Lina was stabbed right in the chest by his words. She lowered her head, unable to look at him any longer. She saw where he was coming from. She, too, loved the Eighth Princess.

  He had his reasons. She had hers. He waged war for vengeance. She stopped wars out of fear.

  Kade lowered his voice, barely able to continue. "She was just a child. Her life had barely begun, but everything was stolen from her."

  Kade grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. He saw the agony in her eyes, the retaliation that dawned into those precious reflections. He loved this woman. He actually did. He didn't even know what love was. He was never given it. Yet, he realized this emotion.

  "I love you Lina," Kade muttered. "I confessed my heart to you and you brushed it off."

  "How do you expect me to respond to that moment after you waged war upon my country?" Lina asked, her tone cracking towards the end.

  "How do you expect me to love you when you're going to destroy everything dear to me for something I didn't cause!" Lina pleaded.

  Lina's heart crumbled at the thought of the Eighth Princess' life being stolen away. Her mind quickly wandered to her older sister, who she had been beyond worried about during the war.

  When Lina heard the news of her sister's serious injury, what did she do? She jumped on a horse and rushed to her side. The thought of her sister dying was unbearable.

  But the worst had happened to Kade. He had lost his little sister. He lost the only person in this palace that'd smile so large and laugh so loud for him.

  "I'm sorry you lost her," Lina whispered, unable to raise her voice in this matter.

  Lina had been so furious with him over reigniting this war that she had ignored what he must be going through. For a moment, her eyes softened.

  Lina's heart felt heavy. Even breathing was difficult. She had to tell him what was on her mind. He told her his. He confessed everything. Now, it was her turn.

  "Nothing can bring her back, I'm sorry, I'm so… so… sorry," Lina quietly said. "I can't stand by your actions. She meant the world to you and you have every right to be angry."

  Kade's eyes flashed. He was waiting for the "but." There was always a "but" with her.

  "I can't support what you're doing," Lina stated. "I thought you knew I loved you."

  "I—"

  "I've always told you work is work. Love is love. I didn't care what you did, but now, you've become a monster!" Lina cried out. "You've taken advantage of me too."

  Kade was floored. "I have never once—"

  "I came to Ritan on the premise we'd get married for a peace treaty—that there'd be no more wars. No more fighting. No more disputes."

  Kade stilled. He was unable to refute this statement. He married her because, he too, wanted an end to the foolish fighting. Now, he was starting it.

  "But look at where we are!" Lina screamed at him, glaring up at his towering body. "You're waging war with me as the prize! Me, out of anyone else! You're going to kill my people, and my people are going to kill yours. It's everything we didn't want!"

  Lina had never felt so much rage in all her life. Her emotions were burning a hole in her heart and mind.

  Lina's knees and ankles throbbed in pain, but the agony in her heart was much worse. She had directed all her hatred towards Kade because it was the only way. Atlan wasn't here.

  If he was, Lina would beat him to the ground. She'd slap him until he obeyed her. She'd scream and kick until he'd listen.

  "How can you do this to me? To us?" Lina's voice trembled towards the end. "How can you live with yourself?"

  "I've lost one of my greatest weaknesses in life," Kade stated. "I refuse to lose the last one."

  Lina's eyes watered, whether, from anger or pain, she did not know. She refused to shed it.

  "I hate Teran. I hate Ritan. I hate the Imperial family, I despise everything!" Lina shouted at him. "How could Teran's Emperor allow the kidnapping of an eight-year-old? How could Ritan's Emperor go to war for this when he's done so much worse?" Lina demanded.

  "This guilt will never leave," Lina stated, pressing a hand to her chest. She felt a pain unlike any other. She'd be haunted with the truth of what her country had done. Of what Atlan, her mentor had done.

  "I know I'm partially responsible for her death," Lina admitted. "A Princess for a Princess."

  Lina blamed Atlan the most. But he wasn't here. Her father was not here. No one was.

  "But you must know she meant everything to me too. She's the first and only member of your family to show me kindness," Lina said.

  Kade lowered himself onto the ground, just for her. He needed to look her in the face and know she was still human. That, she was still Lina. When he saw her face, he knew in his heart that he had lost her for good.

  "The war was sparked by Teran. Atlan and your father are selfish businessmen. They want you back, when you're clearly my wife," Kade informed her. His voice was hard, for this topic infuriated him.

  "My father contemplated killing you," Kade hissed. "The entirety of Ritan wants you dead. This war is disguised as vengeance for my younger sister but it is in fact the only way to clear your name."

  "You're going to clear my name by wiping out my country," Lina said. "Don't sugarcoat your words."

  "Lina—"

  "Get out."

  Kade's face toughened up. "Only after I bring you to bed. You must be resting."

  Kade tried again. He reached to scoop her, but she gave his chest a hard shove. He barely moved back.

  "Lina!" Kade sharply said. "You're my wife. I promised to spoil you silly, but only if you don't injure yourself like a fool. I have all the patience in the world for you to throw tantrums, but not like this. Not with your health on the line."

  Lina remained stubborn. Instead of relying on her husband, she'd rather swallow her pride. She had already tossed her dignity aside to beg him on her knees, clinging onto his legs, but he didn't listen to her.

  "You tore a ligament in your leg when you fell down that slope. If you continue to misbehave, you may never walk again!" Kade disciplined her.

  "Fine, let my legs be broken and then you can have a disabled wife who can never push out children for you," Lina whispered.

  "You—"

  "Let my body be so wrecked that you'll never love me ever again!" Lina screamed in his face, grabbing him by the collars.

  "I hate you Kade. I despise you, Seventh Prince of Ritan!" Lina shouted, yanking their faces close. "Mark my words, I will ruin every part of me, for I know you love everything about me."

  Kade's eyes flashed with warning.

  "You dare?!" Kade snarled, grabbing her wrists and tightly squeezing them. She responded by staring him right in the eyes. Her gaze was like hellfire, but his was a wildfire. Together, they'd burn their worlds into ashes, and then wonder, what caused their ruin.

  "Nothing that you do will ever make me love you again," Lina told him. Her voice was filled with resolution.

  "Then you better start praying," Kade snarled. "For all you know, you might be carrying my child."

  Lina's heart froze over. She was suddenly reminded of the many times his seed was planted in her garden. She felt her blood turn into ice.

  Seeing the fear on her face, Kade felt his heart tumbling to the ground. He thought her hatred for him was nothing but empty words, but seeing her now, he knew, she truly despised him.

  Kade had never felt more pain than this. He was broken from the death, and then, stabbed again by her brutal words.

  Kade was going to war for her. To save her reputation. To make sure Ritan didn't hate her, for he knew she'd be heartbroken by this fact. He was going to war and sacrificing some of his best fighters just to keep her by his side.

  Kade couldn't bear a world without Lina next to him. To keep him, he'd shed blood, swing iron, and burn this world to the ground. So long as she was his. So long as she was beside him.

  "In a few months, this child might develop a heartbeat," Kade softly said. "So take good care of yourself, sweet dove of mine, for you might be siring an heir for me soon."