Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 775: Mind Control - 1

Islinda arrived just outside the castle, her heart pounding in anticipation. The medallion’s power, as usual, couldn’t break through the castle’s barrier, so she was forced to land here. The tall, imposing walls loomed before her, and she carefully scanned them, searching for a spot to climb. The guards took the palace’s security seriously, and there were no weak spots or openings.

She pressed her ear against the cold stone, listening intently. Now that her Fae side had fully manifested, her senses were sharper than ever before. She could hear the faintest rustle of leaves in the distance, the soft murmur of night creatures in the forest beyond, but within the castle grounds, there was nothing. No footsteps, no clinking of armor—nothing at all. The guards had moved from this section, probably to patrol other parts of the wall. But they would return soon, and she needed to act quickly.

With her mind made up, Islinda leaped to her feet and began to scale the high wall. Her movements were fluid, graceful, as if she had done this a thousand times before. Every action felt effortless now, a far cry from the struggles she had faced as a human. She reached the top of the wall and crouched low, her breath steady as she scanned the area below. Satisfied that the coast was clear, she climbed down, landing softly on her feet with a small, triumphant smile.

Islinda straightened her dress and tucked the medallion into her pocket. She began to walk, her stride confident and unhurried. If anyone saw her now, she would claim to have been out for a walk, unable to sleep. It wasn’t a perfect plan, but it would suffice.

The further she walked, the more Islinda noticed how strangely quiet the palace grounds were. She hadn’t encountered a single guard on her way, which was highly unusual.

The palace was always heavily guarded, especially at night. Unease prickled at the back of her mind, a nagging feeling that something was off. But she couldn’t afford to dwell on it now. She had to check on Maxi, had to make sure he was safe.

As she approached the entrance to the backyard, her steps faltered. There, leaning casually against a pillar with his arms folded across his chest, was Andre. His intense gaze was locked onto her, as if he had been waiting for her all along.

"Fuck," Islinda’s heart skipped a beat, her mind racing as she tried to think of an explanation. But deep down, she knew it was pointless. Andre wasn’t a fool. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t give it a try.

Andre’s expression was unreadable, but there was a tension in the air that made Islinda’s skin crawl.

He pushed off the pillar, taking a slow, deliberate step towards her. "What are you doing out here, Islinda?" His voice was calm, almost too calm, and it sent a chill down her spine.

She forced a smile, trying to keep her cool. "I couldn’t sleep and thought a walk might help. You know, clear my head and all."

Andre’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he tilted his head as if considering her words. "A walk, in the middle of the night, by yourself? That’s not like you, Islinda." He made a tsking sound. "You always were a terrible liar, Islinda."

Her pulse quickened, but she held her ground. "I’m not lying. Why would I be?"

Andre tilted his head slightly, studying her with an intensity that made her skin prickle. "Perhaps because you were sneaking around the palace at night, scaling walls like a thief."

Oh no. He saw her. No wonder returning to the palace had been easy — it had been a trap. One meant to catch her. Islinda swallowed hard. There was no easy way out of this.

"I... I had to check on something."

"And that something required you to avoid the guards and climb over walls?" Andre’s voice was calm, but there was an edge to it.

Islinda knew she was caught. There was no point in beating around the bush, so she resolved to come clean. But just as she opened her mouth to confess, a cunning idea struck her.

She remembered the earlier incident where she had mind-controlled the guards, compelling them to do her bidding. Could she use the same method on Andre? It would save her a lot of questions and trouble. She only hoped she could remember how to do it.

Her demeanor changed instantly. With a seductive sway, Islinda closed the space between her and Andre. She placed her hand on his chest, stepping even closer until their faces were inches apart. She locked her gaze with his, letting her eyes smolder with an alluring intensity.

Then, in a tone dripping with seduction, she said, "You will let me go and not question me about this incident. You will not bother me at all."

Islinda watched with satisfaction as that familiar black smoke curled from her lips, billowing out toward Andre. She focused, willing the smoke to envelop him, to take control.

She saw his eyes darken, turning completely black, and for a brief moment, she believed it had worked. Relief washed over her—until his eyes suddenly flickered back to normal, narrowing with a hard, suspicious look.

"What the fuck did you just do to me? Were you trying to compel me?" Andre’s voice was laced with fury and disbelief.

Islinda jerked back, shock freezing her in place. That wasn’t how it was supposed to go. It didn’t work on him? But why? Was Andre immune to it, or was she not strong enough?

Panic surged through her veins as Andre continued to drill her with questions, his tone growing more intense, "Is that your power? How did you catch up so quickly? Who taught you? Was it Aldric?" ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

Her heart pounded as she scrambled for a way out. The walls seemed to close in on her as she realized she was in deep trouble. Desperation took over, and without thinking, she tried to run. But Andre was quicker. His hand shot out, grabbing her by the arm before she could make it two steps.