As Karle’s sudden arrival shattered the charged atmosphere, Islinda felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her. In an instant, the lustful haze
that had enveloped her dissipates, leaving her feeling starkly sober and aware of her surroundings. With a swift motion, she jumped off the throne, her glare directed intensely at Aldric, as if blaming him for whatever enchantment had momentarily taken hold of her.
Aldric’s frustration was palpable, his gaze turning deadly as he directed his glare towards Karle. He couldn’t help but curse inwardly knowing the moment had been so close—Islinda on his throne, ready to surrender to him completely. He had been on the brink of fulfilling his fantasy, of pleasuring her right there in the heart of his domain. But now, it was all gone, shattered by Karle’s untimely intrusion, Aldric seethed with anger.
Karle stood frozen in shock, his mind reeling from the unexpected sight before him. It wasn’t the murderous intent emanating from Aldric or the sexual scene he had intruded upon that caused him to freeze. Fae were after all known for their amorous nature, and orgies were not uncommon at their gatherings. No, it was the sight of Islinda seated upon the throne that made his blood run cold.
He blinked twice, unable to believe his eyes. But Islinda was up on his feet already. However, he knew what he had seen and had not been hallucinating at all.
Every Faery throne was enchanted to only accept those with royal blood, a safeguard to prevent anyone without rightful claim from ascending to power. Unless the ruling king or Queen decided to end the monarchy.
Karle himself was only able to access the throne because he possessed half the royal lineage. But anyone else who dared to sit upon it would meet a swift and fatal end. Yet here was Islinda, alive and unharmed, defying the very laws of the Fae monarchy.
A flicker of disbelief crossed Karle’s mind, followed by a chilling realization. Could it be possible that Islinda possessed royal blood? No, that was absurd considering Islinda was human. His father may have been a womanizer, but he held a deep disdain for humans and would never have sullied his lineage with a half-breed. But then, what other explanation could there be?
Unless..... a horrifying suspicion began to form in Karle’s mind, sending a wave of dread coursing through him.. No way. It couldn’t be true, could it? The only other way for an outsider to access the throne was through marriage or fated mates.
Karle’s mind raced as he tried to make sense of the situation unfolding before him. His thoughts churned with disbelief and apprehension as he considered the implications of Aldric and Islinda’s relationship. Aldric and Islinda were not married, of that he was certain. It would be a scandalous move for Aldric, a prince with political ambitions, to wed a mere human, especially one without any notable political background like Elena of the Raysin family. It would be a slap in the face to the royal lineage, a disrespect to the expectations placed upon a prince. Dark Fae or not.
Yet, if marriage was off the table, then that leaves his option down to.... fated mates.
Yet, if marriage was off the table, then the only other explanation for Islinda’s presence on the throne was the concept of fated mates. Karle swallowed nervously. Dark Faeries were not known to have mates; it went against everything he had been taught
And yet, the evidence before him seemed to suggest otherwise — Islinda sat upon the throne, unharmed and seemingly welcomed by its magic. That could only happen if she was thr High lord’s fated mate.
Fuck.
The idea sent a shiver down Karle’s spine. The thought of Aldric and Islinda truly be fated mates filled him with a sense of unease, a foreboding sense of dread that lingered in the depths of his mind. A dark Fae prince and a human? What does this mean for their realm?
Lost in his thoughts, Karle was suddenly startled when Aldric approached him and barked, "What do you want?!"
Karle swallowed and glanced towards the throne, then at Islinda, and Aldric observed his action with his lips pressed into a thin line.
Unexpectedly, Aldric commanded, "Leave us, Islinda."
Islinda was taken aback, wondering what was happening. The question was already on her lips when Aldric turned to her with an endearing smile. "Don’t worry, I’m sure Karle has already sorted out your room...." His smile vanished as he faced Karle with an ominous expression. "I’m sure he isn’t foolish enough to mistreat the High Lord’s special guest." Aldric continued to rub his position in Karle’s face.
"Islinda," she corrected firmly. "My name is Islinda, not ’human.’"
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