Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 875: Crossed The Line

"You think it’s better to take spirit?" Valerie asked incredulously. "My fate would be worse than death if I got caught."

"That’s if you get caught," Maeve countered, a dark gleam in her eyes. "The blue flame can defeat Aldric, but you can’t hold it long enough. Spirit can help with that. You just need to move quickly and finish him before the drain sets in."

"And you think they wouldn’t suspect anything?"

"Who would think the honorable Prince Valerie took spirit?" Maeve said, her voice hard and confident. "Everyone knows you’ve been training relentlessly. It wouldn’t be a surprise if you improved. And when you kill Aldric, the people of Astaria will be too busy celebrating the death of the dark fae prince to question how it happened."

For the first time, Valerie considered her words. Spirit is a powerful drug in the Fae realm known for the euphoria and briefly increases a Fae’s power. The drug can be smoked or inhaled to induce the effect. When used, the Fae experiences a colossal increase in power levels for a short time and their emotions heighten to a level unattainable to a Fae in normal circumstances.

However, spirit is illegal, banned because of its potentially fatal nature. It can increase the Fae’s magic ability beyond a level they can control, resulting in the Fae’s magic imploding within their body.

Depending on the amount taken, the longest a Fae can experience the effect is three hours, after which it is impossible to detect any remaining traces within the body. Because of this many Fae took spirit before a fight or battle or increased their powers.

However, for the Fae who thrives on strength, it was considered cowardly to take spirit and perpetrators are usually shamed. Not to mention it was highly addictive and there was the risk of not just damage to the magic core, but death as well.

But Valerie knew if he used it correctly, it might give him the edge he needed. He could defeat Aldric before the drug’s effects wore off. freёweɓnovel.com

Maeve’s voice lowered as she spoke, "You just have to win. Once Aldric is dead, everything falls into place."

Valerie met her gaze, his decision forming in his mind. He was tired of being the one the world seemed to conspire against. If this was the only way to win, then so be it.

"I’ll think about it," he said, even though his mind was pretty much made up.

Maeve smiled darkly and reached into her robes, pulling out a small sachet.

"This is for you, my son. Use it wisely. And deal with Aldric. Make not just me, but the whole of Astaria proud." She tapped him on the shoulder and left.

Valerie watched his mother leave, his hands trembling as he tucked the small sachet into the pocket of his pants. His heart raced, not from the hours of training he had endured but from the weight of the decision he had made.

For the rest of the morning, he pushed his body further, his muscles burning, his mind solely focused on the thought of the duel. Flames erupted from his hands as he attacked the dummies, but his mind kept drifting to the spirit in his pocket.

Finally, when he had trained enough and exhaustion crept into his bones, Valerie returned to his chambers. The air was heavy with anticipation as he stripped off his sweat-soaked pants and stepped into the bath.

The warm water did little to soothe his nerves, though it washed away the grime of the morning. His thoughts kept circling back to the duel, to Aldric, to the sachet that awaited him on his bed. And the line he was about to cross.

Once he was clean, he returned to his chambers, a towel wrapped around his waist. There it was, lying on his bed: the sachet of spirit his mother had given him.

For a moment, he just stared at it, his breath shallow, his heart pounding louder in his ears. This was it. The point of no return. If he took this, there would be no going back.

Valerie sat on the edge of the bed, the weight of the sachet feeling far heavier than it should have. Slowly, he reached out, and then, without hesitation, he picked it up. His hands still shook as he opened it, his pulse quickening as the white, glittering substance within caught the light.

He poured a portion into his hand, his palms sweaty, his chest tight. For a split second, he hesitated. Then, in one swift motion, Valerie brought his hand to his face and inhaled the spirit.

At first, nothing happened.

He sat there, staring at the half sachet, wondering if he had made a mistake. But then, it hit him.

Valerie gasped as a wave of euphoria crashed over him, stronger than anything he had ever felt before. He fell on the bed, his back arched as the drug ran its course through him.

His senses sharpened, every sound, every sensation heightened to an unbearable intensity. His body felt lighter, as if he could take on the world. A smile stretched across his lips, and for the first time in weeks, he felt good—powerful.

Then came the power.

Valerie lifted his hand, and the blue flame flared to life, brighter and hotter than ever before. It danced across his palm, crackling with energy. The fire didn’t flicker or fade this time; it burned steady and strong, as if it had always been there, waiting for him to unleash it.

A slow, satisfied smile spread across his face.

It was done.

Valerie extinguished the blue flame with a flick of his wrist, his chest heaving as wild laughter erupted from him. The sound echoed through his room, manic and wild, as if he’d finally lost his grip on reality.

But to Valerie, it all made sense now. When he killed Aldric, everything would be his. The throne, the power, and Islinda—she would be his as well.

His laughter grew louder, more unhinged. No one could stop him now. Not Aldric, not fate. Soon, he would claim what was rightfully his. And no one would stand in his way.