Aldric’s presence commanded attention from all corners of the hall. As was common with nearly everyone in attendance, his own attire left little to the imagination, with only pants adorning his lower half, revealing a flat, impressively toned stomach adorned with glowing, runic tattoos that pulsed with power. His chest was bare displaying the tightly coiled muscles beneath his skin that made Islinda nearly drool at the sight.
Aldric’s long midnight blue hair cascaded down his back in loose waves, some strands braided, adding to his allure and giving him an air of wild sensuality. His coat, though partially covering his warrior body, hinted at the tantalizing sight hidden beneath, teasing the Faeries with glimpses of his muscular physique. Aldric was dressed ostentatiously like a rebel king reveling in the pleasures of the night.
Islinda couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy as she observed the way everyone’s attention gravitated towards Aldric. She understood the allure of his mercilessly beautiful face all too well, but it didn’t make it any easier to bear. Aldric remained seated upon his lavish table, emanating an aura of cold detachment as he surveyed the room with the authority befitting a prince overseeing his subjects.
Despite her initial assumptions, Islinda realized she might not have given Aldric enough credit. Contrary to her expectations, he didn’t appear to be reveling in the kind of indulgence she had imagined. She had expected him to be surrounded by two or three beauties, catering to his every whim like the king he was. Instead, as she observed him from afar, Aldric appeared rather... bored
Weird.
Wasn’t tonight supposed to be a time for him to let loose and enjoy himself? Yet, here he was, holding back. Could it be that he knew she was here and was deliberately keeping up appearances? No, that didn’t seem likely.
Perhaps, Islinda thought, Aldric was trustworthy after all, and she shouldn’t have come here to test his loyalty. Her thoughts were interrupted abruptly when a Fae female suddenly rose and flung herself onto Aldric’s lap.
What in the fucking Fae?!
Islinda was taken aback by the unexpected scene unfolding before her.
"My Lady–!"
Islinda’s senses snapped back to reality as Ginger’s urgent voice cut through her fury. She realized with a start that she had nearly broken formation in the dance, consumed by a white-hot rage she hadn’t known she possessed.
Her clenched fists trembled with the desire to storm over, grab the audacious Fae by the hair, and forcefully remove her from Aldric’s lap. How dare she? How dare anyone touch what belonged to her? The rage burned fiercely within Islinda, threatening to consume her entirely.
However, it seemed the night was determined to push Islinda’s boundaries to the limit. When she glanced in Aldric’s direction again, her anger intensified as she witnessed not just one, but about four females surrounding him, their suggestive touches and caresses fueling her fury.
"Don’t!" Ailee intervened, blocking Islinda’s path and urging her to maintain focus on the dance amidst the chaos.
"But he’s —" Islinda attempted to explain, her voice fraught with frustration as she struggled to articulate the turmoil brewing inside her.
She thought she could handle it, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Other females touching Aldric pissed her off greatly.
"Tonight is the high lord’s welcome party, which means his maximum satisfaction is our priority. The dark Fae prince is unmated, nor has he laid claim to any female, which means he can take any female he’s interested in."
What nonsense! Islinda seethed with fury, her blood boiling at the absurdity of such a rule. Who made such a useless decree, allowing Aldric to freely indulge in whatever he desired?
Islinda’s frustration reached its peak, her focus shifting solely to Aldric, who remained passive amidst the female attention, indulging in drink while they vied for his affection. She seethed with resentment, her gaze burning with murderous intent directed at him. Yet, when Aldric’s gaze unexpectedly met hers, she was momentarily paralyzed with fear, hastily diverting her eyes to avoid his penetrating stare.
Oh no, no, no. Islinda’s heart raced as she retreated into the crowd of dancers, seeking refuge among their bodies. Using them as cover, she cautiously glanced back towards Aldric, relieved to find that his gaze had shifted elsewhere. Thank the Gods, that was close.
To be honest, Islinda had no idea what she wanted anymore. Everything was just confusing for her. She hated and liked Aldric at the same time. She wanted to give in to him, yet for her own sake, she couldn’t. Why did everything have to be so confusing?
"My lady," Ginger’s whisper drew her attention.
"Oh right." Islinda recalled this was the part of the plan where she slipped out of the dance and go do her own thing.
However, just as Islinda was about to find her own way, she was stunned to discover that the dance style changed all of sudden and all the dancers were heading in Aldric’s direction.
Alright, wait — what?!
Where were they going?!
Ahh!
Islinda’s eyes grew wide with alarm as she attempted to break away from the dancers, but it was futile. Instant chaos ensued, and not even Ginger and Ailee could stop her as she was dragged along. It seemed to be a dance routine Islinda was not aware of, because as soon as they approached the table, the other females were compelled to leave, leaving the dancers to entice Aldric with slow, seductive movements.
Islinda was definitely out of her element here, feeling uncomfortably close to Aldric. As the dancers moved in perfect synchronization, Islinda struggled to keep up, her movements clumsy and awkward. She knew the moment Aldric looked up, because his gaze seemed to travel across her body like an electric current, causing her to lose her composure. Her feet slipped, and she landed straight in his arms.
"Hello," Islinda greeted him with a nervous laugh as she found herself caught in his embrace.