All eyes were on her again and Islinda felt like a piece of exotic treasure on display for the public. Except the public this time was Aldric and Andre, the two Fae princes of their diverse courts. Thankfully, the psychopathic Spring Prince was not around, which meant no one would attempt to kill her again. She hoped so.
However, there came the problem of seating arrangement once more. There was the problematic Aldric and Andre, the Autumn prince who unnerved her with his seductive aura or something. Islinda would rather sit far away from the both of them, but she knew Aldric would not stand for it and would move her himself by getting into her head - and she hated that intrusion. Aldric had to begin to understand the concept of privacy.
So she chose the lesser evil. Sure, Andre was quite stunning and drew her like a moth to a flame, but she was not interested in jumping his bones and that was a good sign. Islinda likes to think that their outward beauty was designed to attract and deceive the humans, their prey. It was sadly all nature’s designs to balance things out. Humans kills animals; Fae kill humans; humans kill Fae; Fae kills Fae.
"Hello Prince Andre, it is nice to see you again," She took the seat beside him, blushing a bit at the Fae’s odd scrutiny.
Andre couldn’t help but notice the changes around the human. The way Valerie was desperate to get her back, one would think that Aldric tortured and made her life a living hell. But that wasn’t the case. Whatever Aldric was doing, he was doing one heck of a good job because Islinda had filled in flesh - and in all the right places.
The last time he visited, the human was skinny but she was replenishing quickly and showing off she had killer curves. As someone who spent half of his lifetime in the human realm, it was no surprise the Autumn Prince does not share the same disgust most of his family members have towards humans. And worse, he shares their bed.
Of course, most of his family members - even Valerie at that time - frowned down at his choices in females, all except his loving mother who told him to do whatever he wanted - may the gods bless her. Queen Maeve was the one who had the loudest opinion since the both of them got along fine, and she claimed to be saving him from making a huge mistake and an insult to their ancestry. Quite funny, since she would be saving her beloved son Valerie this time.
However, tried as much as they did, but his family eventually gave up when they couldn’t change his mind. Also, another reason Andre did not come under the heat was because he was not next in line for the crown. Whatever decision he took would affect the autumn court, not Astaria as a whole. Hence they couldn’t care less. Unlike poor Valerie.
"Why are you staring at me like that? Do I have something on my face?" Islinda asked, wondering if the powder Aurelia put on her face was too much. She had not asked for the dressing up but Aurelia insisted she had to look her best while meeting royalty. Aldre might not be as powerful as Prince Valerie, but he was still pretty influential.
Andre blinked up at her, sitting up straight, "No, it’s not that. It’s just that you surprised me, Islinda."
"I do?" Her mouth opened a bit in surprise.
"Yes, my lady. Your beauty flourishes as the days go by," Andre flattered her with a low, sexy voice while holding her gaze.
By the gods, while Aldric was a bloodsucker, this one was an incubus demon, Islinda noted in a panic as all the blood in her body rushed to her face. Her cheeks burned and she dropped her gaze onto her lap, fiddling with her hands and feeling shy.
"A-hem!" Somebody cleared his throat with more force than was required and Islinda dropped her gaze on Aldric, startled to see that he was intensely watching her too. More like her reaction towards Andre. More blood rushed to her head and she felt a little dizzy. There was too much testosterone in this room and needed to be diluted.
"Dear brother, I brought Islinda here to prove that she’s still alive and prevent any other rumors that might surface from her stay here, not for you to work your charm on her." Aldric chided him, playfully.
"I thought as much, brother. However, do forgive me, your guest Islinda is quite a lovely human and it would be a sin not to appreciate God’s carefully created creature." Andre winked an eye at her but it was bad timing for Islinda who brought a glass of water to her lips, only to choke on it.
"Here dear," Andre handed a napkin to her and she took it from him but not without a warning glare. Was he seriously flirting with her?
"I thought you were loyal to Valerie, brother and yet you’re making a move on the woman that he’s interested in it?"
"At least, you recognize that I am his woman," Islinda retorted, however, her brows furrowed slightly, "More like ’was’." She looked crestfallen, not that Aldric respected her feelings.
"Oh, Islinda, touchy conversation for you, isn’t it?" He smirked knowingly, swirling the wine glass in his hand.
"Asshole." She cursed him.
"Thank you." Aldric was not one bit affected by her curse and his nonchalance only seemed to irk her more.
"One day, you will get the punishment you’re due to receive, Aldric and I would relish every single bit of it." Islinda promised him, gritting her teeth.
"Oh, Islinda," Aldric was amused, crinkles around his eye, "I can’t wait for the day to come." His mocking laughter echoed across the hall.
Meanwhile, Andre looked at the both of them in confusion, How did the atmosphere change so quickly? One moment they were having harmless fun and the next the room was thickened with tension that he could cut through with a knife.
But Andre noticed something else beneath the tension, a charge, a spark, a sensual heat.
Fuck.
This was not just tension, but sweet, hot sexual tension.
What the heck was going on here?
What did he just step into?
What has Aldric done?
Does the human feel anything for Aldric other than hate - and possibly a growing attraction?
Most of all, has Valerie noticed this?
Is that what pushed and stroked Valerie’s desperation to get the girl out of here?
Fuck!
What in the world of Fae was going on here?