The moment Mr. Rhodes spoke, a subtle, deathly silence fell over the entire ancestral hall for several seconds.
Arabella Donovan sat bolt upright, suddenly wide awake and energized.
'Whoa, Mr. Rhodes is amazing. That silver tongue is on another level. Especially the part about the oath, hahahaha! If his cousin Rhodes actually swears on all that, I wonder if the Providence will really strike him with a lightning bolt, just like that day outside the food street at Brynn University. Or maybe his ancestors will get so angry they'll claw their way out of their coffins to haunt him in the middle of the night?'
The few people who could hear her innermost thoughts were speechless. To be honest, they were quite eager to see it happen.
Walter Rhodes froze the moment Mr. Rhodes mentioned the oath. When his father looked over, his eyes darted all over the place—up at the ceiling, down at the floor, inside, outside—anywhere but at the man's face.
