Chapter 184: Violence for Love

"Betray who?" Lieyin’s voice echoed again through the stone corridor. The question seemed to hang in the cold air between the two figures standing in front of her. It made her eyes narrow into suspicious slits.

Ru Yi’s heart hammered against her ribs. Just how much did Lieyin hear?

Kael stood only a few steps away, his expression unredable as he looked between Ru Yi and Lieyin. He considered just spilling everything he knew right there.

The words he had spoken minutes ago were still ringing in Ru Yi’s mind. She looked at Kael with a pleading gaze. Things would end up even worse if Kael revealed the truth himself.

"I’m waiting," Lieyin said when she got closer.

Ru Yi forced herself to breathe. This was the worst timing ever.

Kael finally looked at her, and something passed between them. It wasn’t sympathy, and it certainly wasn’t trust that she’ll stay true to her words and confess.

It was simply an understanding that they had both been caught in a conversation neither of them could afford to finish in front of Lieyin.

Lieyin looked from Kael to Ru Yi. "Why did you both suddenly become quiet? Answer my question," she demanded.

Ru Yi’s palms began to sweat. She couldn’t let Kael tell her. Because if Lieyin discovered the truth from Kael, then there would be no chance for Ru Yi to explain what happened...no opportunity to tell them how desperately she had regretted it after.

She swallowed and forced a smile onto her face. "No one."

Lieyin stared at her. "What?"

"No one was betrayed. We were just talking about the random travelers he interacted with when he was their guide." The lie tasted bitter on her tongue.

Ru Yi looked at Kael, half expecting him to deny it. But his eyes remained fixed on her for a moment, and Ru Yi could see the silent warning in them. He knew she was asking him to protect her secret for just a little longer.

After a long pause, Kael finally nodded. "She only misunderstood what I said."

Lieyin’s gaze shifted toward him. "Amd what exactly did you say?"

"I was talking about someone else," Kael said smoothly. "It’s no one important, just useless chatter between us."

Lieyin clearly didn’t believe him.

Ru Yi could see the suspicion growing in her eyes, but before she could press further, footsteps sounded from somewhere deeper in the castle.

Kael looked down the corridor. "I need to go check on Han Shuying about the sleeping arrangement." He started to leave, slowing down when he was in front of Ru Yi.

He didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to. His eyes met hers, and Ru Yi understood the promise behind them.

This conversation is far from over.

Then he walked away.

Ru Yi watched him disappear around the corner, her heart sinking.

Lieyin remained in the corridor. "You’re both hiding something, aren’t you?" Lieyin gave a humorless laugh. "You’re a really terrible liar. Your hands are trembling."

Ru Yi looked down and realized her hands were indeed shaking. She immediately curled them into fists.

Lieyin stepped closer. "Kael said someone was betrayed, and the moment I asked who...you looked like you’d seen a ghost."

Ru Yi’s stomach twisted. "It was nothing." She looked up. "And it’s really none of your concern." The words came out more sharply than Ru Yi intended.

Lieyin went completely still, the look in her eyes taking a dangerous turn. She stepped forward without any warning and caught Ru Yi’s chin in a bruising grip.

She forced Ru Yi to look directly at her. "Say that again."

Ru Yi’s breath caught, her entire face beginning to hurt. "Let me go."

Lieyin’s face was close to hers, and there was none of the warmth Yexue or Qingyue often showed when they looked at Ru Yi. There was only cold certainty.

"You seem to have forgotten something," Lieyin said in a quiet voice that dragged across Ru Yi’s skin. "I am not my sisters."

Ru Yi gulped.

"They may look at you and see someone they want to protect, someone they want beside them. But I’m not love-struck enough to let my feelings make decisions where you’re concerned."

Lieyin’s eyes searched hers. "If there’s something you’re hiding from us, you better pray I don’t find out. And it better be something that won’t put them in danger."

Her grip remained firm. "I’m not as forgiving as they are...you better remember that."

Ru Yi’s heart finally stopped.

For one terrifying moment she wondered if Lieyin knew. But nothing in the woman’s stiff expression gave it away.

"I can feel the fear in your heart," Lieyin continued. "You can lie to others but never to me. Because my core energy is inside you, and emotions will always tell the truth." She released Ru Yi.

Ru Yi’s breathing was uneven. "I love them, Lieyin. Believe it or not...I will never do anything to intentionally hurt them."

"That has nothing to do with me." Lieyin’s voice was calm, but there was something terrifying beneath it. "Because if you ever hurt them..." she trailed off.

The version of Lieyin in front of Ru Yi was the one she originally met at the beginning of her story. The cold heart princesses that solved every problem with her fist and sword.

Gone was the Lieyin that comforted Ru Yi after she’d been assaulted...the one that held her with so much tenderness everyone else confused it for love.

Ru Yi touched her chin, trying to soothe the sore spot. "Lieyin—"

"I don’t want to hear any more lies," Lieyin cut her off. "I hope for your sake that whatever you’re hiding is worth your life." With that she walked away.

Ru Yi remained alone in the corridor, her fingers still resting against her bruised chin. Lieyin had not threatened her out loud. She didn’t have to.

Her words though spoken in a low tone had been perfectly clear.

Ru Yi closed her eyes. She had wanted to find the perfect moment, somewhere quiet where she could sit with the triplets and explain everything to them. But she didn’t have that luxury anymore.

And the worst part was that Ru Yi no longer knew which would hurt more.

Losing their trust because she told them the truth herself, or watching them learn the truth from someone else.