Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 632: Who Is Delusional

Chapter 632: Who Is Delusional

Islinda entered, slamming the heavy doors shut behind her, the resounding echo reverberating through the hall. Aldric obviously had been here all this while as he was seated on his throne of ice and staring at her with an expressionless face.

Islinda ignored him for the moment. Not content with just closing the doors, she spotted a massive plank nearby and seized it with urgency. With a determined strength, she wedged the plank securely against the doors, effectively barricading them shut and preventing anyone from entering.

Once the plank settled into place with a satisfying thud, Islinda took a step back, her chest heaving with exertion. She had only bought herself a little more time knowing that flimsy plank wouldn’t stop the Fae guards from coming in. She only hoped the time was enough for her to figure out why Aldric was being a dickhead.

Drawing a deep breath, Islinda braced herself for the inevitable encounter. She then turned and began to walk towards Aldric, her steely gaze never leaving him. A lot of thoughts ran through Islinda’s mind as she closed the distance between them. This was not like Aldric to behave like this. Even if he was mad at her, he wouldn’t make it so difficult for her to see him. Was this one of his twisted games? Was he playing a rough hard to get game or has he tired of her and was finally dumping her?

Islinda maintained unwavering eye contact with Aldric as she approached, noting with a mixture of frustration and admiration that he didn’t flinch or shy away from her gaze. She had always appreciated Aldric’s steadfast demeanor, but in moments like this, it grated on her nerves.

Just as Islinda was about to reach the dais where Aldric sat, he issued a commanding order. "Don’t come any closer!"

Islinda halted immediately, her brows furrowing in confusion. What was he playing at? The Aldric she knew would never bar her from approaching him; he welcomed her presence, even going so far as to seat her on his throne. Was this a result of his anger over her recent actions, or was there something more at play?

But then, when had she ever listened to him?

With determination fueling her steps, Islinda defied Aldric’s command and took another stride forward. To her surprise, she caught a flash of panic in Aldric’s eyes, and he boomed, "I SAID STOP RIGHT THERE!"

Islinda winced, not from the intensity of his command, but from the invasive power that washed over her. She cried out as white-hot, searing pain sliced through her mind, overwhelmed by the sensation of Aldric resuming control. It had been a while since he violated her mind like this, and unlike previous occasions, this intrusion came without warning.

"What do you think you’re doing!" Islinda cried out, clutching her temple in agony. It felt as though someone were stabbing through her mind with a heated knife, leaving her paralyzed by the excruciating sensation.

Perhaps it was the mixture of emotions in Islinda’s eyes, but Aldric felt a stab of guilt, prompting him to lessen the intensity of his attack.

As the assault on her mind eased, Islinda took a moment to catch her breath, but her expression hardened into a death glare directed at Aldric. He was behaving like a jerk, no, he was pure evil. Even if he didn’t want her around, she didn’t deserve to be treated this way. She swore she would never forgive him for this maltreatment.

"Don’t. Just. Come. Near. Me," Aldric warned, his defenses high. Though outwardly he appeared unaffected, impeccably seated on his throne, inwardly he was in turmoil, torn by raging emotions.

"Why?" Islinda sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because you wouldn’t be able to control yourself around me?"

Islinda wasn’t sure why she had said that, but she couldn’t ignore the undeniable pattern. There was an undeniable, fatal attraction between her and Aldric. They couldn’t seem to keep their hands off each other, even when she had tried to establish rules of conduct to limit their interaction. Despite her efforts, she always ended up being the first one to break them. Was she becoming a threat to him? She knew Aldric well enough to know he would never allow her to have such power over him.

"You are being delusional, human," Aldric retorted, his tone devoid of kindness.

The title "human" caught Islinda off guard, and she couldn’t help but let out a burst of laughter. By the gods, the absurdity of the situation was both hilarious and bewildering.

But Islinda’s laughter quickly faded, her expression turning grave. "You think I’m being delusional?" she asked darkly.

"I don’t know why you’re here, but—I said don’t come any closer—!" Aldric’s words were interrupted as Islinda gingerly climbed the dais, enduring the burst of pain in her temple caused by his mental assault. Despite his warning, she pressed on, determined to confront him.

With a sinister grin on her face, Islinda stood defiantly in front of Aldric, undeterred by his attempts to ward her off.

"Don’t be scared," she said ominously, her tone dripping with dark amusement. Before Aldric could react, she placed her hands on his chest and pushed him further into his throne. Then, with a swift movement, she straddled him, settling herself firmly in his lap.

Aldric hissed through gritted teeth, his body tensing as she sat against him. He grabbed her, his nails digging into her skin as he fought to regain control. Despite his efforts to push her away, Islinda held on tightly, refusing to be deterred. In fact, she rocked against him provocatively, eliciting a deep groan from Aldric as he struggled against the intense desire coursing through him.

"So, who’s delusional now?" Islinda retorted sarcastically, her statement punctuated by another deliberate rock against him, asserting her dominance.

"She was right," Aldric admitted, his voice low and husky, his control visibly slipping.

"Who’s right?" Islinda inquired with curiosity, still maintaining her rhythm of movement, though she remained focused on her objective. She refused to let herself get carried away until she understood Aldric’s motivations. Islinda truly wanted to understand him before she made a decision she might regret in the future.

"Elena," Aldric breathed, his words sending a shiver down Islinda’s spine. "She told me your intention is to seduce and gain my trust, only to betray me in the end because you’re still in love with my brother. You’re doing all of this for the death duel."

Islinda’s movements ceased abruptly as her blood ran cold at his revelation.

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Sorry it came late, but it’s my birthday today! 💃💃