Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Iwas big enough to admit it.
I climbed right back into bed and buried myself under the covers.
After a few screams into my pillow, prompted by Max’s door closing as he left his bedroom, I’d wanted to storm down to Camelot Courtyard and find Vivian’s room.
Have a friendly chat about consent as I ripped her hair out.
But everyone arrived soon, and I’d promised Kingston. I had to keep my feelings about the three of them quiet, so his dad didn’t search for more reasons to get rid of me. My emotions lodged in my throat as I accepted the silence.
They hadn’t eliminated Vivian for attacking another Maiden, but I didn’t feel confident about my odds.
Plus, Max was a big boy. Capable of making his own choices. Keeping his dick firmly in his pants.
Sure, she could throw a fit about it, but there was no reason that should stop him. She couldn’t overpower him.
If Max Dread didn’t want to do something, he didn’t do it.
My body welded to the bed at that thought, and I had no intention of getting out.
When Landon came into the room fresh from the shower, he took one look at me, crawled under the covers, and wrapped his arms around my body.
That finally made the tears come.
It didn’t matter what had happened, or why I was upset. I needed him, so he didn’t leave my side.
And in that moment, I hated how my two Knights felt like complete opposites instead of how I’d always seen them—two sides of the same coin.
Even if part of me refused to believe it would play out the way Max’s silence had implied, even though that part of me believed he’d fight for us and get out of whatever the hell he’d gotten himself into, I didn’t know.
And that loss, so soon after finally getting wins, resurfaced all my fears. I wanted to stay in bed for the rest of the day.
But, unfortunately, my duty as a Lady called.
Landon brushed the hair back from my face, running his thumb under my eye to wipe the remnants of my tear-streaked makeup. “Kingston said we need to move into our new rooms tonight.”
I scrunched up my face. That news produced wholly unpleasant feelings. But unsurprisingly, even with the person behind my drugging still at large, my extra protection in the wake of my attacks had been bound to run out. As soon as Drake D’Arthur found a reason to do it, I’d expected he would.
Heaving a sigh, I sat up. “I’ll go pack.”
“We can come back for our things after tonight. An impromptu Quorum was called, for the Knights and parents. After, Drake wants everyone in the parlor for an announcement.”
“Wait, just the parents and the Knights?”
Landon shrugged. “That’s what Kingston said. We might get more information there.”
“Doubtful,” I muttered. “I’m not sure the concept of more information is one the Camelot Society knows yet.”
His soft chuckle preceded a kiss on my forehead as he climbed out of bed to get dressed. “You’re not wrong.”
I glanced at Max’s door before doing the same.
As much as I wanted to stay in Kingston’s wing, my newfound concern over the missing member of our would-be group hug would’ve spoiled the stay, anyway. Especially once I finally worked up the courage to knock on Max’s door.
There was no answer, so I swung open the door, wanting to demand an explanation. Wanting reassurance.
But I wouldn’t get either of them.
Thankfully, I’d cried out all my tears in bed before searching for him because sometime between our fight and Drake D’Arthur’s decision, Max had moved his stuff out of his adjoining bedroom.
Without so much as a see ya later, alligator.
It was completely empty. He’d even made the bed and left without a sound while I’d sat one door away from him in tears. With it tidied up, it was as if he’d never been there at all.
The only sign of our time together—that it’d been real—was a crumpled, white ball that he’d left on the floor.
Feeling strangely optimistic, despite all evidence to the contrary, I pulled my dad’s lighter from my backpack.
And I singed what ended up being an unused napkin from the diner instead of a secret note, so I forced myself to accept that Max wasn’t reaching out to me to tell me this was all some big prank.
He was just gone. With Vivian.
My tendency to deflect meant I wanted to deny, deny, deny.
Shut out the possibility that Max Dread had chosen her, or chosen to go along with whatever her parents wanted.
But since I refused to float down that familiar river of Denial again, I didn’t do it.
Instead, I mustered the strength to delay swearing off the bastard until I saw him for myself.
At the meeting, I’d be in the same room with him and her.
I’d get my answer then.
They might even reveal whether she’d given him his gift.
My stomach clenched as I followed Landon downstairs.
After he dropped me off at Camelot Courtyard, he went to meet Kingston, and I fought nausea on multiple levels. First, at the mere sight of Vivian.
Next, when Max passed by the bistro tables on his way into the parlor, without a glance in my direction.
And finally, his father trailed behind him.
Unfortunately, Merle stopped, popping over to greet all the Ladies, as if we missed him oh-so-much.
He sidled up to the nearest bistro table, where Angela and Morgan sat with Luna and Teddy. Chatting quietly with them, he ignored the daggers I glared from across the way.
But before he left, he ran his gaze over each of us. His eyes lingered on mine, and I lifted my chin to stare back.
“Remember, Ladies. In the challenge ahead, if you need anything at all, come find me. Those of you with Secret Questions finally get some answers.” He winked and smiled. “If you dare to ask, of course.”
I wrinkled my nose as he walked away.
Then, while the Ladies waited in the courtyard like good little girls, the grownups—aka the Knights and parents—attended their impromptu Camelot Society Quorum. I sat there, growing angrier over the whole thing as time passed.
“Seriously, I’m not even part of the Camelot Society, and it bothers me you’re all being excluded. How come you aren’t storming in there?”
Although it should’ve been implied that my question wasn’t directed at her, Elaine answered. “They already said they’ll fill us in after it’s done, Quinn.”
She examined her nails across the courtyard from the bistro table Izzy and I had picked. I did my best not to growl. But she didn’t miss my glare.
“Just because you don’t get it doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”
“Just because you’re too brainwashed to question it doesn’t mean it’s right, either.” I snapped.
Izzy snorted and drew a mark on an imaginary scoreboard under my name. But I was too worked up to laugh, and scanned the other girls for signs anyone was as annoyed as I was.
“Come on, no one else is bothered by this?”
Angela Bradford, who’d shared my feelings during the last challenge, spoke up. “I don’t like that they’re discussing us, and we don’t even get to listen.”
“Thank you!” I threw my hands up, gesturing at her for the rest of the Maidens to see. “That’s what I’m talking about. Does anyone even know what the meeting is about?”
Elaine tittered a laugh. “Someone heard my good news and got jealous.”
“What?” I whipped toward her. “This is about your bullshit?”
She shrugged, and I searched the faces of the other girls to figure out what they knew.
Morgan twisted a lock of her dark auburn hair around her finger and frowned. “Someone else came forward wanting to invoke the statute. I guess the results of the last challenge caused some concern about their chances, so…”
When she trailed off, dropping her hands to her lap and staring down at them, I turned to Izzy. Her bright emerald green eyes held sympathy, but not fear the way Morgan’s did.
“The parents are trying to figure out a way forward that works for everyone and adheres to the by-laws.”
“And that doesn’t make you all outraged?”
Lynette slowly raised her hand. “It sucks they could be deciding our fate while we just sit here like good little girls.”
“Agreed, Lynette.” I slapped my hand on the table. “This is total bullshit.”
Vivian, who’d sat as far away from me as possible, had not taken her eyes off me and chimed in from her seat. “You seem awfully concerned, given you won’t be affected by the outcome.”
Realizing she meant my now fake pesky virginity, I rolled my eyes. “Because that’s not the point, Vivian.”
“Actually, it is,” she snapped. “We all came here to win. Why are you bitching about it when the statute you threw in our faces is about to eliminate half the competition?”
I glared at her, noticing that her stare didn’t hold the same derision it normally did, and it made me instantly suspicious. I couldn’t figure out what she was up to, but Vivian’s conniving ways weren’t my priority at the moment.
Glancing at the other Maidens, I voiced what I only hoped they were thinking. “You all came here to win. You’ve spent your lives waiting for your turn to do this, right?”
Murmurs of assent rang out in the courtyard. Some were hesitant but still more vocal than when I’d first asked.
I stared Vivian straight in her ice-blue eyes.
“I don’t want to win or lose The Quest because of some technicality.
Especially not that one. My virginity? It holds no bearing on my ability to beat your ass at this and win.
And I don’t like being reduced to that. Maybe you should ask yourself why you’re okay with it? ”
“I never said I was,” she snapped back.
Then, she shut her mouth like she hadn’t meant to say that.
I narrowed my eyes on her. Even as some of the other girls started talking about their parents and the expectations on their shoulders, I didn’t look away from Vivian. Something was up with her, and I couldn’t put my finger on what.
Pursing her lips, clearly annoyed by my stare, Vivian crossed her arms over her chest. “This isn’t just about us, Quinn. Our parents have been waiting for this, too. You’d understand that if you had any.”
“Vivian!” Izzy admonished. “Uncalled for.”