Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 266: Did You Miss Me?

Chapter 266: Did You Miss Me?

The moonlight shone brightly outside, covering the castle with bright silver light, the rays illuminating her room through the window. At first, Islinda thought the knock on the door was a dream and ignored it, sleeping soundly. However, the knock became consistent and it was no wonder the sleep soon cleared from her eyes. She was a light sleeper after all.

Islinda sat up and looked around her room in confusion. The knock had stopped but she knew it would sound again. It had a rhythm as if whoever was outside her door had all the time in the world. However, that brought her to the question at hand, who was knocking at this time of the night?

Turning on the Fae light and staring at the clock on the wall, Islinda found out it was merely one in the morning. It couldn’t be Rosalind, the Fae would have ripped the door open already and pulled her out of bed to go about their plan. However, this early? No, Rosalind had basic courtesy.

Aldric suddenly crossed her mind and it sent a thrill through her, but she quickly silenced the thought. The dark Fae prince was away and he was not used to visiting her bedroom by this time of the night. Or morning. Whatever. So who was it then?

Islinda nearly jumped out of her skin when the mysterious knock came again. Fear washed over her and she pulled the sheet up to her chin, backing up against the headboard. Her heart was racing and she couldn’t help but imagine the worst.

However, Islinda frowned when the rhythmic knock repeated. It didn’t make sense. She had once heard that the castle was warded, which is how Aldric knows his territory is being trespassed. There was no way a Fae with malicious intent would walk in and seek her out. Not to mention, they wouldn’t waste this time waiting for her to open the door. They would kick it in and take her.

Unless, of course, the creature could only come once she invites it. How could anyone in the castle not hear the noise was what baffled her. Perhaps, the others indeed couldn’t hear it. Aldric already told her nothing is as it is in the Fae realm.

Islinda was not raised to be a coward and decided to confront whoever it was at the door. The knock was persistent and would not stop soon, preventing her from continuing her sleep. What’s the worst that could happen anyway? Although it would have been comforting to have a weapon on her to defend herself if it came down to that. She would speak to Aldric about that. One day.

Her feet padded softly on the floor as she crossed the distance to the door. Even with her resolve, Islinda’s heart began to slam against her rib cage, each strike like a crash of thunder. Her clammy hands grabbed the lock, hesitating for a moment. Islinda shut her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. At the count of one... two.... three.

Islinda undid the lock and backed up when the door was merely opened a couple of inches. Islinda had no idea whether it was a move to scare her or build anticipation, but the hinges creaked loudly as the door slowly opened in an eerie manner to reveal....

The gods help her.

Aldric stood in the doorway, spine straight, a heavy cloud of smoke swirling around him like a cloak. He lifted his eyes to stare at her, and they were not the usual blue filled with mischief, no, his entire eyes were black. Islinda felt her soul leave her body and she gulped, what has she invited into her room?

This was not Aldric but rather a demon. Or perhaps, this was the side of him that he had not shown to her. Until now. But those dark eyes bored into hers with intense emotion, burrowing into her soul and wanting to consume it. That is if that was all he wanted. It was weird, but Islinda felt it, his dark magic entering the room and trembling over her skin, as if pairs of hands caressed her, arousing a tingling sensation in her body.

Islinda felt her breath become shallow as if stolen by the smoke, her skin flushed. Even with that weird look on him, Aldric’s beauty was devastating. Graceful, enchanting, deadly, monstrous, he was a predator crafted to perfection. In one word, Aldric was the most beautiful yet terrifying Fae she had ever seen.

His hair was tied back giving his stoic expression more edge, his face sharper with a hint of a stubble that made him look the more hotter. Islinda mentally chided herself, what in the Fae realm was she thinking? Aldric comes up to her looking like a demon from Sheol and she thinks he’s hot. Something must be wrong with her head.

She must have been staring at him for so long that her attention was brought back when he said with a deep, sensual voice, "A little birdy told me you missed me."

A shiver washed over Islinda, her throat suddenly feeling dry. She tilted her head to one side as if pondering him, "Aldric?" She had to ensure he was himself since his eyes had not returned to its original blue color.

Aldric gave her a twisted smirk, "Hello princess."

Fuck.

It was the other Aldric.

Islinda stumbled back from the shock. How was she going to deal with this one?

He began to walk up to her and she panicked, retreating. The first time she related with this one, the main Aldric returned and nearly strangled her to death. Islinda wanted nothing to do with him - not when she was so close to escaping.

Unfortunately, there was not much place Islinda could run to and Aldric covered the space in long strides, his body pressing her to the wall and pinning her in place. In this position, Islinda was greatly aware of him and her scanty nightwear.

Aldric ignored her drumming heart and lifted a hand to her face, caressing her skin with a strange fascination in his eyes, and murmured, "Tell me, princess, did you miss me? Because I did."