With my face covered with streaks of purple, I went to my room to wash up.
As I walked into Camelot Courtyard, I spotted several of the girls working on their clues between their lessons. All around me, they were making progress. Luna was already on her third clue. She’d unlocked the lockbox and solved whatever waited inside it. Teddy had three rows left on a crossword puzzle.
I had no idea when the crossword puzzle showed up.
Anxiety over my lack of progress gnawed at my gut.
But I couldn’t focus on the Scavenger Hunt with my concerns over Max, on top of my other two broody men.
As everyone progressed, working together waned.
Even Angela, who’d been sharing theories last night, had grown more tight-lipped. I understood it, but I hated how the end of the challenge pitted us against each other.
Maybe, since my dad had never let me sign up for team sports aside from my dance lessons, it played into that.
I wanted everyone to get a participation trophy.
MaybeIjust wanted a trophy, dammit!
Was that so wrong?
Ready to focus and get my head back in the game, I’d have to suck it up eventually and find Max. I hadn’t asked him about the clue once during our last two sessions together. Wasted opportunities like that wouldn’t get me anywhere.
After checking the patio, where most of the others had gathered for lunch, I searched Camelot Courtyard, the back lawn, and his training center, trying to find him. I even checked his old room, on the off-chance he’d hidden in the last place anyone would’ve thought to look for him.
He was definitely the type.
But after almost an hour, I found nothing.
“Where the hell is the gym in this place?”
My question, asked loudly and to no one in particular, received an unexpected response.
“I’ll answer yours if you answer mine.”
I spun around to find Morgan. Splotches of red marred her creamy complexion, and when she rubbed at her cheeks and forehead, I sensed her mounting frustration.
She forced a smile. “I ate so fast at breakfast, I think I made myself sick. But I’m trying to solve this damn clue.”
I walked over to her, and she stopped aggravating her skin. “What are you stuck on?”
“I need that stuff they always show on infomercials. The goop that gets rid of sticky stuff.” She lowered her voice. “I’m still stuck decoding the lockbox clue. Everyone else is getting sofar ahead. I don’t even want to know how far you’ve gotten. But do you have any ideas?”
“Got coordinates for gym equipment someone might use to bulk up their avoidance issues?”
She arched a brow, her puzzled expression arching her gorgeous brows higher. “How oddly specific, yet totally vague.”
“I’m hunting for Max Dread.”
“Ah.” She nodded, glancing toward Vivian’s room. “Dax goes to the garage in the mornings, but that’s all I know.”
“Perfect. Thank you. And Miss Alice would probably be your best bet for cleaning supplies.” I winked. “She’s usually in the kitchen. If not, Kingston might be a resource.”
“Noted.” Relief faded the frustrated splotches on her cheeks, and her smile widened as she returned my wink. “Pleasure doing business with you then.”
“Do stop by if you have a need in the future.”
She tipped an imaginary hat. “You, as well.”
