“Doubtful,” I muttered. “I’m not sure the concept ofmore informationis one the Camelot Society knows yet.”
His soft chuckle preceded a kiss on my forehead as he climbed out of bed to get dressed. “You’re not wrong.”
I glanced at Max’s door before doing the same.
As much as I wanted to stay in Kingston’s wing, my newfound concern over the missing member of our would-be group hug would’ve spoiled the stay, anyway.Especially once I finally worked up the courage to knock on Max’s door.
There was no answer, so I swung open the door, wanting to demand an explanation. Wanting reassurance.
But I wouldn’t get either of them.
Thankfully, I’d cried out all my tears in bed before searching for him because sometime between our fight and Drake D’Arthur’s decision, Max had moved his stuff out of his adjoining bedroom.
Without so much as asee ya later, alligator.
It was completely empty. He’d even made the bed and left without a sound while I’d sat one door away from him in tears. With it tidied up, it was as if he’d never been there at all.
The only sign of our time together—that it’d been real—was a crumpled, white ball that he’d left on the floor.
Feeling strangely optimistic, despite all evidence to the contrary, I pulled my dad’s lighter from my backpack. And I singed what ended up being an unused napkin from the diner instead of a secret note, so I forced myself to accept that Max wasn’t reaching out to me to tell me this was all some big prank.
He was just gone. WithVivian.
My tendency to deflect meant I wanted to deny, deny, deny. Shut out the possibility that Max Dread had chosen her, or chosen to go along with whatever her parents wanted. But since I refused to float down that familiar river of Denial again, Ididn’t do it. Instead, I mustered the strength to delay swearing off the bastard until I saw him for myself.
At the meeting, I’d be in the same room with him and her.
I’d get my answer then.
They might even reveal whether she’d given him his gift.
My stomach clenched as I followed Landon downstairs.
After he dropped me off at Camelot Courtyard, he went to meet Kingston, and I fought nausea on multiple levels. First, at the mere sight of Vivian.
Next, when Max passed by the bistro tables on his way into the parlor, without a glance in my direction.
And finally, his father trailed behind him.
Unfortunately, Merle stopped, popping over to greet all the Ladies, as if we missed him oh-so-much.
He sidled up to the nearest bistro table, where Angela and Morgan sat with Luna and Teddy. Chatting quietly with them, he ignored the daggers I glared from across the way.
But before he left, he ran his gaze over each of us. His eyes lingered on mine, and I lifted my chin to stare back.
“Remember, Ladies. In the challenge ahead, if you need anything at all, come find me. Those of you with Secret Questions finally get some answers.” He winked and smiled. “If you dare to ask, of course.”
I wrinkled my nose as he walked away.
Then, while the Ladies waited in the courtyard like good little girls, the grownups—aka the Knights and parents—attended their impromptu Camelot Society Quorum. I sat there, growing angrier over the whole thing as time passed.
“Seriously, I’m not even part of the Camelot Society, and it bothers me you’re all being excluded. How come you aren’t storming in there?”
Although it should’ve been implied that my question wasn’t directed at her, Elaine answered. “They already said they’ll fill us in after it’s done, Quinn.”
She examined her nails across the courtyard from the bistro table Izzy and I had picked. I did my best not to growl. But she didn’t miss my glare.
“Just because you don’t get it doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”
