Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 61: The Puppet Master’s Games

"Or he could be the trickster Fae,"

Aldric chuckled when he heard those words. He did see the suspicion coming, not everyone was blindingly stupid like Islinda.

"Hush Bernard!" Belinda gasped in shock as if her patron just made a ridiculous accusation and one that might land him in trouble if overheard. Aldric bet the woman was looking to check if he was within hearing distance. As if he needed to be.

"You can’t say that! The child is not that."

"And how can you be sure of that?" Bernard queried her, "Islinda did say she found him in the woods close to the divider? What if this is all a Fae and he’s toying with us? I don’t trust the child, Belinda." He said firmly.

"It doesn’t make any sense. Eli has been with us for almost a week and he’s a well-behaved and lovely child. If he’s a Fae, what’s his purpose? All those creatures do is cause trouble, why would a Fae blend with the humans for this long? What’s his aim?"

"Do we ever know their agenda? Fae’s just like toying with us humans. They go through extreme means to get what they want, deceit runs in their veins."

"Bernard -"

"Fine," He breathed, "If you don’t believe that he is a Fae, there’s a way we can check it."

Hearing that comment, Aldric sighed deeply. Just what he’s been waiting for. They should get this over with already, why were humans so chatty?

"What?" Belinda gasped, "Do you mean - No. "

"Belinda..."

"He’s just a child and you mean to hurt him."

"It would be just a nip, it wouldn’t even hurt much," there was an edge in his voice when Bernard spoke, frustration slowly seeping in.

"And if he’s human, you would hurt a child?"

"And what if he isn’t? We would save the lives of members of the village and several humans he would probably bring to ruin. What if he’s also responsible for what happened to Islinda? Think about it, all of this only began after he appeared in this village."

There was a long silence and Aldric guessed Belinda was thinking about her option. To be honest, the woman did not hit him as a kind person considering she was a greedy trader. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Bernard urged her, "Belinda, you are a smart person. Do not be beguiled by that creature’s charms. Faeries are dangerous and we must catch this one unaware."

Aldric snorted at the conversation, almost giving out his identity with the sound of his laughter. Humans sure are cocky and underestimate them.

" Fine, you do it. " Belinda finally gave in to the difficult request, "But if the boy doesn’t turn out to be who you think he is, you apologize and search for Islinda."

"Sure. The search party begins tomorrow anyway."

At once, Aldric turned the other way and broke off his focus, having gotten what he wanted. He was about to be tested with iron, a weapon that he was vulnerable to - all Faeries were affected by iron. Aldric had the option of running away before they confirmed what he was and ruined the rest of his plan. However, the dark prince was not the type to cower in the face of danger.

"Eli!" Belinda stepped out of the store with Bernard, marching towards him with a smile that didn’t touch her eyes and he could make out the nervous sweat between her brows. It pleased Aldric to know that he was a better actress than her.

"Auntie Belinda..." He muttered with hopeful eyes.

"You must have waited for too long," She started a conversation with him, subtly giving Bernard a look.

While Belinda "distracted" him, Aldric sensed the human walk up to him from behind.

"Auntie, are you going to search for Islinda - ouch!" Aldric cried out when he felt a sharp pain on his arm and glanced down at the spot where there was a tear in the sleeve of his tunic and a trickle of blood.

"Eli!" Belinda pretended to be shocked and lifted his arm, faltering when she checked the wound on his arm.

Belinda froze momentarily before lifting her face and staring at the perpetrator of the act. Bernard. His look mirrored hers - their jaw almost dropping to the ground, shocked. Humans knew Fae healed faster and the Iron burned them upon contact, but there was nothing of that nature. The wound was raw and was not healing.

"Bernard!" Belinda composed herself and continued with their well-scripted plan, "What were you thinking? Can’t you handle your weapons properly?! Look, you hurt him!"

Aldric did not forget his role either because he burst into tears this time, overwhelming Belinda who was torn between anger and guilt.

"I’m s-sorry," Bernard stuttered, taken aback. The proud man was so sure that he was Fae, only to be slapped in the face.

Belinda glared at him, speaking with gritted teeth, "I warned you, didn’t I?"

"I’m sorry -"

Bernard was still saying when Aldric wrung free out of Belinda’s grasp and whirled on the hunter, "I thought you were going to find my big sister, but you hurt me. I hate you!"

"Eli -" Belinda swallowed, hesitantly approaching him when Eli took off in a sprint with a shout,

"I hate you all!"

Belinda tried to come after him but Bernard grabbed her and shook his head.

"Let him go."

"But he’s a child and he’s hurt," She added with venom, "Because of you."

"It’s my fault," Bernard acknowledged with a sigh, "We would go to the woods and raid the cottage tomorrow. If there’s a Fae there, then we would be better prepared. It’s clear that the boy has become attached to Islinda, but he would be able to grieve properly after we bring Islinda’s body home. After that, we would find his mother and send him back to her. For now, let him be."

He unknowingly fulfilled a part of Aldric’s plan. Bernard was nothing but a puppet in the puppet master’s games.

There was nothing but a fulfilled dark smile on Aldric’s face as he left the market. His once raw wound was healed and one would find it hard to believe he had been hurt before.

How was Aldric even able to fool the humans about the wound?

While the poor humans believed that Fae was not impervious to Iron, they forgot that there were different kinds of Faeries. With his magic, Aldric tricked their minds into thinking that he was injured. They did not see the burn mark that vanished along with the wound instantly.

For once, Aldric was more than glad he was dark Fae.