Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 520: Someone He Did Not Recognize

Chapter 520: Someone He Did Not Recognize

"Islinda!" Prince Valerie’s voice pierced through the nightmare, desperate and urgent as he shook her shoulders in an attempt to rouse her from the depths of her torment. But instead of breaking free from the nightmare’s grip, Islinda’s anguish-filled screams only intensified, echoing off the walls of the chamber.

The sheer intensity of her cries sent chills down Valerie’s spine, and if someone were within hearing distance, they would mistake him was murdering her or something. It was obvious Islinda was trapped within the depths of her own terror, and Valerie’s heart was heavy with concern for the woman he cared for deeply.

"Islinda!" Valerie’s voice rang out with increasing desperation, his calls for her becoming more urgent with each passing moment. Confusion clouded his mind as he struggled to comprehend the extent of Islinda’s suffering. In all their time together, he had never known her to experience such a terrible nightmare.

Questions swirled in his thoughts like a turbulent storm. What had happened to her? What could have caused such a drastic change in her demeanor? Could it be possible that Aldric, that bastard, had somehow inflicted this torment upon her?

Valerie was quick to conclude that Aldric was responsible for her suffering. It had to be Aldric. Only his twisted brother could wield such power to inflict torment even in one’s sleep. What in the Fae had Aldric done to turn Islinda this way?

Valerie’s desperation mounted as he attempted once more to rouse Islinda from her nightmarish slumber. With a sense of urgency, he called out her name, his voice tinged with desperation and shook her with greater force than before.

As Islinda thrashed about in her turmoil, Valerie moved to restrain her, intent on preventing her from inadvertently harming herself in her distressed state. However, in the chaos of the moment, he failed to anticipate her sudden movement.

With a swift motion, her hand lashed out, catching him off guard as her nails raked across his face, leaving deep gouges in their wake. A sharp pang of pain shot through Valerie as blood welled up from the scratches, staining his skin crimson.

The sight of blood staining the pristine bedspread sent a shiver down Valerie’s spine, his senses heightened by the sharp sting of the scratch on his face. In that moment, a surge of frustration and helplessness washed over him, fueled by the intensity of Islinda’s nightmarish ordeal.

Unable to bear witness to her suffering any longer, Valerie’s resolve hardened, his emotions reaching a breaking point. With a swift and decisive motion, he delivered a sharp strike across Islinda’s face, snapping her out of the nightmarish trance that had ensnared her.

The impact of his blow jolted Islinda back to consciousness, her eyes widening in shock as she registered the sudden change in her surroundings. As the remnants of her nightmare faded into the recesses of her mind, she found herself staring into Valerie’s golden eyes, her heart pounding with a mixture of confusion and relief.

For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by Islinda’s ragged Islinda. Valerie’s heart clenched with a pang of guilt at his actions, but he knew that drastic measures were sometimes necessary to break through the grip of such intense torment.

As Islinda blinked up dazedly at him, the summer prince didn’t know what to say except to offer her a comforting embrace, relieved to have finally brought her back from the brink of her harrowing nightmare.

As Islinda gradually regained her senses, she found herself in a familiar position, her vision clearing as she looked over Valerie’s back. It dawned on her that she was back at his place, the realization bringing a mix of relief and apprehension.

The nightmare had gripped her once again, triggering a volatile reaction that left her shaken. Thankfully unlike the last time she set Andre’s place on fire, she was relieved to find that the room remained intact.

Yet, any sense of relief was quickly overshadowed by a disconcerting discovery. As Islinda inhaled deeply, her nose wrinkled in disgust at the unmistakable scent of blood lingering in the air. The metallic tang filled her senses, sending a chill down her spine and causing her brows to furrow in concern.

Caught between the lingering effects of her nightmare and the unsettling presence of blood, Islinda couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. With a sense of foreboding settling over her, she pulled apart from Valerie and glanced up only to see the scratches on his face and gasped aloud.

"What in the Fae," Islinda exclaimed, her hand flying to her mouth in shock. "How did...?" Her words trailed off as she pieced everything together. Dread washed over her as realization dawned, and she turned to look at Valerie, her expression filled with horror.

"Did I...?" Islinda’s voice faltered, the question hanging heavy in the air as she grappled with the implications of what she had done.

Valerie raised a hand to touch the wound on his face, a casual demeanor masking any discomfort he might have felt. "It will heal," he reassured her with a nonchalant tone, though the faintest hint of concern flickered in his eyes. He should have healed by now.

"No, that’s too much," Islinda exclaimed, her voice trembling with horror and emotion. "How could I have done...!" Her words trailed off, choked by guilt and disbelief.

Struck by the intense shock reflected in Islinda’s eyes, Valerie’s concern deepened, prompting him to investigate the extent of the injury himself. With determined steps, he made his way to a nearby mirror, his heart pounding with apprehension.

As he gazed into the reflective surface, his breath caught in his throat at the sight before him. The wound on his face appeared far worse than he had initially perceived. It was large, angry, and inflamed, its redness glaringly evident against the pallor of his skin. It seemed as though Islinda’s nails had left deep, claw-like marks upon his flesh—a notion that defied all logical explanation.

A surge of disbelief washed over Valerie as he traced the impossible lines etched into his skin. Islinda’s nails couldn’t have caused such damage – they were human, not claws. Yet there it was, the evidence etched into his skin making him uncomfortable.

No wonder it was taking time to heal. But even at that, it wasn’t exactly a threatening wound and should have healed by now. He was a high Fae, a royal one at that, and had a higher metabolism than the average Fae. And yet he couldn’t quickly heal a wound caused by a human.

No, he must be overthinking things, the summer prince shook his head. But as much as Valerie tried to downplay it, he knew deep down that something was amiss. Islinda was becoming someone he didn’t recognize anymore.