Ambrose stumbled back, his hand flying to his cheek where the ruler’s slap had landed. The entire court went silent, everyone too shocked to move or speak.
Ambrose’s breath caught, and his thoughts raced.
Did he really just hit me? For a moment, he thought the ruler must have lost his mind. Straightening up, he waited for an apology.
Instead, the ruler’s voice boomed through the room, loud and furious, making the space feel smaller and the air tense.
“You dare bring shame to this court with your failure and arrogance, Ambrose?”
The ruler’s eyes blazed with anger, his fury so intense it felt almost physical. He stepped closer, towering over Ambrose, his presence demanding submission without question.
“Do you think I’m blind?” The ruler’s voice rose with each word, like a storm gainin
