He shook his head and stood up like he was shoving all his emotions back down inside of himself. I’d seen Lorne do the same thing, and I wondered if my father had taught him that or if it was an Aunare thing.

Either way, the devastation was gone, and in front of me stood a leader.

“You have a place to take. I know what I’m asking of you, and I’m not expecting this to be easy between you and me because of it, but—”

“No.” If there were a door that I could slam in his face, I would’ve. “No. I’m not taking any place. I’m—”

“Please, Amihanna. I—”

The anger was back, and my skin started to glow. “No. You don’t get it. I don’t even know who Amihanna is. Whoever you think I am or whatever place you think I’m going to take, I’m not. I just clawed my way out of that hellhole, and you’re coming at me now to tell me that I’m in danger and hated here and—” I cut myself off before I could say anything else. I didn’t know him, and clearly, my father didn’t know me. At all.

“I understand.” He held out his hands to me, pleading with me to listen to him, but I wasn’t sure I could. Not now. “I do. I really, truly do understand. And if we weren’t going to war or if you were anyone else, I would give you more time, but you have to understand that you are the long-lost heir to the di Aetes line, and the betrothed of—”

“No.” I felt like I was falling. He couldn’t have just said what I thought he said. “Betrothed? I can’t. No.” My words were fierce whispers as the horror of what he said hit me. I couldn’t marry some random person.

My father gave me a sad smile. “Don’t you even want to know who you’re betrothed to?”

I moved to the chair beside the bed before my legs could give out. “No. I don’t know. It doesn’t matter who—” Oh shit. The look on my father’s face. The smile. It was someone I knew already. Someone…

My heart raced, and I knew. I knew who it was. I knew deep inside of me who I was tied to. “Lorne,” I whispered.

“You remember?” My father sounded hopeful.

“No.” But Lorne said he’d been waiting for me. He couldn’t mean… “No. I didn’t remember anything. When did this happen and why wasn’t I told?”

This was a nightmare. I couldn’t be forced into marriage with anyone, even if it was Lorne. He was…beautiful and strong and he made me feel too much and he was the crown prince.