Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 66: Valerie Was Gone

"The Fae is gone." A hunter answered, stepping out of the cottage and Islinda quickly recognized him .

Bernard.

Of course, the pompous bastard would be the first person to organize the others to hunt down the Fae. She was not oblivious to his great dislike of the creatures.

On the bright side, Valerie was safe and Islinda was able to release the breath that she was holding in even if Valerie was... gone. The gravity of the situation dawned on her. Her greatest fear finally came through, Valerie has left her.

"That is if there was a Fae in the first place," Bernard continued, "If indeed there’s a Fae, then it’s gone. It must have sensed us and left before our arrival. Those damned creatures are quick on their feet." He cursed.

As heartbroken as Islinda was by Valerie’s departure, she would rather he be far away from these people. Now that she saw Bernard here, she had a feeling that whatever he had planned would have been ugly and Islinda would not have been able to save him.

"Islinda..." He walked to her and let his gaze lazily rove over her, a hint of disbelief in his eyes as if like the others, he was convinced she was dead.

"How are you here?" He asked her.

"Why? Do you want me to be dead?" She retorted.

"Of course not, I never wished you dead. It’s just that we were asked to recover your corpse from the woods to give you a befitting burial," He was smug.

"I’m so touched by your kindness that I feel tears springing to my eyes. You sure are effective in finding my corpse," Islinda hinted that they were more interested in finding a Fae than her supposed corpse.

Bernard’s face fell but he covered it up with a cough, asking, "Where have you been all this while, Islinda?"

"Did it occur to you that the reason you were unable to find a Fae in there is because there wasn’t one and the cottage has been my abode since my dearest stepmother sent me away to my death," Islinda lied to their faces.

In her humble defense, she wanted to dispel the rumor of a Fae ever living in the cottage and as well provide a solid alibi for where she has been. If the villagers were to ever suspect that she had relations with a Fae, she had no idea how they would react to it. Islinda had a feeling she would not be safe anymore.

Audible gasps echoed around and murmurs arose amongst the men at her confession. No one was stupid enough to reside here, the cottage was avoided because it was close to the divider. Islinda bet their ego was bruised because a woman achieved what they couldn’t. None of them needed to know the Fae they were looking for had kept her safe. Yes, it was a low win but she would relish it.

"No way," One of them said, "You mean to tell me that you have been staying here for days all on your own?" He did not believe it.

"I had nowhere to go. So I made the cottage my home. I bet you saw my clothing there." Islinda said and saw the way Bernard exchanged looks with the others who must have been inside the cottage.

She should thank the gods for intentionally leaving her clothes behind. Islinda had kept it in case she visited Valerie again, she would have something to change into. Guess, it worked in her favor this time.

"There was male clothing as well." Bernard pointed out, his gaze narrowed at her. It was obvious that he did not fully believe her and had reservations about her alibi.

Islinda gestured to her body, "I’m in male clothing."

The other hunters noticed it and nodded their heads, they were bought over by her explanation.

"Why?" Islinda decided to play the victim card, "Do you think that I might have something to do with your missing Fae? Is that why you keep on interrogating me, Bernard?" fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

"No, I just find it strange that you dwelt in the cottage for days and saw no Fae?" He said.

"And if I saw one, would I be alive to tell the tale? Like you always say those damned creatures are vicious."

From the looks of the others, Islinda saw that she was able to convince them. Even Bernard’s suspicion was beginning to waver with her convincing excuses.

Islinda sighed exasperatedly, "I guess it was stupid of me to ride like a mad woman from the village all just to stop you all from searching for me all day."

In one word, Islinda successfully covered her track. Even if they returned to the village and they asked why she had taken off like that earlier, she had a solid reason.

"I’m grateful that you’re alive, Islinda," One of the hunters said, throwing his arm around her and pulling her to his side in a friendly embrace.

"Thank you," She said.

"Me too, Islinda."

Just like that, Islinda was pulled from one embrace to the other - except Bernard’s. It took death for Islinda to realize how loved she was in her village.

"I guess you are done spending time alone in the woods?"

"Yes, I’m back in the village. I only had to return here when Belinda told me the hunters were searching for my supposed corpse." She gave a convenient excuse.

She came back for Valerie, not that they needed to know.

"In that case, we should return to the village."

"True." Everyone agreed, except one.

"The others can go, I would lay in wait in case the fae decides to return." Bernard said.

"There is no fae, Bernard."

Islinda was grateful it was another hunter making the argument and not her.

"You never know what might happen." Bernard insisted .

"Suit yourself then," Islinda responded this time. While she was scared, she knew Valerie was smart and wouldn’t be returning when he was almost caught.

In the end, a few hunters stayed behind with Bernard to make sure the Fae did not come back while Islinda returned to the village with the stolen horse.

With every step she took away from the woods, Islinda felt her heart breaking into pieces. She was not ready to say goodbye to Valerie and yet he was gone.

And deep down, Islinda had a feeling she would never see him again.