Humiliation

King Ikechukwu "..."

Queen Chioma "..."

Queen Mother "...'

The guests "..."

Gasps broke out in the crowd.

Did he just—?

Was he dismissing the king?

Carl did not stop there. He gestured lazily, his next words sending another shockwave through the hall.

"We are not worthy of such company." The sarcasm in his voice was undeniable. "Rather than you, we would prefer our friends to keep us company."

He turned slightly, locking eyes with Nnenna and Somto.

"We want them to sit beside us."

The silence that followed was deafening.

The king's face was unreadable, but his fingers had curled so tightly around the chair's armrest that his knuckles turned white.

The nobles couldn't believe what they were witnessing.

The most powerful ruler in the room had been rejected.

His presence deemed unnecessary.

And in his place, two younger, lesser ranked royals were chosen instead.