Her frown deepened. "What are you talking about?"
"He's Arel's guardian," Arin said. "The man who raised him. The man who hid him."
Daphne's heart skipped.
Her mouth opened, then closed again. "That's… that's not possible," she said, shaking her head. "You're wrong."
Alaric stepped closer. "We're not."
She looked back at him, disbelief written all over her face. "You're lying. Both of you."
"I wish we were," Alaric said.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly. "You're saying the man who taught me how to heal, the man I trusted..." She stopped, swallowing. "You're saying he raised Arel."
"Yes," Arin said. "He's the physician Ezekiel hid him with all those years ago."
Daphne staggered back a step.
"No," she whispered. "No, that doesn't make sense."
Alaric reached for her, but she pulled away, staring at him like she didn't recognize him.
"You chained him," she said slowly. "You didn't even tell me. You just...decided."
