Saeran was shaking. Trembling. Ready to explode. The hurt and betrayal, the small, unrealistic ounce of hope she had begun to feel...it was eating her alive.

She didn’t know whether to cry, punch, or kiss him. Most likely all three, at the same time. How dare he claim Blaine in that way? How dare he do it, while staring at her as if he took pleasure in her pain? How dare he?

The second the door was closed, she went after him, crying out at the pain in her chest. She couldn’t feel her hits as her balled fists connected with his chest. He stood there, letting her hit him, as her rage became so high—that it crashed and burned.

In the end, she was left standing there, staring at the floor. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She was confused and lost. She didn’t know what to do with herself. She wanted to stay strong in front of him, but without the pressure of Blaine and the visitors in the hall, she felt her willpower to remain strong crumbling.

The silence was deafening. The only thing she could recognize was the heat of his chest under her balled fists. The pounding of her heart. The wetness of her face.

“How?” she whispered, lifting her eyes to his. “How…could you have done that?”

He stared down at her, gaze guarded. There wasn’t an ounce of warmth to it. It only made her emotions run more wild. Only hours ago, they had been so happy and content to spend their time talking, flirting, touching, and kissing. Only hours ago, she had thought…she had thought there was a chance that she could reveal herself to Kane as who she really was. She still wanted to—but the cruelty in his eyes was enough to make her silent. He didn’t seem to care for a word she would say to him.

“Me?” He took her by the shoulders and moved her away. Saeran stared at him, shocked to her core. He had never pushed her away from him. He had always been the one to draw her to him, to win a hug with one of his smiles. “Lass, ye’ must be delusional. I ken yer secret. I ken what ye’ did behind my back.”

She paled. How had he…Blaine. Blaine had told him her true identity. Her stomach roiled.

He was livid. She should have known Connor was wrong—she should have known.

“Kane, I—”

“Ye’ donna get to call me that anymore, my lady. I want yer shite gone. Out of my keep and away from my land.”

Her chest constricted. He could have broken her arm and it would have hurt less than the pain she felt.

“Ka—My lord. I…I swear, it wasn’t my idea. I never planned for it to happen. I thought that—I thought that the whole affair would end as soon as we arrived!” She reared away from him when his eyes began to blaze.

“It’s been going on since before ye’ arrived?” he roared.

“My lord…”

He raked his eyes over her, then looked into hers. They weren’t the eyes of the man who she had come to feel for. They weren’t the eyes of the man she had grown to know, to trust. They were they were the eyes of The Lion. Cold. Cruel. Disgusted. He was…He was disgusted with her.

Tears stung her eyes.

Blaine…had won.

She didn’t know when it had turned into a competition, but it had, and her sister—nay, Blaine, for Saeran was not sure what to believe anymore—had won. She had won The Lion over, when Saeran had started to fall in love with him.

How? How could this have happened? He should have understood. He should have understood that Blaine had manipulated her, used Saeran’s fear as a leash. He should have known that she had only done what she did to be safe. And her sister—or whoever Blaine was—had betrayed her.

Pain clenched her heart. Blaine…

What she had said couldn’t be true. It had to have been said in a moment of anger. Even though Saeran wanted to hate Blaine, they were still sisters—they had to be. Blaine had always been there, even when her parents weren’t. She had been the one constant in Saeran’s life—her presence, and her put-downs.

Tears stung her eyes. God, she prayed that Blaine had spoken out of anger…yet, at the same time, she didn’t. Saeran would feel like a fool for her bold move in taking Kane away in front of Blaine. It was sad of her to hide behind an excuse, but…she didn’t know what to think or do anymore.

It didn’t matter now, though, did it? Blaine had gotten her wish. The Lion hated Saeran now, and all because she had been manipulated. He was going to kick her out, put her into the wilderness, where she would starve and die.

He made a rough sound, drawing her attention. Her eyes landed on him, and tears stung her eyes with renewed pain.

“I should no’ be surprised,” he said bitingly. “I did no’ have a clue of what ye’ were. It was my foolish infatuation with ye’ that kept me from preparing for this.” He raked a hand through his dark hair, laughing. The sound of it sent a shiver down her back.

With the shiver came a whimper. Of fear. She had never feared him before, but now she did. She felt helpless—as she rightfully should, for lying to him and continuing to see him when he was practically forbidden to her.

“I should never have trusted him,” he growled, turning away from me. “There was something too good about him. That damn boy…”

Saeran wiped at her tears—then frowned. That damn boy…?

He faced her, body tense. His hands were clenched at his side. “I want to know why,” he snarled, storming forward. “I want to know why ye’ lied to me? Why ye’ hid it from me? Did ye’ think you could get away with being the lairds little whore and have a nice, paid for life?”

She took a step back, eyes wide. What was he talking about?

When she only stared at him, mouth gaping open, he barked out another laugh. Every time he spoke, his voice became more and more cruel.

“The one thing that I canna believe,” he said, sneering, “Is that Blaine turned out to be better than ye’. Now that I did no’ expect.”

She froze.

“What?”

“Oh, ye’ heard me, lass.” He looked at her with cold eyes. “I want ye’ gone. Now.”

Her throat tightened. She clutched her throat, the pain in her chest unimaginable. Aye, she’d lied to him, but how could she deserve this? All of the times she trained with grown men. All of the times she took a beating for Blaine’s sake in the arena. All of the times she fell off a horse. Even nearly having her leg bashed in by the black beast in the stables…hadn’t that been penance enough?

“Do not you think that after…after everything I did, I could have some leniency?” Mayhap she did not. It was her own fault for being so foolish. To believe a word out of Blaine’s mouth, when everything she did was for her own self-gain.

Kane stared at her. He didn’t say anything, didn’t laugh, didn’t move. He just stared. Feeling like her heart had been ripped out of her chest and trampled on, she slowly bowed her head, backing away from him.

“I am sorry for any inconvenience I have caused you,” she murmured. If her head were not bowed and her voice not so quiet, she wouldn’t have been able to hold back the trembling that would have shown in her voice. She crossed her arms over her gut, trying to hold back the onslaught of emotion. Once she was out in the hall, she didn’t think she would be able to hold herself back.

He watched her leave. She did not dare lift her eyes to his, but she knew. She felt it. Just like she always had.

The door closed softly in front of her when she was over the threshold. The last look she had of him tore her apart. He did not care. Of course he didn’t. He had no need for her—Saeran had done her job perfectly. Blaine and Kane were now engaged, and she…was leaving.

The realization struck her like a slap in the face. A sob tearing out of her throat, she whirled around, blind—only to smack right into another person.

“Saeran?”

Connor’s voice made her pause. Why. Why now, of all times?

She pulled herself away from him, keeping her head down, but unable to stifle the sounds of her pain.

“Saeran, oh my Lord.” He took her by the shoulder, dragging her into an open room. “What happened? Why are you crying? Why—oh, no, look at you!” He dragged her into his arms and she let it all out, hating herself for her need of comfort, yet unable to stem her sobs.

“Look at me,” he said sternly when she had cried herself out. She refused, covering her face with her hands. Blaine had always told her she was an ugly crier. “My lady, look at me.” Connor took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting her head up. Despite what she wanted, she was forced to look at him.

The tears began to well again.

“Connor, I’m so confused…” She pressed a hand to her trembling lips. The words tumbled out of her anyway, until they were rushing together. “Kane and I were becoming closer, and I thought that if I revealed myself to him, he would forgive my lies and—and be happy about it! Like you said, Connor. But—but he knows.” Her shoulders curled, stomach heaving. “Kane is—the laird is not…happy. He…Connor, he proposed to Blaine.”

Her only ally stared down at her, his face a mask.

“Is that what has you crying so much?” he asked softly, reaching up to swipe at her cheeks with his thumbs. She nodded, choking up.

He was treating her as if he were an older brother, and it made her strength crumble that much more. Blaine could have been the one comforting her. If she had acted as a true sister would, she would be…

What would you do if I said we weren’t actually sisters? The words came back to haunt her.

“Blaine…she said something to me…after we fought. Do you think she would lie? About the two of us not being sisters?”

His face darkened. “She said you are not sisters?”

Saeran nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. “Do you think she would lie about something like that?”

“My lady, I believe that Blaine would do anything if it contributed to her own goals—and as of late, I do not think they are very savory.” Complete and utter hate stained his voice. It was so forceful that Saeran had to step away from him.

“What makes you say that?” she asked quietly. Before, she would have tried to deny his words, however truthful they were. Now, they were sitting on her shoulders like a rock, weighing her into silence.

“A maid of hers has been running around here, asking questions. She came up to me the other day, asking about you. Her name was Gwen. I sent her away of course, so she had no information on you, but…it worried me.”

“Why would she be asking about me?”

“Blaine must think that you haven’t been completely honest with everything,” he said, pressing his lips.

Saeran looked at her hands. She hadn’t been completely honest with everything, yet…

“I don’t care.”

“You don’t care? About the fact that your sister is sending a maid around to ask questions about you? My lady…”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “She’s only doing it to scare me. She knows everything about me. Kane knows who I am, and will soon know every terrible thing there is about me. Mayhap it’s not Blaine asking, but truly Gwen for her own reasons, because Blaine…she’s already won.” The words caused her chest to tighten. She’d been too late to reveal herself to Kane, and now…he hated her.

“What do you mean, already won? My lady, just because he proposed to her does not mean that she has his heart. It’s obvious he cares for you, or he wouldn’t feel so betrayed at finding out your secret! There has to be something wrong here,” he said, taking her hand. Saeran shook her head, throat tight. “No. I know Kane. He wouldn’t treat you like this if something else hadn’t happened.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” she whispered, lowering her eyes. “He’s already commanded me to leave here. He’s the laird—and he hates me so much he would not hesitate to kill me.”

“Now you’re being juvenile,” he spat angrily. Connor grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. “What happened to you? Why are you being so weak? Nothing is set in stone. His supposed ‘hatred’ of you is a reaction out of betrayal. If you want Kane, go get him. I don’t understand how one second, you can be a strong, enduring lass, then the next…this. It’s painful to watch, my lady, and you need to snap out of it.”

Saeran stared at him, lips pressed. She wanted to. She had tried to.

But he had rejected her, cast her out of his land. There was nothing to get from him anymore. He had all he wanted with Blaine.

Connor was right about one thing, though. She needed to get over her petty emotions. Heartbreak was painful, but it was surely easy to get over. If she could fall so easily for a man she did not know, then she must be able to fall out with just as much ease! Even though he had chosen Blaine, when Saeran had gone through so much because of her…

She shook her head, steeling herself against those thoughts.

“You’re right,” she said, meeting his eyes. Approval gleamed in them. “I will—”

A resounding, heavy thump from behind cut off her words. She tensed, a sinking feeling going through her at Connor’s suddenly pale expression.

“What are ye’ doing with her?” a familiar voice demanded. Connor dropped his hands, his face wiped clean of emotion now. It was cool, collected, and she was reminded that he was a squire. It was so easy to forget. When he was with her, he was open, the boy he kept hidden. When he was in front of other men, he was reserved. Calm. The future lord of a great estate.

“Lass,” Kane said sharply. She slowly turned, clenching her trembling hands together. Her resolve to be strong crumbled like stale bread. “Come.”

“Laird, I think it best that she begin packing,” Connor said. She looked at him, as shocked as Kane was at his subtle defiance. “Since you so kindly exiled her from your lands.”

The shock dissipated under the force of his disgust. “Oh, so she came to complain to ye’ about me. Has she won ye’ over, too?” He sneered at Saeran. “It would appear ye’ have. Figures.” The way he said that…it hurt her. It was as if he thought it was common for her to woo men, like he thought she was some leper of a woman.

Connor took a step in front of her, hands clenched. A flush climbed up the back of his neck. She didn’t know what to do. Saeran was sure he had never gone against Kane like he was now, and the way Kane was thinking about her...she was terrified that they would take it too far.

Her worry over Connor was the only reason she found the strength to step beside him. She couldn’t let him be hurt because of her own weakness. Swallowing down her fear, she squared her shoulders and met Kane straight in the eye.

“I will take my leave now,” she said quietly.

“My lady—” She cut Connor off with a raised hand. Kane reached out, wrapping a large hand around her wrist. She was too shocked to pull away.

Then the fear set in.

Without another word, he yanked her closer to him, slid an arm around her knees, then hoisted her over his shoulder. “If ye’ say anything, I’ll spank ye’.”

Her eyes widened. As he started to carry her out of the room, she met Connor’s eyes and saw a glimmer of…of satisfaction?