Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 709: He Needed Her

The palace remained in chaos despite Prince Aldric’s sudden return. The captain still held Prince Andre and Issac hostage, uncertain about their fate, awaiting their high lord’s return from wherever he had vanished.It puzzled everyone that Aldric’s first act upon reappearing was to seek out Islinda, the betrayer. They wondered if she had cast some darker enchantment over him.

As the captain prepared to send the captives to the dungeon, a portal suddenly opened, and Aldric emerged, carrying a woman in his arms. The captain was stunned, his shock only deepening when he noticed the woman’s stark white hair. Islinda was a brunette, wasn’t she? He couldn’t get a clear view because Aldric cradled her so protectively, and when the captain tried to peer closer, Aldric’s threatening growl forced him to back off immediately.

Isaac, seeing no sign of Maxi, struggled against the Fae restraining him. "Maxi! Where is Maxi?!" he shouted desperately.

Aldric cast a cold glance at Isaac, hesitated briefly, then commanded the captain, "Let them go," before departing.

The captain wanted to object but the earlier threat in Aldric’s eyes silenced him. He complied, releasing the captives.

As soon as Isaac was free, he seized the witch’s hand and demanded, "Send me wherever you sent him moments ago."

The witch didn’t hesitate, grasping his hand and transporting them both to a snowy landscape. Isaac’s heart leapt to his throat as he saw Maxi, pale and slumped on a chair.

"Maxi!" he screamed, rushing to her side.

He embraced her tightly, a wave of relief washing over him. Aldric, that bastard, had left her behind. Although Isaac knew deep down that Aldric might not have been able to save both women at once, he still bore resentment towards her.

However, when Issac leaned back, he discovered that Maxi was not responsive and that made his heart begin to race. "What’s going on with her? Maxi," Issac patted her cheeks, intending to wake her. But aside from a drowsy groan, she was still unconscious.

"Maxi! Wake up!" He shook her, but there was still no response and he began to panic, "Wake up, maxi! Come on! What the fuck have they done to you!"

"That’s enough!" The witch grabbed his hand when he attempted to slap her again, intending to bring her to consciousness. She shoved him aside and took her place.

Issac growled at her but the witch did not flinch. She had seen a lot in her line of work. Just like she did to Aldric earlier, she grabbed both sides of Maxi’s head and closed her eyes, only to recover seconds later with a startled gasp.

"What is it?" Issac was anxious.

"The witch stuck her in a memory loop. A very unpleasant one from the look of it. She probably intended to punish her. Not kill her. Atleast, not quickly."

"Release her!"

"You do not order me, Fae," The witch told him defiantly, "But I’ll do it because of the affection I saw between the both of you. Who knew a day would come when a dark Fae would be bonded to a light Fae?"

Issac took a threateningly step towards her and she warned him, "Hurt even a hair on my body and your dearly beloved mate dies before you get another help. There is only so much pain one can take. It is obvious that your mate is a strong one but how long can she keep it up before she gives up."

She told him,"I am not interested in your fae wars and propagandas, hence, you can be assured that your secret is safe with me. However, be assured that I’m about to bill you severally. You never told me the mission was risky and I’ll want to be compensated properly.

"Just save her." Issac did not care about her billing. He couldn’t care less if she demanded he give all his wealth to her. All he wanted was Maxi safe and alive in his arms.

"Fine." The witch was delighted at the prospect of a fine compensation and set to work.

Moments later, Maxi awoke with a startled scream, still entangled in the terrifying remnants of her dreams. Disoriented and filled with panic, she lashed out at the old witch nearby, convinced she was still trapped in her memory. Her wide, frightened eyes darted around, seeing enemies everywhere.

The witch, unprepared for the sudden assault, stood no chance. Maxi’s hands found the witch’s neck with a brutal grip, and in a swift, desperate move, she snapped it. The witch’s body crumpled to the ground like a lifeless rag doll.

Issac, standing nearby, let out a shocked exclamation, "Oh shit," as he watched the witch fall. He barely had a moment to process the scene before Maxi, still in a defensive frenzy, turned her aggression toward him.

"Maxi, wait!" he shouted, but his words didn’t reach her. Maxi’s survival instincts had kicked in, rendering her deaf to reason. She lunged at Issac with the same ferocity she had shown the witch.

Issac knew Maxi well enough to recognize her strength and ruthlessness as a fighter. He braced himself, raising his defenses just in time to block her initial strikes. Maxi’s blows were swift and powerful, driven by the adrenaline and terror still coursing through her.

"Maxi, it’s me! It’s Issac!" He called out repeatedly, but she was lost in her fear and trauma, seeing only threats in the blur of her vision.

Issac held his ground, carefully countering each of Maxi’s strikes without harming her. He could see the pain and confusion in her eyes, and it pained him to have to fight her. With each block and dodge, he tried to find an opening to reach her.

"Maxi, listen to me! You’re safe now. It’s over!" he shouted, hoping his words would break through her hysteria. Slowly, his voice began to register with her, and the wildness in her eyes started to fade.

Breathing heavily, Maxi finally paused, blinking rapidly as reality seeped back into her consciousness. Issac, still in a defensive stance, cautiously lowered his arms, his eyes locked on hers.

"Maxi, it’s okay. It’s me," he repeated softly, stepping closer. Maxi’s shoulders sagged, and tears welled up in her eyes as she recognized him at last. She collapsed into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

Issac held her tightly, relief flooding through him as he whispered soothing words, "It’s okay, Maxi. You’re safe. I’ve got you."

Maxi’s arms finally wrap around him in return, her grip tight as if anchoring herself back to the present. "That bitch stuck me in that horrible memory.... I thought I-I-I ...."

"Shh, I understand baby, speak no more." He hugged her tighter.

They remained in that position for a while until Maxi was able to compose herself. When she pulled away, her eyes fell on the witch’s frozen corpse, the words "Oh fuck." fell from her lips.

"Exactly, my thought." Issac concurred.

"Did I - " Maxi turned, pointing at herself and then back at the witch’s corpse.

Issac nodded his head.

"By the gods," Maxi grabbed her hair, "What am I going to do? All of this began from a witch’s vengeance and now I’ve gone ahead to murder another witch. What do I do at this point? She must have a loved one, a husband, son, daughter..." Maxi gasped, "What if they come for revenge too..."

"Maxi!" Issac shouted, finally getting her attention.

He clasped both of her cheeks and made her look into his eyes. He said to her, "Unlike Valerie, we would not make the wrong decision of hiding her death. It was a mistake. They would surely understand. Every witch knows the risk associated with their line of job already."

Issac was able to convince Maxi enough for her to calm down.

"Although..... " Issac looked around the landscape,"Where the fuck are we?"

The witch had brought him here and now, she was dead.

******

"Get me a healer! I need a fucking healer this instant!" Aldric thundered as he carried Islinda’s body through the hallway.

All the Fae who encountered him in the hallway scampered out of the way, worried for their life. Not that Aldric gave them a second look. They all stood, staring at the dark Fae prince and perplexed over what got him in this way.

"Are you all idiots?!" He thundered at them, "Get me a healer right now!"

And that was all they needed to set into action.

Aldric was so pissed by their incompetency, he began to curse, "Fools! Idiots! Damn it, bastard!" He was so frustrated with everything going on that he transferred his aggression on them.

He hurried into his room and carefully placed her on the bed. He did not care that she had blood on her, nor was he curious about it, all he was concerned about was her well-being.

Now, Aldric stood before the bed staring at her unconscious body and ruffling his hand through his hair, having no idea what to do.

She can’t die yet.

He needed her.