Chapter 18 #2
Ready to focus and get my head back in the game, I’d have to suck it up eventually and find Max. I hadn’t asked him about the clue once during our last two sessions together. Wasted opportunities like that wouldn’t get me anywhere.
After checking the patio, where most of the others had gathered for lunch, I searched Camelot Courtyard, the back lawn, and his training center, trying to find him. I even checked his old room, on the off-chance he’d hidden in the last place anyone would’ve thought to look for him.
He was definitely the type.
But after almost an hour, I found nothing.
“Where the hell is the gym in this place?”
My question, asked loudly and to no one in particular, received an unexpected response.
“I’ll answer yours if you answer mine.”
I spun around to find Morgan. Splotches of red marred her creamy complexion, and when she rubbed at her cheeks and forehead, I sensed her mounting frustration.
She forced a smile. “I ate so fast at breakfast, I think I made myself sick. But I’m trying to solve this damn clue.”
I walked over to her, and she stopped aggravating her skin. “What are you stuck on?”
“I need that stuff they always show on infomercials. The goop that gets rid of sticky stuff.” She lowered her voice. “I’m still stuck decoding the lockbox clue. Everyone else is getting so far ahead. I don’t even want to know how far you’ve gotten. But do you have any ideas?”
“Got coordinates for gym equipment someone might use to bulk up their avoidance issues?”
She arched a brow, her puzzled expression arching her gorgeous brows higher. “How oddly specific, yet totally vague.”
“I’m hunting for Max Dread.”
“Ah.” She nodded, glancing toward Vivian’s room. “Dax goes to the garage in the mornings, but that’s all I know.”
“Perfect. Thank you. And Miss Alice would probably be your best bet for cleaning supplies.” I winked. “She’s usually in the kitchen. If not, Kingston might be a resource.”
“Noted.” Relief faded the frustrated splotches on her cheeks, and her smile widened as she returned my wink. “Pleasure doing business with you then.”
“Do stop by if you have a need in the future.”
She tipped an imaginary hat. “You, as well.”
Laughing, we ran off in separate directions.
With fifteen minutes before Sparring with Elaine, I went in search of the gym to see if Max was hiding there.
That got me nowhere.
On my way to Sparring, I grew more and more frustrated.
I finally considered who else might have a clue for me, on the off chance Max evaded me forever or had vanished into thin air. That also got me nowhere.
My reaction to Elaine’s comments throughout our session did the same.
Eager for me to fill my position as the future help, she made it very clear, loudly and repeatedly, that she’d want the sheets on her marital bed changed more than once a day.
Somehow, I found the will to ignore her, and I made it through our first round without wringing her neck.
I deserved a cookie or something.
A pat on the back.
Give a girl a gold star.
Anything, really, because it was not easy.
Josh called out from the side of the ring. “Hey, Everly! Where’s your head today?”
I glanced up as Elaine came at me, blocking her punch at the last second. Shaking my head to clear it, I refocused and avoided her next two jabs.
“What’s the matter, Quinn? Still thinking about how you don’t belong here?” she taunted, brushing her curls over her shoulder with her gloved hand. “I know I am, but thankfully, I won’t have to deal with you for long.”
I’d like to say I blocked out whatever she said next.
But that would be a lie.
“You know, it really is better this way. I’ll win The Quest, marry Kingston, and he’s so close with Landon, who always follows his orders, that I’m sure if it meant pleasing his new wife, Kingston would make sure his right hand did whatever necessary to help. Maybe even bring him into bed with us.”
She giggled, her delusions on full display.
I seethed, forcing air in and out of my nostrils.
Still raw over everything with Max, I couldn’t handle even the thought of losing both Kingston and Landon.
Elaine smirked. “Landon must be fantastic in the bedroom since you forgave him after the Knights’ Quorum”—she dropped her voice to a whisper—“he really was doing you a favor, but a girl will forgive anything for good dick, right?” Her smile, as if we were gal pals swapping secrets, curdled my stomach.
“And Kingston? I danced with him at the last party. He’s got moves, and I swear I felt… well, you know.”
She winked, and the edges of my vision bled.
“God. Can you imagine having them both in bed?”
I gritted my teeth. “Yeah, I can.”
Then, I swung at her, dropping my arm and forgetting my footing. I neglected to cover my face right after.
Elaine was ready to strike.
Her punch to my temple snapped my head to the side and jolted my body into the ropes.
“That’s time!” Josh called. “Everly, get over here!”
I blinked past the stars in my eyes, breathing hard and fighting to regain my bearings.
Lucky for me, Elaine wasn’t done.
“We told you, Quinn. Some poor bitch with no status and no family isn’t coming in here and taking what’s ours. Do yourself a favor and enjoy them while you can. Because I plan to make some changes around here, so unless you want a job as the help—”
Just like she’d been hoping I would, I whirled around, ready to lunge at her.
She sucker punched me in the ribs.
I wheezed.
Choking out a cry of pain, I pitched forward onto my knees. My lungs seized, and before I could get up, Elaine knocked me forward.
I face-planted on the mat.
“Elaine, that’s enough!” Josh shouted. “Brad! Get her under control!”
Certain she was still coming, I forced my body to move. It took all the effort I had left to roll onto my back.
She stepped over my body and leaned down, getting in my face. “Like it or not, they’ll both be mine. He’s already hers.”
I couldn’t breathe.
Grabbing my collar, she pulled my torso off the mat. “You’ll be what you’ve always been.”
Clawing at her arms, I willed my lungs to open as she hissed in my ear.
“Nothing.”