Mated To The Cruel Prince novel Chapter 699

Chapter 699: Aldric Would Never Be The Same

Prince Andre never took his brother Aldric out of the winter court contrary to the thought of the search parties currently turning the kingdom upside down in their search for him. If anything they were right up their noses; they took refuge in the palace sanctum.

The sanctum was in the heart of the winter palace, and was dedicated to the ancient Fae gods. However, leave it to Maxi to think out of the box and come up with the craziest idea. It was the last place anyone would expect to find them, a clever gambit Maxi made, capitalizing on the deep-seated respect the Fae held for their gods.

The sanctum was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from a few flickering candles positioned around the room. Their light cast long, quivering shadows on the stone walls, where ancient carvings and figurines of the gods stood watch. The air was dense with the potent blend of burning incense and the sharp, earthy aroma of herbs, filling the space with a heady fragrance that seemed almost tangible and made Andre’s nose twitch.

Even now, neither Andre, nor Issac felt comfortable staying there. Even if it was a smart plan, they were Fae after all. It was as if they felt the oppressive sanctity of the sanctum pressing down on them, a constant reminder of the gods’ silent judgment. And to make it worse, they brought a witch in here. If their kind knew what they had done, they would be calling for their head to roll for this "abomination."

Prince Aldric lay unconscious on a thick, woven mat, his body unmoving except for the slow rise and fall of his chest. The occasional twitch of his eyelids was the only evidence of the turmoil raging within his unconscious mind.

Kneeling beside Aldric was the witch, dressed in dark robes that flowed around her, her presence feeling like a taint against the sanctity of the room. As much as it bothered Andre — he was going against everything he had been taught about reference to the gods — he could not do anything. Surely, the gods understood they were trying to save their beloved son, Aldric.

And yes, Andre had always thought his brother had to be the god’s favorite, after all, how could he be alive so far. Everyone knew Aldric was never meant to live. Yet somehow the gods kept him. They must have a reason for doing so. And what reason would that be, if it wasn’t for the fact he was their beloved son?

The witch’s long white hair fell around her face as she bent over Aldric, her fingers lightly pressing against both sides of his temple. Her eyes, a piercing shade of green, glowed brightly in the candlelight as she examined him. Those eyes, though seeing, looked distant as if she was no longer present, searching Aldric’s mind.

Then her eyes suddenly gained focus, and she began to mutter incantations under her breath. The air around her fingertips shimmered faintly, a telltale sign of the magic she was channeling. She closed her eyes this time as she delved into his head once more.

Prince Andre stood nearby, his face lined with worry and fatigue. His usually impeccable appearance was disheveled, thanks to the harrowing battle and the stress of their precarious situation. He was restless, casting anxious glances at his brother and the witch, his mind racing with thoughts of their next move and the search parties scouring the kingdom above.

When the witch opened her eyes with a sudden gasp, he straightened up, asking anxiously, "How bad is it? Can you help him?"

"His mind," The witch said, "It is so powerful and confusing. I have never seen a mind so complicated, so shattered." She looked Andre in the eyes, "Mad."

Andre swallowed nervously. His gaze moved to connect with Issac’s from across the room. He had always suspected that his brother was unwell mentally and now, the witch just proved it.

Issac said nothing, looking away. Unlike Andre, he was worried about something else. More like someone else. Maxi. There was no sign of her nor Islinda. This could only mean that something went wrong or they were unable to come here and branched off to another location. He had to trust that his mate was okay. It was Maxi after all. She was incredible and capable of doing the impossible.

Now, they had to believe that the witch would be able to heal Aldric and he would return things to normal. Once in the palace, Issac intended to look for them and if they were somehow caught and captured, Aldric would have them released.

The witch reached into a leather pouch at her side, pulling out a small vial filled with a viscous, glowing liquid. She uncorked it with a flick of her thumb, opened Aldric’s mouth and poured a few drops into Aldric’s parted lips.

As the liquid disappeared down his throat, she then reached for a bundle of dried herbs, crushed a handful between her fingers, and sprinkled the fragments over Aldric. The scent of the herbs mingled with the incense, creating a potent aroma that filled the room. Once that was done, the witch closed her eyes and was back in his mind, her brow furrowed in concentration.

Unlike the first time, it took the witch a longer time to return to consciousness, her eyes glowing with power.

There was a look of frustration on her face as she said to them, "Whoever messed with his mind did a lousy job and didn’t care for the aftermath."

"What do you mean by that?" Andre was frowning now while Issac’s attention was piqued.

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