There was a stunned silence as Rafael's rejection echoed through the room. Soleia shot her husband an incredulous glance before turning her head to witness the shell-shocked expression on her new father-in-law's face. Clearly, he had not imagined Rafael's rejection.
King Recaldo's face had darkened considerably, and he seemed three steps away from leaping down from his throne to sock Rafael in the face despite his age. Beside her, Orion tensed imperceptibly, keeping an eye out for the nearest exit that he could haul Soleia out of.
The priest blinked, his face paling tremendously. Never before had he experienced someone rejecting a marriage that was personally arranged by King Recaldo himself.
"Excuse me, Prince Rafael? I must have misheard," he croaked out, his voice trembling minutely. He dared not turn around to look at King Recaldo's face. He wanted to live.
