Sophia stumbled back.

"I-I d-don't understand..." she stammered, her brows slowly forming into a frown.

Nicholas' hand tightened around her arm. "Dare not deny it, Sophia. You fooled us all!"

Sophia was lost for words. She wondered then if it was possible to die at will because at that moment, while Nicholas was shaking with rage, she had no other desire.

But the shock was slowly being replaced by the feeling of betrayal. Marcus had betrayed her.

Marcus, the only man she could fully trust with her life had given her his word and disregarded it all the same.

"Choose your next words wisely, Sophia," Nicholas seethed above her, twisting her arm to elicit a wince from her. "Tell me the bloody truth now!"

Despair fell upon her. What had happened to his brother? Was he alive?

Sophia had to go. She had to find Marcus. She had to demand for answers.

Why did he betray her?

"Open your bloody mouth and speak!" Nicholas hissed at her, shaking her with one hand. "Did Durley put you through it?" he demanded.

Her face blanched. Oh God, Marcus was here. Nicholas was in no condition to properly think.

Fearing for the worst, Sophia's mind reeled as she thought of a way to make Nicholas go away. He had to go. If Marcus did not hesitate to harm Ralph and the Guards, he would not do so again with Nicholas.

"I did it on my own volition," managed to say without her voice shaking. She pulled away from his grip and he let go of her, pushing her away as if the touch of her scorched him. She fought the tears that threatened to come out by stepping back. Aabha went to stand between her and Nicholas.

Nicholas scoffed at her in disbelief. "God, you are not even denying it."

Sophia tightened her jaw and lifted her chin. She shrugged. "I had to do everything as planned."

"What? Because you have no other choice? Tell me the truth now, Sophia." His voice had softened as he stepped closer and Sophia heard desperation edge his tone. "Did Durley force you into this? He has this much power over you that your own freedom no longer matters?"

If she told him the truth, he would ask her to leave with him. He would even resort to hauling her over his shoulder and escape Rock'oles. She did not want that.

She would ruin him.

She shook her head and forced a mocking smile on her lips. They gave a slight quiver but she hoped Nicholas did not notice it. "No. I never hesitated to do anything. I never strayed from our plans. I never planned to betray Lord Durley, my lord, for I love him and I will do anything for him."

Her hands balled into fists beside her. He had to go. Marcus could come back anytime soon.

He had to go!

"If you wish to send the Guards to capture me, please do so. I will merely be glad to provide them with a good service for that is all I know. Your statements against us shall hold no weight for you do not have the evidence. You do not have the letters."

Go, Nick. Please, go.

She had thought of many ways to part from him and this was not one of them. But perhaps this was the most effective. Truly, how ironic!

He let out a mocking chuckle and Sophia's nostrils flared at how he was behaving. The man standing before her was far from the man she loved. And she was to blame for it. He ought to blame her for everything. She would gladly burn in hell for what she had caused.

But for now, he must leave Rock'oles. One Everard hurt was enough.

"I merely hope your brother is alright?" she managed to ask, feigning nonchalance. "After all, I did ask the men to not be too rough during the ambush. We have acquired what we needed after all, my lord. We were left with but one last task and that was to deliver a message to the Guards and I believe they have received it clearly."

"Stop talking, you cunt!"

Yes, please, hate me. Then forget me. Forget Rock'oles. Forget us.

She saw Nicholas reach for her and she flinched away but he stopped himself. He scoffed. "No, you don't deserve my heavy hand for I will never bother to dirty myself with a lowly subject."

His words rang back to her and speared through her entire form. What made it even more painful was the inability to move and soothe the ache.

He took a step closer. "Should I then give you my deepest gratitude for sparing my brother? They did lose two men, but he managed to escape with one shot on his thigh."

Her fingers dug into her palm until it hurt. Sophia swallowed the relief and pain.

"And here I was hoping you will gladly fly into my arms and escape this dratted place! I have had a hard time ignoring the fact that you are having other men in your bed other than me, but I managed to do so because I want you. I must truly be what they think of me—a bloody fool and an idiot!"

Sophia flinched and simply stayed quiet. She did not say anything. She was afraid to speak. Her throat was closing up on her, the tears threatening to spill out.

She could not let him stay longer.

Finally he did step away and Sophia fought her body's instinct to move forward and follow him. She held her ground instead and waited for his next words.

"The moment I step out of your chamber, Sophia, I am not coming back. Think now or you will forever lose me."

She did not move. She simply stood frozen from where she was, resisting the intense urge to take one step and escape Rock'oles. But she could not do it. For as much as she loved him, she could not be with him. Even if she believed they could work, she could never give him everything—not even her full loyalty, not even her secrets.

"Whatever do you mean, my lord? That you are still willing to help me escape from this place? After what I have done? Do you think me a fool? This is where I belong and I have always known it. You, on the other hand, are clinging on to your own crafted fantasies."

A long, chilling silence followed her statement. She focused her eyes on the man before her, the shadows on his face and the light casted by the ceiling lamp above them. This would be the last picture of him in her mind and she was not even quite certain if she wanted to hang on to it for it was filled with great fury and sorrow.

She saw him slowly shake his head.

"Then forgive me, Sophia, if I choose to break your second rule, the one that states you say when I stop my calls. Because this time, my dear, I say this shall be my last visit."

Sophia nearly crumpled on the ground as a penetrating force clenched inside her chest, travelling outward to her limbs and the tips of her fingers. They lingered where they stopped merely to attack her yet again until every breath was a labor, every thought painful.

Yet she must remain unmoved and strong for a few more seconds.

She forced a smile but only managed a slight twitch of the corner of her lips.

Nicholas turned and walked to the door. Before pulling it open, he stopped to say, "Do not fear that I will send the Guards here for you are correct. You have fooled us thoroughly with perfection that we have to admit defeat. You can stay safe in this chamber. For a while."

He pulled the door open and the light from the corridor outside made his features clearer in her eyes. But she hated the loathsome face that the shadows created.

"Then I hope to God Durley can love you the way I do. And I hope that by the moment you are facing the greatest failure and tragedy of your life, you will remember me then. For you will, Sophie, you will remember this moment. You will remember then."

With those last words that were filled with desolation, loathing and despair, Nicholas Everard walked out of Sophia's chamber for the last time.

*****

Sophia did not waste more time to mourn over her loss for she had the rest of her life to do it. She rushed through the secret door and blindly found her way to Marcus' study where Mr. Mast and two other men were standing.

The three men Marcus was having what seemed to be a heated discussion with stopped and turned when she burst into the room hissing, "How could you!" stumbling as her foot caught on the foot of a chair she failed to see.

Marcus instantly knew what she meant and he turned to Mr. Mast and the other two men to say, "Leave us."

The men left and closed the door behind them, leaving Sophia and Marcus inside the study.

"Has Whiston come to you?" Marcus asked, standing to his feet.

She almost lurched at him across the table as she slammed her palms down. "He just left. He will never return. Why did you go through with the ambush, Marcus? Why!"

"Bloody stop shouting, Sophia," Marcus droned with a sigh. His hand lifted to press a spot between his eyes. "I did not do it. Osegod did. I just found out myself."

Sophia's jaw tightened as more tears rolled down her cheeks. "You promised, Marcus!"

"I do not have full control of that bloody bastard!" he hissed at her.

Sophia froze. He was telling the truth and she hated that she could not kill him for lying.

"I had no bloody idea, Sophia. Osegod is proving to be the most stupid imbecile addlebrained in every passing damned time."

Sophia whimpered as she stumbled back.

It would have been better if she saw Nicholas' fury. She could easily close her eyes and shut it away. But she heard the hatred and pain in his voice and no matter how much she wanted to shut them out, they refused to go away. She covered her face with her hands, unable to control her tears any longer.

"They lost two men, Marcus," she mumbled, shivering at the thought. "His brother could have been one of them."

Marcus let her sob for a while before he asked, "Did you tell him the truth?"

She shook her head, wiping her face dry. Of course, that was all that mattered to him. He would want to know if they could still use Nicholas for his plans.

"Why?" he asked.

She sniffed and squared her shoulders. "There was no use."

"And you made certain he never comes back. You know we might still need him."

"No, you do not," she seethed. "You had everything planned out. All you needed to know is how much they know. Now you do. You do not need him." She glared at his shadowy face with disbelief. "Have you not realized that you now have blood in your hands? Two Guards are dead because—"

"I do not answer for Osegod's foolish actions!"

"You are answerable to everything from the moment you ordered for me to welcome Nicholas into my chamber. And I am an even bigger criminal for allowing it!" She choked as she added, "We have been destroying lives since you entered the slave trade, Marcus. I do not know how long I can allow you to pave our way to hell."

Marcus walked up to her but dared not stop her. "I promised that I shall put everything to rights once we get—"

"—once you get what you deserve. I am not a part of it. I never was."

"You have the right to be a part of it," he uttered strongly. "And we shall claim it."

Sophia felt a rush of chill go up her spine. "Will it be worth it, Marcus? After you gain what you want, will it be worth it?"

"Yes," he said in a cold voice. "Have patience, Sophia. Things will fall into their rightful place very soon."

Sophia did not say anything further so she simply closed her eyes in defeat. "Do one thing for me, Marcus," she whispered shakily.

"Of course."

"Spare the Everards."

"They were never my enemy."

Her eyes opened and she glared at Marcus. "But Osegod considers them as his and he uses everyone on his side to get what he wants."

"I will deal with Osegod." His voice was etched with hesitation that Sophia could not fully believe him. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Yes," she said, stopping in her way to the door. "I wish to not be bothered by any of your contacts until I say so."

"Sophia..." he softly called out to her but she stopped him by a look over her shoulder.

"I love you, Marcus. To a point that I will do almost everything for you," she said brokenly. "I also do hope you love me enough to leave me alone for a while." She swallowed, a whimper escaping her lips. "As your sister, I deserve a moment to convince myself that you are worth this sacrifice."