The winner of The Quest selected the next year’s King.
What importance that held, and why Drake D’Arthur was so worked up about it, remained a mystery. But it was clearly a problem, one I could only assume stemmed from who his family was, based on my experiences with his twin sister.
He was a Valencourt.
“But how does that benefit them? Why align?—”
“If I knew that, you fool, I wouldn’t be here,” his father spat. “Apparently, her father had something to offer the Astolats worth more than you.”
I gritted my teeth.
“There’s something I’m missing, andyouneed to figure out what it is.”
“What do you want me to do?”
Before he said more, their footsteps retreated down the hallway. It sounded as if his father dragged Kingston away, and my hands shook at my side where I’d clenched them into fists. The urge to follow—to lie and claim I could invoke the statute right then—coursed through me with surprising intensity.
But everything Kingston had shared warned me away from acting rashly.
I needed to talk to him once his father left.
As I stood there, panting against the wall and trying to catch my breath, I pieced together everything I’d gleaned so far. The biggest piece of the puzzle came from none other than Drake D’Arthur himself. The Quest, this seemingly frivolous sex-filled fraternity game was tied to their larger society.
During my time with Landon, he’d told me that the King of Camelot Court was different every year, but he hadn’t been able to say how the King was chosen. Kingston had revealed that the position always fell to a D’Arthur, whenever one was of age, but I still didn’t know what that position granted whoever held it.All it seemed to bring Kingston was an enormous headache and weight to carry on his shoulders.
My head spun trying to make sense of it.
I had to find out what being King of Camelot Court meant. What that seat brought to the table. Getting insight from my three broody men would be a struggle, but maybe with what Kingston’s father had revealed himself, they could share more.
Shaking, as my body came down from the rush of adrenaline, I strained to hear movement or voices in the hallway. The desire to run back up the stairs and warn Landon about Kingston’s father came on quickly, but thunderous footsteps crashed through the house as Drake D’Arthur returned to the foyer.
“You’re lucky your mother was such a conniving bitch, but sleep with one eye open,son. I’ll return when Alumni Weekend begins, and then, you won’t be able to keep me from that girl. Or the boy.” His voice was sinister and cold. “You can’t hide from me forever. Not even here, and if I need to have Merle return, I’ll do it.”
“She’s still having nightmares,” Kingston blurted, surprising me and his father.
“What?”
“The Maiden. All three of us can confirm it.” Kingston’s voice held an undercurrent of fear, but he leveled it, infusing disdain in his tone, before speaking again. “Even Max Dread, who you know will stop at nothing to get in our way. They’re getting worse as the arrival of the other Ladies grows closer. She doesn’t want to stay in Camelot Courtyard.”
“I don’t give?—”
“She mentioned getting a lawyer.”
A crash echoed through the hall, plaster splintering and falling to the floor, and frames shaking on the nails hanging them up. “She?—”
“Can’t be touched if we don’t want problems for The Quest and Camelot Court.”
A heavy footstep fell, Drake’s voice growing closer. “You?—”
“I’m just relaying what I know, father. I’ve been trying to figure out a plan, and I believe I can convince her to let it go. If not me, Landon or Max. We can get her on our side.”
His voice was steady, no trace of wavering, but I reminded myself who he was dealing with. What his father had done already, and the part he had to play.
Whatever Kingston had to say or do to get his father’s eyes off my back, I trusted him.
“Keep her away from the other girls until you do.” His father’s low voice growled, his hands effectively tied. “I don’t want her poisoning their minds with any more talk offree will. And I’ll squash the fight out of her, or anyone else who dares to threaten our world, Kingston. You know this better than anyone.”
Kingston swallowed. “I do, father. I won’t let you down.”
