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She stopped behind his chair. A soft knock to his telepathic walls allowed her access to say what she needed to without being overheard.

“You need to put the headlights away when her mother is present.” She got right to the point.

His eyes narrowed in annoyance.“I am not afraid of Rosario the Cruel.”

“You should be.”Rowan crossed her arms, trying to decide how angry Louisa would be at what she was about to reveal.“Her cruelty has in the past extended to her daughter.”

His nose flared, and he moved to stand, but she placed a hand on his shoulder to keep him in place.

“I know your alpha instincts are screeching to go rescue her, but this is not the time and place for it. We are still trying to convince the world shifters aren’t willingly going to go into fits of violence. You going up there will most definitely end up in a physical confrontation and while I’m sure you could go toe to toe with Rosario physically, Rosario’s loss will most assuredly be all of shifter-kind’s loss. Louisa can handle her mother. She’s been doing it for ages. If you react, you’re going to fuck up everything she’s been working hard for over the last decade.”

He let out a displeased growl. Rowan noted the tension in Naseem’s back as Alessandro leaned forward to glance down at them.

“Still in control.”She shot towards him and he relaxed back into his chair once more to continue his conversation. Only after Naseem’s tension released somewhat did Rowan look back at the wolf.

She held out a conjured handkerchief and pointed to the corner of his mouth. “Just right there, Mr. Knox.” She tried to smile as softly as possible as the next words she telepathically shot towards him were full of command.“Turn around and keep your eyes off of Louisa Monterrey. You may contact her after the trial ends.”

He took the offered cloth and wiped at the corner of his mouth. His eyes returned to the hazel tone she’d grown to associate with the alpha. “Thank you, Dragon Queen.”

“No problem.” She chirped and began heading back to her mate’s side while throwing back some last words.“That handkerchief was for actual use. You were drooling.”

He let out a bark of laughter and Rowan turned her attention to her other concern, her mother.

“This is your only warning, butt out.”

Annabelle gasped, as if affronted.

“You know Rosario will only try to lock Louisa away in a tower if she finds out.”

Annabelle threw her a withering look. “You never let me have any fun.”

“What will your silence cost?”

“I’m in charge of your bachelorette.“

It was no actual loss. Rowan doubted the Dragon King had any intention of being at the center of the pandemonium that was a royal elf’s wedding.

Lexine’s wedding had been such an ordeal that even their cool and collected father had to take a walk to recollect himself after a meltdown surrounding the wrong utensils being delivered on the day of the event.

“Fine. But no pressuring the Dragon King to ask for my hand just so you can throw it. Only if he asks for it himself.”

“Fine.”

Annabelle’s eyes twinkled, and she grabbed King Kyron’s arm excitedly. “Do you think Rowan is more of a periwinkle or a baby rose kind of girl?”

King Kyron didn’t miss a beat in answering. “Sage green.”

Rowan didn’t hear what her mother replied because, from the section across the way from them, Antoni Barros had appeared. He was being led in by two minotaurs, shackled with nulling chains around his wrists.

Even if she’d seen his reformation first hand, Rowan hadn’t realized his arm had also grown back.

His blonde hair was dull, his skin a sickly green tinge, but he was whole.

His eyes found her as his guards forced him into the seat on the raised platform. His chains locked to rods on either side of the chair, which was bolted to the floor to keep him from moving too much.

Rowan’s chin tipped up in defiance as hatred boiled deep in his eyes.

Alessandro growled beside her. She reached out and interlaced their fingers together, soothing his beast.