Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 705: Find Her

"There is no sight of them anywhere, captain." The guard’s voice trembled slightly as he reported back. "We’ve practically turned the kingdom upside down, yet we can’t find them. We’ve sent messages to our acquaintances in the Autumn Court, but there has been no sighting of their prince—not for weeks."

The Captain, leading the search, looked haggard, his eyes shadowed with exhaustion.They had been scouring every nook and cranny of the palace for hours, yet they couldn’t even find a trace of Prince Andre and Issac.

The medallion’s power, known for transporting its bearers, didn’t work within the palace grounds. Besides, there were no reports of Prince Andre or Issac leaving with High Lord Aldric. Given the medallion’s limit of transporting only two people, Andre’s use of it should have left Issac behind. But where was Issac? It was as though he had vanished into thin air.

A sudden realization struck the captain. He grabbed a map of the palace from among the scattered documents on the large table and unrolled it hastily, his eyes scanning the intricate pathways and hidden corridors.

"Did you check the hidden passages built into the palace and the dungeons?" he demanded.

"We did, sir. There was no sight of them, although we found traces indicating they might have used them. But that was all. We swept through the dungeons as well, and aside from the new prisoners, there was no sign of them."

Disappointment etched deeper lines into Valen’s face. He scrutinized the map again, his gaze narrowing as it landed on a less obvious location.

"What about this place?" He tapped a specific spot on the map with a sense of urgency.

The soldier squinted at the indicated area. "The Sanctum, sir."

"And what about there?" Valen’s voice was sharp.

"That’s a sacred ground, sir," the guard replied, hesitant. "We wouldn’t dare to upset such a holy place—"

"Which makes it the perfect hiding place for a bunch of traitors on the run, idiot!" Valen’s rage erupted, his spittle flying. "Gather all available Fae and capture those traitors now! Go!"

"Yes, sir!" The guard didn’t hesitate. He quickly relayed the orders to the others, mobilizing them with a newfound urgency.

***********

The tension in the Sanctum was palpable as Issac paced back and forth, casting anxious glances towards the door.

"Why is it taking too long?" he muttered, his impatience growing by each passing seconds.

He didn’t just feel the urgency; he knew it. His instincts, honed from years as a soldier, told him they were running out of time. The guards would search every corner, and if their initial sweep proved fruitless, they would return, scrutinizing for overlooked hideouts. They had lingered here too long; their sanctuary was no longer safe.

"Just a little more time!" snapped the witch, her irritation clear. Her hands were engulfed in a soft green glow as she worked over Aldric’s unconscious form. "The mind is a delicate thing. If you want more damage than repair, then keep pestering me!"

"We can’t afford to wait," Andre said, moving towards the door with deliberate caution. His ear pressed against the wood, listening intently. Footsteps, hurried and determined, echoed down the corridors.

"We’ve been located," he said grimly, turning back to Issac.

Issac’s jaw tightened. "Not surprising," he said, sarcasm lacing his voice as he prepared himself for the inevitable confrontation.

"We’ll hold them off as long as we can," Andre continued, his tone a mix of encouragement and urgency. "But if I were you, I’d make the most of the time you have. Our fate depends on you now. Fail us, and you’ll find out just how vengeful I can be."

The witch’s hands trembled slightly, the threat in Andre’s voice adding to the weight of her task. Her focus intensified, the green energy pulsating brighter as she worked feverishly on Aldric.

Andre’s eyes gleamed with a fierce light as he approached the door. Issac moved to his side, his own eyes glowing with resolve. "You know the drill," Andre said, his voice low but commanding. "Distract them and buy the witch time to complete her work."

Issac nodded, though a grumble escaped him. "I know."

"Good." Andre raised his hand, a controlled whirlpool of air forming in his palm. Just before he released his power, he added, "Your father would be proud of you."

Issac blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected comment. But before he could respond, Andre unleashed a powerful wind strike. The door exploded outward, the force of the blast sending the guards stationed outside sprawling backward, creating a chaotic pathway through them.

As Andre and Issac stepped through the wreckage, it became clear they were heavily outnumbered. Guards flooded the corridor, their weapons drawn, faces set in grim determination. Yet neither Andre nor Issac flinched. They had no intention of surrendering. Their goal wasn’t necessarily to win, but to delay the guards, to buy as much time as possible.

For a moment, both sides stood still, a tense silence stretching between them. It was a silent standoff, each side waiting for the other to make the first move.

Then, the head guard’s voice cut through the tension like a knife. "Capture the traitor prince Andre and Issac!" frёewebnoѵēl.com

With that command, the corridor erupted into chaos. The guards surged forward, weapons gleaming in the dim light. Andre and Issac met them head-on, a fierce determination burning in their eyes. Abilities and weapons clashed, and the confined space echoed with the sounds of battle.

Andre’s movements were a blur, his wind magic swirling around him as he fought off the advancing guards. Beside him, Issac fought with brutal efficiency, his skills honed from countless battles. They worked in tandem, a formidable force holding back the tide, knowing that each moment they delayed their enemies was a moment closer to salvation for Aldric and the witch.

Inside the room, the witch worked with frantic speed, the green light enveloping Aldric’s head growing ever more intense. She knew that outside the door, a fierce battle raged, and their time was running perilously short. She had to finish the spell, and quickly. Her life depended on it.

The clash was brutal and unrelenting, but despite Andre’s power and Issac’s skill, they were ultimately overwhelmed by the sheer number of soldiers. Issac was forced to his knees, his arms wrenched behind, while Andre, though resisting fiercely, was eventually overpowered and pinned down.

Then Soldiers poured into the sanctum.

In the ensuing struggle, the witch was dragged out, screaming, her hands desperately reaching towards Aldric. Meanwhile, Aldric’s limp body was carefully lifted and laid on the cold ground outside the sanctum, his pallor striking against the dark stone.

The captain of the guard stormed forward, his eyes blazing with fury. He knelt beside Aldric, barely containing his outrage. "By the gods," he exclaimed, his voice trembling with a mix of horror and rage. "What have you done to him?" His glare turned to the witch, demanding answers.

"I did nothing wrong!" the witch cried out, her voice cracking with desperation. "I was healing him!"

"Shut up, witch!" The captain’s roar was followed by a vicious backhand that sent her sprawling, her cheek reddening from the blow.

"Don’t touch her! She’s telling the truth!" Issac shouted, his voice hoarse from where he was restrained on the ground, struggling against the soldiers holding him down.

The captain spun towards Issac, his expression murderous. "Don’t you dare say a word! You betrayed the high lord and desecrated the sanctum with your treachery. You will answer for your crimes later!"

"You still have time to care about the sanctity of the sanctum when you’ve just disrupted Aldric’s healing?" Prince Andre retorted, his eyes blazing with defiance.

"And you, Prince Andre," the captain snapped, his gaze shifting to the prince. "You will not speak either. You’ve jeopardized not only your brother’s safety but the stability of the Winter Court. We will see that justice is served, despite your immunity."

Andre laughed, a hollow sound echoing in the tension-filled corridor. "You’re a fool, ’captain’," he spat mockingly.

In the midst of their argument, a dark miasma began to seep from Aldric’s body, unnoticed by all except the closest guards. It coiled and twisted like a living thing, tendrils of darkness spreading across the floor.

"Umm, captain, you need to see—" one of the guards began, his voice tinged with alarm. But before he could finish, a blast of darkness erupted from Aldric, knocking everyone off their feet.

Groans of pain echoed through the hall as the guards struggled to rise, stunned by the unexpected assault. Aldric stood before them, his eyes glowing with an unearthly power that crackled in the air around him.

With effortless strength, Aldric seized the captain by the collar, lifting him as if he weighed nothing. His voice was a guttural growl, filled with barely controlled rage. "Where is she?!"

"Who?" the captain stammered, his confusion evident.

"Islinda!" Aldric’s voice boomed with supernatural authority, the sheer force of it causing the captain to tremble.

"I don’t know, but the witch can—" the captain began, but he didn’t get to finish. Aldric flung him aside like a rag doll and turned his burning gaze on the witch, who cowered, her eyes wide with terror.

"I need you to find Islinda," Aldric demanded, his tone brooking no argument.

The witch’s voice quivered as she tried to respond. "T-to do that, I’ll n-need something of hers, or a bond she shares with someone, to d-do a location spell..."

"I am the bond," Aldric declared, his confidence unshaken.

Moments later, in a swirl of dark magic, Aldric appeared in a clearing, his eyes scanning the pristine snow. There, lying unconscious, was a figure with white hair. He rushed forward, his heart pounding as he scooped up Islinda’s fragile form.

"I’m sorry I’m late, little mate," Aldric murmured, cradling her close. In a twinkle of an eye, they vanished, leaving behind the clearing.

And Maxi.

However, reappearing under the sky at that moment was the bright, cold light of the full moon.

The first moon has risen.

Aldric was running out of time to claim the throne of Astaria.