Awkward silence filled the chamber.
Riley merely shrugged at the mortified elven king, who now looked toward his son as if silently begging for denial—as if looking for any ground he could stand on.
But Rowan said nothing.
Then, in a sudden burst of fury, King Arlen's hand whipped across his son's face.
The sharp crack echoed in the room, loud enough to make Riley suck in a breath.
For a moment, he actually considered pulling out a notepad to report the man. Technically, striking someone inside the Ministry was a violation of its laws, even for visiting monarchs.
But then he realized something dangerous—if he started writing that down, he might end up slapping the king himself. That would be a much bigger problem, since he would then have to avoid hypocrisy and report himself.
So instead, he folded his arms and glared.
King Arlen's chest heaved. "You knew," he seethed at Rowan. "You knew about this and said nothing?"
