Page 155 of Vexatious Queen

“What the fuck? How the hell do you get away with that?”

“That’s a lesson for much later, and hopefully one you’ll never learn,” I said, and then gestured to Liam and Myles. “You’ll also need allies. Keep friends close who are more like family. Do you understand?”

“I think so,” he said.

“Speaking of people to keep an eye on. What has Trent been up to since our little conversation?”

He shrugged. “Don’t know. He’s been avoiding me ever since, but he hasn’t tried to sell anything to anyone I know either.”

I nodded. “Check in on it. Don’t just assume one conversation has solved the issue. Make sure Trent remembers that there are consequences for his actions.”

“You want me to go knock on his door?”

“I don’t care where you talk to him. Just make sure he knows that you remember. The conversation should feel…threatening but subtle. You don’t need to overdo it.”

“O…kay,” he said, like he wasn’t too sure how to pull off threatening without beating him up. It was a skill that he would eventually learn. We all did.

“You’ll also have to be very clear on your lines. We had ours for all different reasons, and with each king, it changes slightly. Example. We didn’t allow anyone to sell drugs on campus. That made Dean Henry happy, which allowed us extra freedoms. A win for the school is a win for us. But we didn’t care where someone got their stash if they were off property because it wasn’t about controlling the populace. It is the environment inside the school you want dominion over. Figure out what is most important to you and why, then start enforcing it.”

“So, is this it? You just sit here and talk to me, and somehow the power to rule over the school miraculously transfers and makes me king.”

Where the fuck did he get that from what I’d said?

“Does it look like I have a magic wand? No, of course not, there is no spell I can cast. This is just step one. Be seen with the other…killer whales as a friend. It establishes that you have power. That is something they want, but they are also terrified to try and take.”

“Alright, so what do I do next?”

“Liam, tell him what should he do next?”

Liam looked up and locked eyes with Camden. The poor kid shifted under the death stare.

“Pick a number two. One who will always have your back, take a bullet for you, and be your right hand. If you need someone killed and the body gone. They have you. Research on an enemy. They can do it. They become the shadow behind the throne and know your every move before you make it. They are also your voice of reason when the waters get muddy.”

Camden swallowed, but Troy leaned forward, placing his arms on the table.

“I could do it. You know me, man, I don’t care if I die.”

“Troy, for fucksake, you need to stop saying that shit,” Camden growled.

“Why? I’m not gonna off myself, but I’ve watched people die. My family is dead. I know that my time is coming, and if I go protecting you, then so be it.”

Camden shook his head, but Troy nudged his shoulder.

“Dude…you’re my family. Family, blood or not, protects family. I got you.” Troy glanced at Camden. “He’s my brother.”

Camden hit his arm.

“Are you crazy? You can’t die or kill someone for me.”

“Why not? I’m choosing this. Choice is tough to come by in this life, so let me do this. I want to be your number two,” Troy said.

“If you’re already worrying about a hypothetical death, then you’re not cut out to be king,” I said, hitting him with a hard glare. “Being in control doesn’t mean that it will be sunshine and rainbows. I don’t hand you the keys, and everyone lines up to your demands like good little students. And it’s not like the movies where all you need to do is party and look hot…I mean, that helps.” The guys smirked. “But you still need to make it useful. Find out who your rivals are at other schools, who could become a problem, etc., and you need to have the balls to back it up.”

I waved a finger at the crowd, laughing, talking, and eating.

“The people in this school will depend on you to keep order. You give them someone they can come to when they are in trouble and earn their respect either by helping them or by force. The difficulty is knowing when and how much to use. That goes for inside the walls of the school and when you branch outside of here. That means tough decisions are made all the time, and sometimes people’s lives are at risk. Yours, Troy’s, and whoever becomes your inner circle.”

“Who the hell am I kidding? I’m not cut out for this. I don’t know the first thing about ruling,” Camden said.