Chapter Twenty-Nine
W hen we got back to Pendragon, the tiny bubble of peace around me burst before we even reached the doors.
Max holding out his hand to help me from the car—or more specifically, snapping at Landon to get my bags—set them both off. I climbed out as they continued to go back and forth. Lugging my suitcase up the walkway, I rubbed my temples to ward off stress.
When the front doors opened, Kingston stepped out and walked down to meet me. My eyes widened at the sight of him in casual—or at the very least, designer casual—clothes.
He’d switched out his white button-down shirt for a cable-knit sweater. The off-white color and the lights outside Pendragon Estate drew out the brown and warm undertones of his skin. It complemented the way the night sky made his hair and features darker.
Trading his navy dress pants for a pair of gray trousers, the most surprising part of his outfit was his lack of shoes.
“Am I still drugged, or are you barefoot?”
“Am I out of my mind, or are you carrying your things up to the house yourself?”
I glanced back at my two bickering bodyguards, still squabbling over something I had tuned out when I began my trek. Rolling my eyes, I turned back to Kingston with an exasperated sigh. “Lover’s quarrel. They’ve been at it since we left for the cabin.”
Kingston smiled, a wide, genuine grin that lit up his face in a way I’d never seen, and he jogged down to meet me and take hold of my bag.
“Well, while I’m glad to see they’re working out their differences, I am going to have a talk with both of them about chivalry,” he teased.
Sticking my nose in the air, I used my best lofty tone. “Yes, please do. Be a dear and tell them I’m a Lady, now. I have leveled up my expectations.”
“Happy to oblige, madam.” He bowed his head toward me, a twinkle in his eye before he dropped the act. “I, for one, look forward to meeting them.”
Kingston’s words and the look in his eyes sent a thrill right through me. He held out his arm for me to take, and when I slid my hand through, my body hummed. We shared a secret smile as he led me to the front doors.
Maybe his bare feet were a good omen, a sign he might let his guard down tonight and fill me in sooner.
Because this? Playful banter and that accent? The way my skin tingled wherever he touched me? It felt like reenacting a scene from Pride and Prejudice . And I was here for it.
I stared up at him, the ease on his face strange but in a good way. “This feels different. Has something…I don’t know. Happened, I guess?”
“Yes, Quinn. Something has happened.” He didn’t hide his smile. “ I’ve been personally tasked with keeping an eye on you.”
I arched a brow. “Keeping an eye on me? Why?”
“I can explain inside.”
My breath caught. Even his phrasing had changed.
For the first time, instead of saying you’ll see , he offered the immediate promise of answers.
Anxious anticipation swirled in my belly again, along with something different taking flight. Even though I’d been holding out hope, my inner skeptic hadn’t quite believed it was possible until that second, but...
Maybe there really was an explanation.
As we reached the doors, Landon and Max realized I wasn’t with them. They yelled out for me as we walked inside, tearing up the walkway after us. Pushing inside the doors behind us, they grunted and elbowed each other out of the way.
When Kingston cleared his throat, they stopped immediately and snapped their heads back to me.
Max crossed his arms over his chest. Landon clasped his hands behind his back. And Kingston smiled.
That look I’d seen on his face that day in the foyer when I first arrived at Camelot Court intensified.
Peace .
“Thank you, Max. For looking out for Quinn.”
Max snapped, “If you think I’m leaving her here with you two, you’ve gone mad, Kingston.”
Kingston quickly shook his head. “I had the staff make up one of the guest rooms for you, in the hall where she’ll be staying. I’d feel better if she has as many people standing by her side as possible.”
“Oh,” Max huffed, unsure what to do with that. “Well, good. I guess we agree.”
“Twice in one day,” Kingston quipped. “Wonders will never cease.”
“Is my father here?”
“No. After a lengthy discussion with my father, yours has been pulled away until the next challenge. Everyone felt it was best if Quinn remained here, under our watchful eyes, until we figure out who was behind the wine and her initial attack. Given the…uh, misunderstanding tonight, they agreed your father’s presence could be scarce for her comfort. There was greater need for him elsewhere, I believe.”
My eyebrows had started a slow crawl to the top of my forehead when Kingston had said Merle was pulled away, and they reached it when he implied the person behind my attack was unclear.
“Sorry. Perhaps I’m misunderstanding , but I was under the impression that Vivian, Elaine, and Inez attacked me.” My face pinched like I was considering that. “Yep. Definitely them. I’m pretty sure my DNA is still lodged under Vivian’s fingernails if there’s any doubt.”
All three of them stiffened at the mention of Vivian’s scratches on my face.
I appreciated that.
Kingston clarified. “No one is denying that, Quinn. There’s just reason to believe they may have been put up to it. Coupled with the wine, which couldn’t have been them based on their whereabouts, we don’t want to rule it out as a possibility.”
“Oh. Okay, so what about Merle?” I glanced at Landon, whose speech in the car emboldened me to speak honestly. “I know I panicked…and wanted to believe it was a misunderstanding, but I genuinely felt trapped. He wouldn’t let me leave.”
“Merle isn’t denying that, either. He admitted to detaining you, thinking he had cause. He thought you were acting strange, and he was trying to figure out if there was more to your presence here than meets the eye.” His eyes flicked to Landon before quickly returning to mine. “Thankfully, he has realized this was a mistake on his part. But for the sake of your comfort, I asked him to step away, and he agreed.”
Max snorted. “How accommodating of him. You sure you’re talking about my father?”
“He understood the liability if Miss Everly decides to pursue legal action against Camelot Court. Which she can if she feels that’s in her best interest.” Kingston took my hand and squeezed my fingers, reassuring me with a nod. “All of this tonight is to keep you safe, but you still have that option. I want to make sure that’s clear.”
“Did a lawyer tell you to say that?”
I huffed a laugh, joking at first but caught by surprise when Kingston didn’t share my humor.
“Yes, actually.”
“Oh. Okay, so…someone is out to get me, but we don’t know why. I’m clearly not being pranked for some reality TV show, since lawyers are involved now, and as Landon put it earlier, actual threats have been made on my safety and life. And you weren’t tasked with keeping an eye on me initially, but now you are? Am I getting all that right?”
Kingston nodded.
“Okay, so what changed?” At the dip of his brow, I clarified. “Why are you suddenly allowed to keep an eye on me? And, better question, why couldn’t you before?”
“There were concerns when you were first selected that I had grand plans to manipulate your way to the end. People believed I’d named you as the winner before The Quest began. But my father believes the information may have been exaggerated since the source has…” Kingston turned to Max. “Withdrawn his concerns?”
Max huffed a laugh, smirking at Kingston. “If that helps you sleep at night.”
Kingston’s lips twitched.
But Landon, who’d been watching their interaction with growing unrest in his eyes, finally lost the grip on his self-control. “Un-fucking-believable.”
He stormed off down the hallway, disappearing around a corner and out of sight. I moved to go after him before rooting my feet in place.
“I’ll talk to him.” Kingston squeezed my hand again. “There are some aspects of why Max is here that I haven’t been able to share with him yet. For now, let’s get you settled in your room so you can get some rest.”
“ My room?”
“Yes, I thought you might need some space to process everything.”
My eyes widened, surprised and touched by Kingston’s thoughtfulness. “Thank you.”
He led me down the hall. “But I did have to take precautions for your safety, too. So, Landon and Max have the adjoining rooms next to yours. If you need anything, one of them will be right there to assist you. And this way, they won’t pace all night wondering what the other is up to, since they’d be able to hear it if someone enters your room.”
“Ah.” I clicked my tongue on the roof of my mouth. “The illusion of privacy.”
“Best I could do at the moment, love.”
His accent slipped out, and the sound warmed me from within, bringing a smile to my face.
Kingston cleared his throat. Glancing back at Max to make sure he was still following us, we walked the rest of the way in silence.
At the top of the stairs, he led us down a hallway and stopped in front of three doors.
“Max, you’re on the right.” Kingston nodded at the door to our left, where Max was already headed, which meant I was the only one confused. “On your right. Not the right, I should say.”
“Gotcha. Is that some Knight’s code thing?”
“Something like that.”
Kingston opened the door to my room and released my arm to allow me to go inside. As expected, it was fancy as hell, with a large bed, a chaise, and vases on the dresser and tables filled with flowers, but I had to admit I loved it.
“This is beautiful.” I turned back to him to find him still standing in the doorway. “What are you doing over there?”
“It’s…not polite to enter a lady’s bedroom without permission.”
I snorted. “Do the other two know that?”
“They should. How well they’ll follow that etiquette, I can’t say. But if they’re forgetting their manners at any point, just call the other one to keep them in line.”
I shot him a look, and he smiled.
“They’ll bicker, and you can slip into one of the other rooms to get some sleep.”
“Oh, goodie. I should get a nice long nap before they realize I’m missing.” I rolled my eyes, planting my hands on my hips. “I’m sensing another flaw in your security systems, Kingston.”
“That’s why my room is right across the hall.”
“Oh.”
I ran my hand through my hair, unsure what to do with that detail, but pretty sure I wanted to do something about it.
Once I had answers, of course.
Kingston, either sensing my hesitation or being a gentleman, offered me an out and the option for the future.
“I need to go check on Landon, but if you need anything at any point, that’s where I’ll be. Just...open the door, and I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Okay.”
I took a seat on the bed and clasped my hands on my lap. Only so I actually let him go after Landon instead of spending more time talking to this enticing, carefree version of him.
He stared at me for another moment, giving me a small smile before leaving the room.
My breath left me in a rush as I fell backward on the mattress. “I am in serious trouble here.”