But I would watch for additional stress carefully, as diligently as I’d watched her progress through The Quest, and I’d be there when it happened.Ifit happened.
For now, I needed to address Morty Dread.
And all the problems he brought with him.
After taking a few deep breaths and releasing them slowly, the tremor in my hand settled. It faded completely as I brushed my palm down the front of my shirt.
“She’ll be fine,” I said, responding to his question. Then I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair to tidy it. “She’s had a lot thrown at her over the last few days. Sorry to say, you’re the least shocking of the secrets.”
“Bullocks,” Morty cursed, mocking my accent. “I should’ve timed my entrance better.”
He snapped his fingers and swung his arm across his body, grumbling as he stepped away from me. While feigning concern, he perused the room like he’d never been inside it.
“Man, I miss my time getting to live up here.”
Quinn squeaked through her fit of giggles. “Wait. He lived in your room?”
“Nope.” Morty popped thepfor good measure. “But his casa was mi casa.”
She frowned at his attempt at Spanish. “That’s not how?—”
He droned on regardless, “And while I was King of Camelot Court, I had free rein to explore.”
I suppressed the roll of my eyes. “You weren’t supposed to explore past your rooms, Morty, and you know that.”
“Well, obviously, Kingston.” He smirked at Quinn before shrugging at me. “Which you’re smart enough to assume meant I did the opposite. Extensively.”
He was not wrong.
When he knocked his elbow against the wall beside my bed, the brick I’d rigged to conceal smaller items popped out of place. Thankfully, I’d moved those items to a new location the other day, out of fear we’d need them there in the end.
I narrowed my gaze on him as he feigned surprise.
And Quinn, unable to ignore her love of secrets even in a state of half-shock, clambered to her knees for a better view.
I resisted the urge to smile, maintaining the mask I wore at Camelot Court in front of Morty as best I could, but relief flooded my veins at her piqued curiosity.
Morty reached a hand into the hole in the wall, and he searched inside for whatever contents he’d expected to find before coming away empty. Then he pouted like a child.
“Oh, Kingston, you’re no fun anymore.”
“This isn’t a game, Morty.”
Quinn giggled again. Our gazes snapped to her as she smothered the sound behind her hand.
Morty grunted with displeasure, but a spark of curiosity gleamed in his eyes, too. “What’s so funny,King’s Maiden?”
She gestured at him wildly like that explained everything, and upon realizing what she was about to say, a laugh escaped me. It thrilled me, knowing how much Morty would hate it.
“You just—You came in here all.” She made her voice as gruff as possible. “Ultra serious and intimidating, and he keeps calling youMorty.”
Laughter bubbled out, and the snort that followed endeared me as much as it irked him.
“I just—I can’t take you seriously at all.”
Morty’s lips twisted into a scowl, and he stalked over to where she knelt on the bed. I stood firmly beside her, but she didn’t cower, and I wouldn’t intervene unless she asked.
Lowering his face to hers, he glared. “The last person who called me Morty besides your darling King ended up dead, little princess.”
