhaps, his second in command was defeated in the fight and he didn’t want to talk about it since his pride was bruised. He was a warrior after all.

Aldric went over to examine the stuff, nodding his head to acknowledge that everything was in order.

"Thank you for your help." Aldric expressed his gratitude which left Issac a bit surprised.

While Prince Aldric was not as pompous and egoistic as some of the other princes, he was still surprised by his appreciativeness.

"You don’t need to thank me, I was merely performing my duty." He said, trying not to show he was touched by his recognition.

Most Royals and High Fae’s were used to receiving from their subordinates that they didn’t realize how a single word of thanks could go a long way in encouraging them. It was nice to know that their efforts were appreciated.

"Well... " Aldric scratched the side of his face, "In that case, don’t expect a thank you next time."

Issac’s face fell, couldn’t the prince recognize when one was merely being polite?

"Joking." Prince Aldric said the next seconds, grinning at him and Issac did not even realize when he expelled the breath he had been holding in.

Issac was tempted to laugh at the prince’s crude prank but his mood turned sour when he remembered the encounter today.

He stared at prince’s Aldric and wondered whether to tell him about his run-in with Valerie until he recalled that he couldn’t. The summer prince held him to an oath and unless he wanted to die, he couldn’t say a word.

However, he swore an oath to Prince Aldric not to harm Islinda either. Except in this case, Valerie does not intend to harm Islinda, he planned to swap bodies instead. Fuck! Aldric needed to know.

"Why are you staring at me that way, Issac?" Aldric asked without looking at him, all of his attention on his newly arrived goods.

But when he got nothing but silence, Aldric finally looked at him, noticing the tension in his frame. He frowned, "Do you have something to say to me?"

"Yes." Issac blurted out the words.

"What is it then?" Aldric said, facing him.

Perhaps, it must be the intensity of Aldric’s searching gaze or the fact his attention was undivided now but Issac found out that the instant he opened his mouth to speak, there were no words.

"I–I.... I...." He stuttered and couldn’t form a comprehensive word.

"What?" Aldric leaned in with anticipation, as if coming closer would help him hear the Fae properly.

"I... I...." Issac closed his eyes in frustration. Why couldn’t he just say the words - and die?

However, it was not just Issac’s reluctance to speak, the oath compelled him from revealing the truth. Hence try as hard as he could, Issac couldn’t say a word.

He looked at Prince Aldric, expecting him to burst out at this point but the prince waited for him patiently.

"I can’t." He heaved, "I can’t say it. I am -"

"You mean the fact you have been walking through the passageway at night with a massive boner."

Issac’s eyes widened, a warm flush to his face, "How did you know...?"

Aldric snorted with laughter, "As if anything that happens here gets past me. Especially when it becomes a routine," He gave him a knowing look, bursting into laughter at the end.

Issac went red in the face with embarrassment. This was all Maxi’s fault. He had already promised to have sex with her and yet, she wouldn’t collect on the favor and kept on teasing him. The most annoying part was that he couldn’t defeat her in her game - which was kind of embarrassing - and now, bathing in the cold stream has become second nature to him.

"I didn’t mean to -"

"Why don’t you just have sex with her and get the torture over with?" Aldric told him.

Issac sighed, "It’s not like I don’t want to have sex with her, I’m ready to fulfill my end of the deal but she’s the one holding back now and it’s beginning to frustrate me. And fuck! Why am I even discussing this with you?" He forgot this wasn’t even the topic in the first place. How did it change so easily?

"So it’s even a deal," Aldric shook his head, "You disappoint me, Maxi. I expected more from you. " He spoke to the air.

Issac had a deadpan expression,

"Really? You even support her behavior?"

"You should be lucky that I approve of you, else you would be six feet buried in the soil for discussing fucking my sister and horse shifter with me." Aldric threatened him and Issac’s jaw dropped to the ground.

Seriously?! Wasn’t he the one who started this conversation in the first place when it wasn’t even what he had in mind?! Issac was aggrieved. He was being oppressed.

"Perhaps," Aldric continued, " The reason you can’t beat Maxi is because you’re looking at it the wrong way."

And great, he’s discussing it again! Issac gave up at this point. The prince was simply abusing his power.

"You are enamored with fulfilling your end of the deal while Maxi is having fun with you. Why don’t you return the favor and see how it goes? You can’t be too rigid, Issac." Aldric said with a note of laughter, patting him on the shoulder.

Aldric returned to his working desk and announced from the spot, "I suggest you do something about that quickly, I wouldn’t want Islinda to bump into you by mistake considering she’s acquired the skill of sneaking out at night all thanks to a certain horse shifter. You wouldn’t want her image of you to be tainted, right?"

Isaac swallowed, he would die if that were to happen. Imagine Islinda looking at him the wrong way because of one encounter, he shuddered at the thought.

"And speaking of Islinda, she requires your presence too. You would do well to wrap up the tour of the castle today while I take over the role of her tutor from now on." Aldric announced with glee.

And the guilt doubled in Issac’s heart.