Richard stepped in with a raised hand, trying to smooth things over for George. "Hey, Catherine, lay off poor little George."
he said, his voice low and a bit rough around the edges, like he was dredging up old memories he'd rather keep buried. "Back then, George was under the spell of some seriously dark magic. He was this close to becoming a sacrifice in that freaky ritual circle. But I was part of the rebel army at the time. Everyone around me was screaming for blood, and I could've easily taken him out. But my love for you…for that Catherine… just wouldn't let me do it. So, against all odds, I saved his life."
He let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping a bit. "But with my reputation as a rebel, there was no way I could send him back to the palace. They'd have seen it as a betrayal,
