"Orion, step away from my wife, and I'll let you live," Rafael spat out angrily, shooting Orion a look full of vitriol. His bloody sword was hovering in the air, like an arrow notched on a bow string, ready to fly on command.
"No," Orion replied evenly, planting himself even more firmly in front of Soleia. "You're not a good man. I'm taking Soleia away from you for good."
"Taking her? Don't be preposterous!" Rafael scoffed at the audacity of his old friend before meeting Soleia's eyes from behind Orion's shoulder. "Darling, Soleia, tell me― is Orion hoodwinked by yet another amethyst user? What nonsense is he spewing out?"
"He doesn't seem to be enchanted," Soleia said, and she purposely made her voice sound calm and even. "And he's not our enemy. You should be thanking him for saving me. If Orion had not come for me, the prisoners would have ripped me apart from limb to limb before you arrived!"
