Page 23 of The King's Maiden
Tonight was our first chance to be alone, setting the tone for the first challenge and the expectations of a Maiden.
Tristan shook his head beside me. “This tradition is totally fucked.”
But would any of them care when the prizes were laid out beautifully in front of them?
Ben huffed a laugh. “The Maidens certainly will be.”
My jaw tightened.
How I’d ended up in the middle of this escaped me.
A Knight I didn’t care to know by name chimed in. “Hey, the way I see it, no one came here tonight without a choice. They applied. They signed the contract and gave consent, right?”
My eyes narrowed on a flash of dark curls leaving the room.
“The girls have protection from anything truly…untowardhappening to them.” Ben smirked and nudged my shoulder. “Right?”
A growl of warning came from my throat. “Everyone except for her.”
Quinn Everly knew the rules of the game as they’d been described to everyone else so far. She didn’t know the plans the King had in store. And no one—not her, not me, and definitely nothim—knew what would come from that look on Landon’s face.
Ben glanced in the direction of the door, hunting for my meaning, but I didn’t bother spelling it out. If he didn’t know aboutThe King’s Maidenby now, he would soon enough.
The Quest had turned into a deeper, darker game the second he’d picked her from the pile. My plans had been made around that knowledge without ever laying eyes on her. Without seeing the reactions her presence in Camelot Court would cause, but all of that was about to unfold. And I couldn’t say for sure if she would be the victor or a sacrificed pawn.
But the fallout for Camelot Court would come either way.
“Looks like it’s time for the main event.” Ben nodded to the center of the room, where Kingston stood with Landon. Talking at Landon, more accurately. “Let’s get out of here before we all face backlash for the traitor’s crimes, yeah?”
While they wandered off in search of drinks, my eyes fixed on my opponent.
I had a lifetime of secrets that made me want to defy the King—years of memories that made me curse Kingston D’Arthur’sname. He’d already gotten everything, while setting himself up to take the rest.
And if I couldn’t find a way around his plans for her, I wouldn’t just hate him for it.
I’d end him.
Chapter Seven
QUINN
Iexpected it when he called my name. Once I saw him on the throne, his earlier comment made sense. Even if I didn’t completely getwhathe’d been right about, my chances of finding out over the next thirty days were good.
But the list of things I expected ended there.
A guy dressed in gold spandex briefs approached me first, his exposed skin painted with a matching metallic body spray and a circlet of gold foil leaves on his head.
Unexpected event number one.
He held out his arm and waited until I took it, nodding at the King before leading me away from the party.
We entered a dark corridor lined with torches, and a chill ran down my spine. If the thought of whether The Quest was an elaborate ruse to murder young women hadn’t occurred to me yet, that corridor would’ve been the moment for it.
I took in all the details I could. “Where are we going?”
“The dressing room. You’ll meet the rest of the selected Maidens there to get ready before you’ll all go to the Round Tableau.”
I hadn’t been expecting an answer.
