Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 691: Kill Me

"What did you do to me, witch?" Aldric’s voice was a low, menacing growl.

"W-what?" Islinda stuttered, her voice barely a whisper.

"What spell did you use on me?" he demanded, his eyes darkening with the rage that seemed to thicken the very air around them.

"I don’t know what you’re —" she began, but her words faltered when Aldric suddenly appeared before her, startling her. She had not even seen him move. One moment he was there, the next, he was crouched before her, the shadows around him rippling ominously. He reached for her jaw and held in between his thumb, the move so gentle that she thought he was back to himself until he tightened his grasp to the point it hurt, "Don’t lie to me," he hissed, his voice laced with a dangerous edge. "Elena told me everything. How you manipulated me, how you twisted my mind."

"I don’t know what you’re—" she began, but her words faltered when Aldric suddenly appeared before her, startling her. She had not even seen him move. One moment he was there, the next, he was crouched before her, the shadows around him rippling ominously.

He reached for her jaw and held it between his thumb and fingers, the move so gentle that she thought he was back to himself. But then he tightened his grasp to the point it hurt, and she winced in pain.

"Don’t lie to me," he hissed, his voice laced with a dangerous edge. "Elena told me everything. How you manipulated me, how you twisted my mind."

Islinda’s heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing. "Elena is lying to —"

"Don’t! " Aldric roared, his fury palpable. "Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare play me for a fool again. If you think you can deceive me again, then you’re mistaken. Elena has found all your hidden charms, so there’s nothing you can use on me again. I want the truth, Islinda. Now!"

Islinda trembled, the cold seeping into her bones, mingling with the fear that gripped her. "Aldric, please, you have to believe me" she pleaded, panic growing inside of you, "I would never harm you. I didn’t —"

"Enough!" He silenced her, his voice echoing through the cell. He clutched her jaw so hard that more tears sprang to her eyes.

"Humans and their lies." He taunted, his eyes full of disdain, "Even if I wanted to believe you, Elena Is Fae, she cannot lie. So it’s either you tell me what you did, or I will make you regret ever thinking of betraying me." Aldric threatened her, his fury palpable, the shadows around him growing darker and more menacing.

Islinda’s breath hitched, the reality of her situation crashing down on her. She had tried to make Aldric believe her, to somehow reach the Fae she once knew beneath this monster he had become. But as she looked into his eyes, she saw nothing but cold, unyielding rage, and she knew no matter what she said, Aldric would never believe her. Whatever spell Elena used on him, it was too strong to be broken by mere words.

So she gave up.

"Kill me."

"What?" Aldric was stunned.

"Just kill me already," She lifted teary-eyes to him, now filled with unwavering determination.

"Don’t send me to the execution ground, just kill me here. End it all now." Islinda said, having resigned herself to fate.

She told him, "You already believe I cast a spell on you. Nothing I say would change your mind about me. If you’re so offended, just kill me already, let’s end this once and for all." She added, finding the situation a little hilarious despite the terror gripping her, "Just like Tatiana, kill me too. In the end, it seems all the women that dare to love you end up with the same fate."

Islinda must have struck a nerve because Aldric’s eyes flickered with a dangerous light at the mention of Tatiana. His grip on her jaw slackened for a moment, his expression turning from pure rage to something more complex, a mixture of pain and anger. The shadows around him pulsed, reacting to his inner turmoil.

"Don’t you dare speak her name," he growled, his voice low and venomous. "You know nothing of what happened."

"Maybe not," Islinda replied, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her veins. "But it’s obvious our end is the same."

Just when Islinda thought Aldric would go ahead with hurting her, he released her jaw. He then stood up to his full height, the shadows retreating slightly but still swirling around him like a dark cloak.

"You think you know me?" he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. "You, who is nothing but a liar and a manipulator." He threw his head back and laughed cruelly, "If you think invoking Tatiana’s name saved you, you’re gravely mistaken."

Islinda’s heart pounded as she stared up at him, the Fae she had once known, buried too deeply to be reached. Yet she had to try.

"Aldric," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn’t betray you. Whatever Elena told you, it’s a lie. ".

He shook his head with disappointment, "I should have never come here."

Knowing that she was about to lose him, she quickly shouted, "Elena is Valerie’s fiancée or have you forgotten that? Everything she does is for Valerie, not for you. This is all a ploy to help Valerie win the game.."

Islinda knew deeply that her words was a lie and her point was totally off point but Valerie was the only name that could possibly get Aldric’s attention and she needed to use it.

She said, "You have to believe me. You’re smarter than whatever charm Elena used on you. But think about it, why would Elena help you? Valerie’s fiancée. Isn’t that a red flag, already? Fire and ice never works out, remember?"

For a brief moment, Islinda thought she saw a flicker of doubt in his eyes, a crack in his resolve. Good. She might actually be able to reach him.

Aldric looked down at her, his expression unreadable. For a long, tense moment, there was only silence between them, the flickering torchlight casting eerie shadows on the dungeon walls.

Then, finally, he spoke with cold determination.

"I will find out the truth," he said. "And if I discover that you did betray me, you will wish for a quick death. But until then, you will remain here. Human."

With that, Aldric turned and walked away, the torches dimming as he left, plunging Islinda back into the cold, suffocating darkness of her cell.

"Sorry, but I don’t plan on remaining here." Islinda muttered apologetically, hearing the dungeon door close.