Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 445: Islinda Is Dead

Chapter 445: Islinda Is Dead

The door burst open, startling Islinda from her sleep. She spun her head in that direction, her eyes widening as she saw who it was.

"Eli...." Islinda croaked, feeling a mix of shock and relief wash over her. She was so glad to see him in one piece. However, she couldn’t contain her questions and started bombarding him with them as she sat up.

"What’s going on, Eli? How did you get out? Andre said you were imprisoned...." She tilted her head, scrutinizing him. "Which of you am I even speaking to right now, Eli or Aldric?"

"Excuse me, princess, but there’s plenty of time for questions later. Right now, it’s time to run," he said, urgently urging her off the bed and helping her to her feet.

"Run?" Islinda’s heart skipped a beat, even though she was relieved to see the softer side of Aldric. She trusted that he would keep her safe.

He cupped her cheeks and reminded her, "No time for questions, princess." Eli kissed her forehead and then intertwined their hands, leading her out of the room.

Islinda’s pulse raced as she reached the door and saw the unconscious guards Andre had positioned there. Her brows furrowed with guilt. Had they refused Eli entrance and he had incapacitated them? She felt remorseful; this was not how they should thank Andre for his help. What would Andre think once he stumbled upon this scene?

However, there was no time for Islinda to dwell on that, as they continued sneaking around corners. Aldric was bold and confident, but his careful demeanor suggested he wasn’t supposed to be out – not here, anyway. There were so many questions on the tip of her tongue, but she held them back. Eli had promised to answer them later.

Eli seemed to have a mental map of the palace, skillfully maneuvering through diverse corners until they reached a secret passageway that led them directly to the palace’s courtyard. Islinda thought they had escaped the dangers, until he suddenly came to a halt, bringing her to a stop alongside him.

"What is it?" she asked anxiously, her heart pounding in her chest. She scanned the gardens, squinting against the darkness, but couldn’t make out anything. However, the tension on Eli’s face suggested otherwise; she knew that Fae had superior hearing compared to humans.

"Fuck!" Eli cursed, and then she heard it – a swishing sound as an arrow flew through the air, narrowly missing her thanks to his quick reactions. She finally noticed movements across the garden as the bushes rattled, but she still couldn’t make out any faces.

Another arrow shot through the air, and then another, and another. Islinda swore she saw her life flash before her eyes, but Eli conjured his shadows, catching the arrows one after the other. It was as if they were testing his abilities, as more arrows whistled through the air. Eli continued to protect them, but for every arrow his shadows put down, two more seemed to replace it. It soon became a barrage of hundreds of arrows flying from all directions like projectiles. Islinda swallowed a lump in her throat, knowing deep down that this was the end. So she closed her eyes and awaited her inevitable fate. At least she wouldn’t be dying alone.

"Wake up!"

The instinctive urge to face her reality pulled Islinda from the nightmare that had consumed her sleep. She could have almost ignored the call, but every cell in her body seemed to vibrate with an ominous urge to be awake.

Islinda’s eyes snapped open just in time to see someone lift a knife, about to plunge it into her chest. With a surge of adrenaline, she sat up, causing the knife to instead bury itself in the pillow. Islinda yelped in shock, scrambling away from the scene with wide eyes.

"What the hell?" she exclaimed, her body covered in a cold sweat from the nightmare. The racing of her heart had nothing to do with it. Islinda was stricken with terror – after all, it wasn’t every day that she woke up to an assassin attempting to kill her in her sleep.

The assassin was female, as evident from the way her black clothing stuck to her body, emphasizing her slender curves. However, her face was completely covered by a mask, with only her steel blue eyes blazing with anger and hatred visible.

Call it strange, but Islinda could feel that this assassination attempt was personal. Assassins sent by the Fae Queen wouldn’t look at her as if she were the cause of all their problems, relishing in her demise. They would be cold and emotionless, focused solely on completing their job.

They both reacted simultaneously, with Islinda quickly getting to her feet and the assassin lunging at her. Islinda managed to sidestep, narrowly avoiding the incoming strikes. It was at that moment that she realized this assassin wasn’t professionally trained, giving her a glimmer of hope for survival.

However, that hope was short-lived, as a magical blast sent Islinda flying against the wall. She felt intense pain and her ears rang, but there was no time to waste – the assassin was charging at her again.

Islinda tried to dodge, but she felt sluggish from the previous attack, and a scream tore from her throat as she staggered away from the assassin, who wore a satisfied glint in her eyes. She stabbed her. Terror gripped Islinda as she crawled away, determined that this was not how she would meet her end.

She ended up near the bed and suddenly remembered a weapon Andre had given her. Pretending to be scared, she tactfully reached for the dagger while the assassin approached. When the assassin got close enough, Islinda swiftly cut her across the face with the dagger.

The cut was deep, and the assassin grabbed her face, howling in pain. Feeling the gray blotches at the edge of her vision, Islinda tried to reach the door so she could escape and call for help.

But then, pain sizzled through her body as she was grabbed forcefully by the hair and thrown aside like a ragdoll. She lay on the ground, breathing through her nose and praying for a miracle. Deep down, Islinda knew this was the end. The knife remained lodged in her side, and she pleaded desperately for survival.

Islinda knew she shouldn’t pull out the knife, but she was not going down without a fight. So when the assassin approached her again, she reached out with lightning speed and lacerated the tendons in the assassin’s knee. The assassin screamed in agony and collapsed, and Islinda smiled, knowing she wouldn’t die alone.

She hopped to her feet and staggered towards the balcony. She had no idea why she headed there; she wasn’t thinking clearly anymore. Exhausted beyond measure, she reached the balcony and smiled, hoping someone would see her and come to her aid.

"Here! I’m here!" Islinda weakly called out, her voice barely audible.

Then she heard someone approach and turned, only to have the assassin blast her magic at her. Islinda tumbled and fell over the stony balustrade. Perhaps she was in a dream, but she caught a glimpse of Andre’s wide-eyed expression at that moment.

Islinda felt weightless as she fell, the sensation seeming to last an eternity even though it was just a few seconds. A smile graced her face throughout the fall. At least she put up a good fight. Now, she would finally be free from this cursed realm. Strangely, she would miss Aldric and Valerie.

With a sickening thud, Islinda’s body landed on the floor, blood pooling around her in stark contrast to the white snow. She had never experienced pain like this before, and then suddenly, there was peace. She gazed up at the sky, smiling, before succumbing to darkness.

Islinda died.

(End Of Part One Of This Book)