Islinda was pretending to be bold, hurling those words at him, but she was greatly afraid of him, and her loose lips were determined to land her in trouble.
She expected Aldric to be mad at her over her words but he gave her a lazy smile, his eyes twinkling as if she delighted him sohow. And that was not a good sign, Islinda went rigid beneath him.
"You can say what you want but I’m not a pretender, nor do I attempt to hide my nature, unlike my dearest brother, Valerie," He said, peering down at her.
Islinda was honestly impressed by his unwavering confidence until he brought Valerie into the matter and her face deepened into a scowl.
As expected, she went on the defensive, " Valerie is not like you and would never be like you. He’s an honorable Fae and is capable of love unlike you, a pretender, liar, and murderer like you!"
And yes, she did it!
Islinda finally pushed Aldric’s button, his face darkening, erasing any source of mirth on it while his grasp around her hands tightened to the point she cried out in pain.
"You’re hurting ,"
However, either Aldric was not listening or he chose to ignore her because the pain did not lessen and tears stung her eyes. He was going to crush her hands at this rate.
"A pretender and a murderer I would admit, but when did I ever lie to you? As you know, Fae’s are incapable of lying." He breathed in her face, leaning closer now that their bodies were pressed together and his eyes swirled with so much emotion it was confusing.
His features expressed he was ready to murder her and at the sa ti looked like he needed her validation. Validation for what? And what in the na of the gods was wrong with him? Nor did it didn’t cross Islinda’s mind that since she laid down on the snow, she had not felt any cold except for the nervous sweat staining her tunic.
"You approached in the form of a child, Aldric, and pretended to be a human, taking advantage of my kindness and causing havoc in my life." She accused him.
"It was no pretense, Islinda. I rely glamoured my appearance and you found in the woods without bothering to ask if I was Fae. Who knows...." His smirk was back, "I would have answered."
Dear gods, Islinda felt a headache brewing. He was trying to push the bla onto her. She would not let that happen.
"You told that your mother abandoned you in the woods, how is that not a lie?!" She would see how he gets out of this one. It was a straight lie.
Sothing flashed in Aldric’s eyes but it was gone before she could identify the emotion, and he said, "My mother did abandon in the woods, I rely retold the tale and you believed it."
By the gods, Islinda was close to crying at this point. The fae had an excuse for everything. Now she understood what they ant when they said the Fae were incapable of lying, but were masters of manipulating their words. How could she defeat him with his well constructed words? They might as well lie outrightly. What the hell was this?
However, Islinda rembered Valerie telling her that his father had married four wives. If what Aldric said was true, why did his mother abandon him? Because he was evil? It didn’t make any sense. Nobody was born evil and such traits were acquired characteristics. Perhaps, with enough love and care, he would turn over a new leaf?
Wait a minute, was she feeling pity for him? Islinda shuddered, this was impossible. What was she thinking? Islinda wished her hands were free so she could slap away whatever charm he was using on her.
"I’m really dumb," Islinda comnted after thinking over his excuses.
Who in the world takes ho a child she stumbled upon in a dangerous wood?
Her.
Who ignores the red flags she noticed about him and goes ahead to treat him like a human child?
Her.
Who in the world would have thrown away her entire future to protect him?
Her.
Who in the world gets nothing but trouble in return after all of her sacrifices?
Her.
Islinda facepald ntally. She was really an idiot. Islinda could have sworn sothing pulled her to Eli at first, but now gladly blad it on Aldric’s magic. He must have done sothing to her, else how could she have been oblivious to all of these signs?
"Why?" She whispered, finally asking the question in her mind, "Why did you kill them? I rely asked for help and you understood the aning behind my wish, and you chose to ignore it, killing my family instead."
He laughed low, "Don’t be mistaken Islinda, you killed one and I rely finished the rest."
Her stomach churned and bile rose to her throat at the reminder. Killing Remy had only been an act of self-defense, or was it?
"I could not leave them alive and perhaps, you knew that deep down as well, isn’t that why you stabbed her over and over and over again?"
Her eyes widened as realization dawned on her. Aldric had been watching everything and didn’t attempt to stop her.
To be honest, Islinda thought he would be disgusted with her action, because sothing inside told her Valerie would have been disappointed with her behavior. He fell in love with her ek and good self, not this vengeful and dark aspect of her. But Aldric looked at her with pride for a job well done and she did not know how to feel about that.
"I was saving you from your wretched family. While you deny it, I know you know that it was kill or get killed."
Aldric was leaning towards her and for a mont there her eyes widened with horror when she thought he was about to kiss her, instead, he pressed his forehead to her and expelled a rough breath, his eyes closed.
Islinda went rigid beneath him when he opened his eyes and stared right through her. He was probing into her soul - if that was possible - and she gasped slightly, feeling utterly exposed under his scrutiny.
When his calloused hand caressed down her cheek, goosebumps broke out over her damp skin, just as he whispered, "Perhaps, we are not so different after all. I see the sa darkness inside of you."
Islinda trembled not because her heart stirred for the seductive Fae and their position was getting uncomfortable, rather he was a sick fellow and she was almost moved by him.
Aldric must have noticed the change in her because his expression shifted too, "Or Perhaps you are the sa with Valerie and the both of you deserve to be together." He said with disdain, a pulse of dark power radiating off his body.
Before Islinda could wrap her head around the sudden change in him, he was off her, which was a huge relief until she was pulled up to her feet as well.
"What are you -"
"Let’s go et, Valerie."
"What?! No!"
He was about to drag her through the divider.
The blood drained from her face, "No, don’t you dare! Eli! No, Aldric! Listen to !"
But her warnings fell on deaf ears because he threw her over his shoulders as if she weighed nothing and Islinda scread at the top of her lungs.
"You bastard, let down this instant! This is kidnap and the hunters would co back for ..." Yes, they would co to stand her trial for the murder of her family, that is if they assud she was still alive. Not that Islinda cared at the mont, threats were threats. And it was not working on him.
She went on, "You better let go because I would not aid your plan to harm Valerie. I’m nothing but dead weight, just kill already and let our wretched fate be over."
When it beca apparent the bastard was not changing his mind anyti soon, Islinda went back to fighting as hard as she could. But she was nothing but a frantic animal fighting for survival and the damned Fae was a seasoned warrior who handled her just fine.
When the shimring walls of the divider ca into view, her panic grew and Islinda gave up on shoving and kicking and resorted to begging him instead. If he wanted her on her knees, she would not hesitate to throw away her pride.
"Please don’t do this, Aldric. I was so good to you, rember? For old ti’s sake, don’t do this to ."
Aldric did not listen and passed through the divider, Islinda let out an ear-piercing scream as if the transition physically hurt her when it didn’t.
With his mission fulfilled, Aldric let go of her and Islinda didn’t wait for the release and jumped down from his shoulders and went back to the divider. She slamd her palms flat on the shimring walls but it had solidified and wouldn’t let her in.
"No!" Islinda slumped on the floor, refusing to admire the change in her environnt, torn apart by grief instead.
This can’t be happening. She was not stuck here forever. She refused to be his slave.
"Aldric..." She seethed and stood up, striding over to him with fuming rage.
"You bastard!" Islinda raised her hand to hit him but he caught her hand and muttered a word instead.
"Sleep."
It was a strange sensation as she felt her body complying with his command.
"Y-you...." She glared at him with so much hatred.
Her world darkened.
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