Rafael blinked, as though he was confused. He cocked his head to the side like a curious child. "Princess Nessa, you know who I am."
"No, I don't!" Nessa nearly screeched. "If you're a humble landed knight, I'll eat my whole foot. No commoner could have such a powerful type of magic! It's too distinctive!"
Or more accurately, no royal family would let a commoner with such a terrifying power live to tell the tale.
"No commoner you know," Rafael corrected placidly. He held out his arms. "But here I am. Living proof that commoners can have incredible powers. You've already met Orion. He was a commoner and he slayed a dragon. As it stands, our existence is rare, but it's not an impossibility."
Rafael reached down and purposely drew their attention to Orion's condition. He was still in his cell, barely breathing.
