Damian opened his mouth to respond, but Raphael kept talking, his voice rising with passion.
"My brother....her father.....entrusted her to me. The night of the coup, when everything was falling apart, when the palace was burning and assassins were hunting us through the halls, Azrael made me promise. Made me swear on everything holy that I would protect his daughter. That I would keep her safe until she was strong enough to claim her birthright."
His hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I have watched over her for twenty-three years. Twenty-three years of hiding in shadows, of tracking her from a distance, of eliminating threats before they could reach her. I have killed for her. Lied for her. Sacrificed any chance at a normal life for her. Because she is my blood. Because I made a promise to my brother. Because she is my responsibility."
