"Dad. Are you quite disappointed in me?" Caius asked, his voice tight with uncertainty. He did not like disappointing his father.
Erasmi looked at his son, his expression steady and calm. "Did you kill someone without cause?" he replied, his tone almost casual. Rafe, standing nearby, blinked in surprise at the older man's response, while Caius shook his head, a flicker of confusion crossing his features.
"Then I am not disappointed," Erasmi continued. "You did what you had to do to protect your love. There's no shame in that."
Caius let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, relief washing over him. He glanced at Rafe, who shook his head slowly, a bemused smile playing on his lips.
