Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 458: Theodore Knew.

Chapter 458: Theodore Knew.

"So this is where she’s been hiding?"

"Brother!" Andre quickly moved away from the bed as if caught doing something wrong. He had fallen asleep with his head beside Islinda’s bedside. Nothing else.

Theodore glared at him, clearly unimpressed by what he had witnessed. His gaze fell on the human girl and the displeasure spread all over his face.

"How did you get in here?" Andre asked nervously, his hand wiping down his sides, eyes darting to Islinda’s sleeping form.

His memory replayed the scene of him trying to kiss Islinda while she slept, and he blushed in embarrassment. What had come over him last night? He had no idea.

Unfortunately, Theodore captured that reaction with his scrutinizing eyes. His expression narrowed, lips pressing together grimly.

He accused Andre, "Are you sleeping with her now?"

"What?" Andre looked horrified, "No, by the gods, no!" He walked over to his brother, pulling him out by the arm, "We can’t discuss this here."

"Why?" Theodore sneered, resisting slightly, "Don’t want her to know she has you wrapped around her finger too?"

Andre’s face darkened this time, and he forcefully shoved his brother out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Valerie might be stubborn, but Theodore was being unreasonable.

"What is the meaning of this?" Andre asked, throwing his hands up in frustration.

Theodore fired back, "No, I should be the one asking that question! Did you sleep with that whore too?!"

"I didn’t sleep with her, you idiot, and it’s a big accusation coming from the one who invaded my privacy this morning. Also..." His eyes flashed, "She’s not a whore."

"Oh." Theodore chuckled sarcastically, "Now you’re defending her? I see she’s gotten her claws into you as well."

"What in the Fae is wrong with you, Theodore?!"

"What’s wrong with me is that you’re hanging around with the same human who’s being used by Aldric to try to ruin Valerie. It’s only a matter of time before she poisons you as well." Theodore snapped.

"Islinda is not like that."

"And now you’re defending her again?"

"For the love of the gods, Theodore, can you please stop being a jerk right now so I can explain?!"

Theodore pointed toward his bedroom, "There’s no need for an explanation, Andre. The right thing to do would be to get rid of her now that our twisted brother isn’t here to protect his plaything."

Andre stiffened at his words. His face became serious, and he stood a little taller as he declared, "You’re not taking her life. I made a deal with Aldric, and it’s my duty to honor it."

Theodore narrowed his eyes at him, "And if I insist, would you fight me?"

Andre looked away, his jaw tightened, but the point had already been made.

"Oh." It dawned on Theodore, and he flinched as if physically hit by his brother’s response. Nodding in understanding, he said, "You’re going to fight me because of a female, worse, a human?"

Andre spoke coldly, "A deal is a deal, brother. You know how it is for our kind."

"But that’s not all, is it, brother?" Theodore scoffed, staring him down, "I know you, Andre. You wouldn’t stick your neck out for anyone unless they were precious to you. You like her."

"I don’t—"

"It’s only a matter of time before you get into bed with her. Right from the start, you’ve always had a soft spot for females."

His brother was a womanizer and Islinda was well, pleasant to the eyes. It’s no wonder she managed to seduce Andre as well.

Hands on his waist, Andre let out a frustrated breath, "Fine, think whatever you want. But you’re not getting past me."

"Fine," Theodore cracked his fists and neck, getting ready for the impending fight. "In the future, you’ll come to thank me for eliminating this threat before it consumes us."

Both brothers took offensive stances, ready to lunge at each other, when a piercing scream tore through their sensitive ears. They winced, closing their ears and nearly buckling over. The scream was filled with anguish and pain, and Andre was the first to realize it was coming from his bedroom.

"Islinda!" He called out and immediately rushed to his room.

Andre’s first thought was that this was a setup, and his brother had drawn him out of the room so his assassin could quietly finish her off while he was distracted.

But what he never expected was to return to the room and find the bed on fire, with Islinda still on it. Everything else was burning, yet Islinda seemed unscathed, writhing and squirming in pain.

"What in the world!" Theodore exclaimed as he entered the scene. Andre could see the question in his brother’s wide eyes. How had the fire started? There had been no fire when they left.

Andre quickly took action, sucking out all the air in the room, causing the flames to diminish. He climbed onto the bed, attempting to touch Islinda, only to yelp and retract his hand immediately.

"By the gods," Andre stared at his scarred hand, dumbfounded. Islinda was like a burning inferno, and while the scar healed almost instantly, it didn’t mean he didn’t feel the pain.

"She’s not human, is she?" Theodore finally figured out, stunned.

"Shut up, Theodore. This isn’t the time," Andre reprimanded him.

Using the remaining ruined sheet, Andre wrapped it around Islinda and tried to lift her, but she began to struggle, screaming, "Make it stop! Please make it stop!"

"Shh, Islinda, it’s me, Andre." He shook her, trying to wake her from whatever nightmare she was trapped in.

Islinda’s eyes opened, but there was no response or recognition in her gaze. Her stare seemed distant.

"Hold on, Islinda, it’s me. It’s just a nightmare," he shook her even more vigorously.

However, Andre received a kick in return that sent him flying through the air, crashing into the wall with a crack forming.

Theodore stood frozen.

He knew it.

The human girl was not human.