Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The next morning, I woke up and dragged myself to the shower, hoping it might lift my spirits before I got my Sunday treat known as Bonding Day.
When I got downstairs, I stepped into an alternate universe. The staff had converted Camelot Courtyard into a weird, slightly depressing version of Santa’s workshop.
As Merle had mentioned at our Ladies Dinner, we’d make our pledge paddles today.
Long tables ran along the length of the outdoor space. Set in two rows, each table was covered with a canvas sheet, like the ones we’d painted in our Sublimation sessions.
Spaced a few paces apart, workstations with tools, paint, and—was that glitter?—waited for us to get started.
A pile of wood sat at the far end of the table, and a few Knights manned the miter saws beside it, carving the wood we’d use into the correct shape. One of them met my gaze as soon as I stepped foot on the terracotta stones.
I drew a deep, shaky breath.
After reading his notes on the napkin, I’d wanted to run straight at him, wrap my arms and legs around him, and never let him go.
But with Knights and Ladies milling about and Merle pacing the room like a guard dog, I kept my feet planted on the ground. It wouldn’t help Max if I did what I wanted.
I had to do what he needed.
Whether proclaiming my feelings or spewing hate, I’d draw eyes we didn’t need to our backs. He’d made that clear. But I had no intention of putting on an act with him, either.
So, instead, I lifted my chin and kept my expression neutral as I walked over to where Izzy and Morgan stood. They chatted outside the room I’d shared with Izzy before I returned last night and declared I’d be moving back upstairs.
Their hushed voices fell silent as I walked up.
I gave an awkward wave. “Hey, how are you guys feeling?”
Izzy placed her hand on my arm gently. “We should be asking you that. We heard about what happened. I hunted down Kingston yesterday to make sure you were okay.”
I covered her hand with mine. “Thanks, Izzy. That means a lot, and I’m fine, I guess.”
Angela walked up to join us, and they all focused on me.
With an awkward laugh, I withdrew my hand and ran it through my hair. “Honestly, with everything else going on, I haven’t had much time to process it.”
“Well, we’re here if you need to talk.” Morgan smiled.
Angela pursed her lips, scanning Camelot Courtyard and narrowing her eyes on Merle. “I can’t believe they’re making us do this here after what happened.”
I cocked my head. “You can’t?”
Morgan balked. “His blood is still on the stones, Quinn. They couldn’t scrub it all out.”
Shaking my head, I met Izzy’s piercing green stare. “That’s exactly my point. To me, forcing you all to have fun on our Bonding Day with a reminder of what happened right in front of you? That seems pointed. Not to mention totally on brand.”
Drake had buried Landon’s mother at Pendragon Estate, as a reminder to Landon—whether he remembered it or not—of what happened to those who betrayed Camelot Court. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if that was the intention today.
“You think it’s purposeful?” Izzy frowned. “Why would they do that?”
“To remind you what happens if you cause problems.”
Angela arched a brow and nodded.
Morgan made a sound of disgust in the back of her throat.
Izzy shuddered. “Oh God, that’s awful. Hopefully, that’s not the case.”
I shrugged, certain the look on my face conveyed exactly what I thought about that.
Before any of them responded, Merle’s unwelcome voice interrupted. “Alright, Ladies, everyone gather at the tables!”
We grabbed spots at one table together, waiting patiently for instructions as the Knights gathered up the paddles they’d carved and brought them around to each of our stations.
Max took my side of the table and made his way down the line, placing the paddle in front of each girl as he passed.
I braced for whatever he planned to say when he reached me, holding my breath until he stood behind me.
He pressed in close, the heat from his body radiating into my back, and when his arm brushed mine, my skin burned. A tremor ran through me at his barest touch.
After setting my paddle down, he lingered longer than necessary, breathing in deeply before pulling away.
I pressed my eyes shut.
Once I reopened them, he’d moved on to Izzy beside me.
I flattened my palms on the table, steadying myself and regaining control of my breathing.
Each step he took farther down the line pulled tighter in my chest, but even though it hurt, I watched his progress until he reached the end, lifted his head, and met my gaze.
His onyx eyes bore into mine, his expression unreadable, before he looked to his father on the other side of the room, nodded once, and left Camelot Courtyard.
Izzy whispered beside me. “Are you okay?”
I nodded weakly. Taking one more breath before steeling myself, I turned and faced Merle.
His beady brown eyes scanned the room before finding me.
“The tradition of creating Pledge Paddles is time-honored, and today, you’ll join in the history of Camelot Court. On the table in front of you, you’ll find all the tools you’ll need to decorate your paddle.”
Merle circled the room, explaining as he walked behind each girl the way the Knights had done.
“You can make it fancy or simple, but keep in mind you’ll want to leave space to mark up the paddle as you work through your clues.” Clapping his hands together, he smiled broadly. “Alright, Ladies. You may begin.”
While we worked, Merle continued to circle like a vulture. Occasionally, he perused one of the girls’ paddles, making suggestions I couldn’t wait for him to bring my way.
When he paused behind my workstation, I straightened my spine, keeping my attention on the first girl I laid eyes on.
Vivian watched me from across the room. Half turned away with her hair shielding her face, she was less discreet than she thought. She narrowed her eyes on Merle behind me. Her focus shifted the longer he stood there, torn between him, me, and a spot on the floor.
“Are you happy, Miss Everly?”
His whispered question pulled my attention back to him, and I eyed him over my shoulder, unsure what he’d meant.
“A great family mourns their son today.”
“Ben didn’t survive?”
“No,” he snarled quietly, drawing a gasp from me and similar reactions from the girls closest to me at the table. “Because of your presence here, the Devereaux family’s lives will never be the same. They’ve lost what cannot be replaced.”
“Yeah,” I scoffed. “A would-be rapist of a son. Excuse me if I’m not heartbroken for them, given I’m the most recent girl he attacked.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Merle grabbed my shoulder and whirled me around to face him. “A young man died, Miss Everly. I understand you lack the proper breeding to grasp this concept, but whatever faults he may have had, now isn’t the time for outlandish and false accusations.”
I stared at where he still gripped my bicep. “Let go of me.”
“Apologize.”
“Absolutely not!” I snapped my eyes to his, incredulous and outraged.
As my voice rose, Izzy stepped closer. But every eye in the room was on me and Merle.
“Dead or not—Ben Devereaux was a lecherous creep, who overpowered me, forced me into a bedroom, and would’ve raped me if I hadn’t been able to defend myself.
He admitted to doing it before, admitted he preferred when the girl struggled. Right before he unbuckled his pants.”
Gasps rang out amongst the girls.
Morgan and Angela stepped up beside Izzy, their horrified stares pinned directly on Merle.
“I didn’t lie. And I won’t apologize for speaking the truth just because you feel the real tragedy here is a good ol’ Camelot Court family losing their son. Now, let me fucking go, Merle!”
“Dad!”
Merle whipped his gaze to the arched entrance of Camelot Courtyard, and I wrenched my arm from his grip. Spinning around, I found Morty Dread staring down his father.
I tore away from Merle, leaving him seething over the latest spectacle between him and me.
As I approached Morty, he flicked his eyes briefly to mine, nodding so slightly I only caught it at close distance.
He pinned his gaze back on his father while I took off down the hall. I had no idea where Kingston and Landon were, but I needed to find one of them.
Before I turned the corner, Morty and Merle stepped out of Camelot Courtyard, arguing in hushed voices as they went the opposite direction to where the front of Pendragon would be, and hopefully, Merle’s exit.
Relieved that he wasn’t still with the other girls or about to come around the corner for Round Two with me, I went deeper into the house to find the nearest bathroom.
And at my next turn, I smacked right into the other Dread.
“You shouldn’t be here, Quinn.”
Max wrapped his hand around my arm, gripping tightly to steady me, and I relished it. So much so that I didn’t respond.
I stared at him, searching every line of tension in his features as if I might find some way to take it all away.
“Why aren’t you with the others?”
He stared over me and down the hallway, as if the rest of the girls were lagging. Frustration built in his jawline as he accepted I’d wandered off alone again.
“Why can’t you just…It’s like you’re trying to draw attention to yourself on purpose. Even after what just happened, what they did—” He released me and ran his hands through his hair. “You keep bringing it around me, too!”
I shook my head, opening my mouth to speak but unable to get a word in.
“Can’t you just do as you’re told?” he growled. “One time?”
“Max, I was allowed to leave.”
He scoffed. “Sure, you were.”
I stepped closer, maintaining a distance between us but needing him to hear me. “Look, I don’t want to fight with you anymore. Even after what happened, I won’t do it.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he formed a barrier between our bodies, and I stepped back, following his lead.
“You’ve made yourself clear.” I nodded to the space I’d put between us. “I hear you, Max. Okay? I’m listening now. So, I won’t cause problems for you anymore.”
Only the slight dip between his eyebrows and the set of his jaw conveyed I might be getting through to him.
“Morty showed up after your father grabbed me. I needed—”
“My father what?” He straightened, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. “Where is he?”
“I’m pretty sure he’s gone now. Morty was arguing with him, and they went toward the front of the house.
” The adrenaline from my fight with his dad, what had been keeping me going until I could finally talk to him, seeped out of me.
My shoulders sank heavily, and I moved back another step. “It’s over now. Don’t worry about it.”
“Why the fuck did he grab you?”
As he remained focused on what I’d said about his father, I wanted to tell him the truth. That I saw it—his concern, his fear, and the war in his eyes—how he wanted to reach out but needed to stay away. The battle I fought now, too.
For him.
I wanted him to know that I saw him now, and I wanted confirmation I couldn’t have yet.
Before I responded, Morty popped up behind me to ruin the moment between us. “Little brother, pleeease.” He looped an arm around my shoulders and filled in the blanks for me. “The little princess just channeled her big-bad-bitch energy and put dear old Dad in his place for being a righteous twat.”
When I tried to throw his arm off me, he gripped me tighter, pinning me to his side.
With his free hand, he ruffled my hair. “Tell him, sister. Am I right or am I right?”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t call me that. I’m not—”
“Not yet.” Morty smirked and blew me a kiss.
“Why haven’t you left yet?”
He waggled his eyebrows. “Why do you think I’m still here?”
“I’m serious.”
He sighed dramatically. “Fine. You’d miss me too much.”
“Oh, please.” I scoffed. “But, come to think of it, I do have a few things I need to ask you.”
Morty mimed zipping his lips.
I huffed, glaring at him. “You’re explaining yourself, Morty.”
He stomped his foot petulantly. “I told you not to call me that. It’s Mor. Just Mor.”
“You’ve literally never said that. But okay, just Mort. Got it. Now, confirm you heard me, please?”
Turning back to his brother, who stood watching our interaction with growing suspicion, Morty made it all worse.
“Of course, I heard you.” He ruffled my hair again, and I swatted his hand away. “But be patient, little princess. We have pressing matters at hand. Little brother, would you like the full play-by-play from me, or do you two want to stand alone in a hallway together for a little longer?”
Max shot an accusatory glare in his brother’s direction. “What the fuck are you playing at, Morty?”
Morty heaved a sigh, rolling his eyes dramatically. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“No,” Max and I said in unison.
Our eyes met, but Max quickly glanced away.
Morty pouted behind me, letting out a petulant whine. “No one understands me.”
Max stepped back. “If neither of you will tell me what happened, I’ll get answers myself.”
“Geez, baby bro, no need to get so fired up about it.” Morty twirled around to face me and winked. “You’ll burn the place down. Again.”
Max’s confused expression matched my own. “What the fuck are you talking about now?”
“You’ll see!”
Brightening, he patted my back and jolted my body forward into Max before taking off.
Max steadied me and restored the distance between us as Morty called over his shoulder.
“I can give you answers now, baby bro. Let’s go!”
Max shook his head, his frustration rising and awareness of what Morty had said taking precedence. Even with the brotherly hatred between the two of them, the longer we stood in the hallway together, the more likely someone would see and we’d draw attention to ourselves all over again.
As much as I wanted to soak up the overwhelming tension between us, I needed to let him go.
Metaphorically speaking, of course.
He stormed off after Morty, his back straight as an arrow and hands clenched into fists, ready for a fight.
To be fair, I wanted to go toe-to-toe with him almost as much as I wanted to relieve the pressure he was under—to get through to him—and help.
But I had to focus on The Final Trial, and he had to do what he needed to do. The answers I needed weren’t with him, even if my heart still was. I hoped he saw that. And I hoped my faith wasn’t misplaced.
I wouldn’t be sure until it was over.
So, when he glanced over his shoulder before disappearing out of sight, I did my best to smile. His brow furrowed with confusion as I didn’t react how he’d expected, but he shook his head and walked away.
And I let him go with faith.