“Will all the Ladies and Knights be moved into Camelot Courtyard today?”
Kingston nodded, and Elaine smiled wider until he spoke again. “All but Miss Everly, who remains in the East Wing due to hertwoattacks.”
“With three bodyguards? Isn’t that a little overkill? It’s only us here now.”
Kingston’s spine stiffened at her questioning, and the look he gave her would’ve put anyone else in their place.
But his delusional future bride wasn’t deterred.
“I mean, I knowwewere involved in that, but seeing how I apologized to Quinn and we’ve all been allowed to continue The Quest, I doubt you or your father still believes we’re a threat to her. And if the point of this is to use each other as resources, don’t you think limiting those resources by separating three of them puts us at a disadvantage?”
“That’s a decision for the head of the Camelot Society to make, Elaine.”
“It just doesn’t seem fair.” She pouted, dropping her head. “Maybe some of the other Ladies—I, for one—wouldn’t mind getting to stay in your wing of the house. You know, since?—”
“That’s enough, Elaine.” Kingston’s voice cracked like a whip through the room, silencing any further argument.
And I wasn’t going tolie, turning me the hell on, too.
“Knights, tonight, we meet to discuss plans for the remainder of The Quest, and so I can review your roles in this challenge. As the first and last Knights at our table, Landon and Max will oversee the escape rooms.”
My eyebrows rose, and murmurs broke out amongst the other Ladies, who were equally surprised to hear we’d be tested using escape rooms.
I barely contained the urge to rub my hands together, since escape rooms were one of my favorite things to do with my dad.
That thought caught me off guard.
Not because it made me sad, which it did, of course, the longer I thought about it. But because, for the first time since the accident, I’d thought about something we’d sharedwithoutbeing overrun by grief immediately.
My excitement was genuine and pure, and while sadness crept in at the edges, it didn’t take away from the joy the memory brought with it.
Was that how healing happened?
Slowly, quietly, until one day, the battle to overcome it didn’t feel as great?
I’d never thought of it like that before.
Kingston cleared his throat to quiet everyone. “Yes, the escape rooms will test your courage, critical thinking skills,andyour ability to collaborate. You’ll be scored throughout the trials, both on your individual performance and the success of your groups. Scores will be tallied at the end to create an order for the next challenge.”
Curious glances and whispered questions rippled through the circle of Ladies, and I practically begged Kingston with my eyes for more information.
Landon chuckled beside me when I bounced on my feet, but Kingston maintained his composure, trailing his gaze over each Lady before he landed on me.
“For now, that’s all I can tell you, but the groups for the first trial will be announced later today. For tonight, settle into your rooms, feel free to explore, and spend time with each other.”
I huffed and sank onto my heels.
Kingston’s lips twitched, but he stared out at the whole group before closing the introduction.
“Fight with courage, Ladies. The games have only just begun.”
Chapter Seventeen
After the Courage Introduction, I lasted for about thirty minutes on the back terrace, mingling with the other Ladies. Partly because I needed to see a guy about a thing in my ass. And partly because mingling wasn’t high up on my list of favorite things to do.
The only one I really knew, and maybe trusted, was Izzy. When I waved at her from across the way, she beckoned me over to join her and the girl she was talking to, whose name I learned was Angela. She had perfect hair and darker skin than most of the other girls on the patio, like me.
It wasn’t the first time I’d noticed that Camelot Court leaned toward…paler skin tones in terms of diversity, but regardless of their differences, Angela fit the bill of a Camelot Society Lady as well, if not better, than the other girls.
