Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 38: An Abadoned Fae Child

The rest of the walk in the market was an awkward and tense one because Remy would not tell her where she had taken Eli to. Unfortunately, Islinda did not trust her and delved deeper.

"Just here and there," Her answers were vague and that was not enough to satisfy Islinda. She kept on prodding and demanding details until Remy whirled around in her face and gave her a detailed warning.

The menace oozing off her gave Islinda a glimpse of the Remy she had once been and was a quick reminder that her wicked stepsister was still there. She merely shifted her attention to Eli who stole her heart.

Hence, Islinda gritted her and had no choice but to leave her alone. She would ask Eli later if she had done anything to him, even though he didn’t look one bit injured. If anything, their bond only tightened, making her a little jealous. Islinda found Eli first but the boy was quick to give his attention to the sister that bullies her. It was a bit annoying to be honest.

Although Islinda would do the questioning when Remy is out of sight and would ask Eli to keep it a secret. Children don’t lie and the boy is liable to tell her everything, they are best friends after all.

Islinda believes that her stepsister is up to no good and wants to uncover the truth. You cannot hate a child with a blazing intensity one night and wake up loving him the next day. It was strange. Remy was surely planning something.

Keeping a cautious eye on her step sister and Eli else they disappear again, Islinda made her final purchases: Madam Alice’s coat, and Lillian’s boot. The coins she had were enough to buy the boots, but not the coat, it ran short. Not to mention that Madam Alice loves fur coats and it was very expensive, not that the woman cared.

Thankfully, the seller was a villager she was familiar with and she promised to pay up the rest of the balance later and the woman agreed. Islinda was beloved in the village because she was a smart and kind person. When it wasn’t winter and most animals returned to their habitat, not all of Islinda’s hunts went straight to her family because she gave out little games like birds, squirrels, and rabbits to families that could not afford meat.

She does those favors secretly because Madam Alice was a troublemaker and if she hears of her gesture, she would likely storm up to the family and demand that everything be returned to her. Her family was greedy and sullied her reputation with every chance they got but the village trod carefully with them having known their character.

Even her agreement with the seller was made discreetly so Remy doesn’t find out and tattle-tell on her. Not only would Madam Alice kick her out when she hears of her secret savings, but it would be the death of her. The purpose of saving up those coins was to escape her pathetic life here, but it would be all over if the woman gets her hands on it. Islinda could not let that happen. She had to be more careful than over.

There was just five silver coins left in her hand and Islinda stopped at a roadside food kiosk with a smile on her face. Islinda saw mothers standing at the spot with their demanding children when she surmised that Eli would want one too. They had been walking all day and had kilometers to cover before they got back home and he must be hungry already.

The delicacy was called bean cake and it’s merely ground bean paste which is mixed with species and water. The mixture is then molded into balls that are deep-fried till they are brownish red. The snack was best served hot and could be enveloped in bread and eaten till full.

Two bean cake balls were sold for a silver coin and Islinda bought four for Eli, although the vendor gave him one extra as a freebie. However, Islinda was slightly disappointed when Eli stared down at the wrapped food in his palm as if it were poison.

"What’s wrong? You don’t like it?" She bit down on her lower lips.

But he shook his head and it hit Islinda, her eyes widening, "Oh. You have never had something like this."

He nodded his head.

"Really?" Islinda tilted her head unsure, bean cake was a pretty famous delicacy in the villages around here.

Islinda did not think much about it and took one bean cake from the paper fold and took a small bite from it, coaxing him, "It’s not that bad. You just take a small bite and decide if you want to eat more."

Reluctantly, Eli followed her instruction and chewed on it with a very serious expression. One might think that he was studying the mystery of a popular disease plaguing villages.

"How is it?" Islinda asked expectantly, but he made a gruntled noise at the back of his throat and took another bite. It was an encouraging response, so Islinda did not push him.

It was on the second bite that the boy’s eyes suddenly widened as if he just discovered the secret of the world and chomped down on the ball.

Islinda knew Eli was quite passionate when it came to eating, but this time, he looked like he was enjoying himself and wasn’t just shoving it down his throat because he needed to. He gobbled up the three remaining bean cake balls in the blink of an eye and turned to her with shining, imploring eyes.

She burst into laughter. This was not the response Islinda expected at all and the boy was kind of cute. So Islinda bought more bean cake balls with the rest of the silver coins and the seller even added more freebies for him.

Still, Eli devoured everything like some ravenous wolf in minutes and turned to look at her for more.

Islinda lifted her hands, "I’m sorry, Eli but that’s all I have."

"More," He demanded.

"And I said I have no more coins on me. Moreover, that’s enough bean cake for the day, not unless you want to get yourself sick." Islinda chastised him, realizing now that she spoiled the boy rotten.

"I said, more!"

It wasn’t the fact that Eli raised his voice at her that stunned her, rather he snarled at her. He really bared his teeth at her. Teeth that almost looked canine for a moment and when she blinked her eyes, it was gone. Was it a figment of her imagination again or was this reality?

Unconsciously, Islinda reached behind her for the iron arrow in her quiver when Eli burst into tears and Remy walked over to where he stood, pulling him into her embrace and consoling him. Thus, Islinda halted and dropped her hand by her side, confusion apparent in her eyes.

Could it be that all she saw was a child throwing a tantrum and she mistook it for God knows what? Islinda has been around a lot of children to know they can display a nasty fit sometimes and she had been thinking about Faeries all day, her mind must have played a trick on her.

Although Islinda pushed the ridiculous thought to the back of her mind, it still didn’t eliminate the cold shiver that crept up her spine. Perhaps, that was the reason she kept her distance as they walked home and Remy held Eli’s hands instead, keeping him company.

Islinda walked behind them and with the way she stared at Eli, she might as well bore a hole in the back of the child’s head. If Eli was a Fae, could it be that his mother abandoned him in the human realm? That is, if it made any sense at all. Why would a Fae mother leave a child as prey in the dangerous human realm? novelbuddy.cσ๓

Also, If Eli was a Fae, why didn’t he have their pointed ears? Valerie had to hide his ears with a cloak for them to meet. All Fae had such features, where was his? Was he hiding it? How? Or maybe the child was human and she was making a grave mistake here.

Lost in her thoughts, Islinda was startled when she barreled into someone and quickly lowered her head to apologize without looking at her victim’s face, "I’m so sorry -"

Islinda felt something slip into her hand and she looked down to discover that it was a short note.

Meet me at our spot at midnight

~ yours truly, Valerie.

Islinda’s heart raced when she finished reading the note, and turned quickly to catch a glimpse of the person she ran into. It couldn’t be that Valerie risked following her here. Oh no.

However, no matter how much she searched for Valerie, she couldn’t find him. It seems he vanished with the wind and Islinda clenched the note firmly in her clasp.

She would find him tonight.

Islinda missed him already.