Page 75 of The King's Maiden

Max Dread

Had I known what I was doing when I kissed her?

No.

Did I regret it?

Also, no.

But was I about to let that fucking girl walk in here and change everything? Make me question things? Alter plans I’d already set in motion?

I’d waited too long to destroy Kingston D’Arthur, ruin Landon Scott, and make my father pay.

She was a pawn. A means to an end. A tool I’d sharpen and use against them.

That kiss would get under her skin and get in his head. Even if he acted like he wasn’t worried. Even if she acted like she felt nothing but regret.

It was a strategic move in the long game I had to play, and the only reason watching her walk away with him pissed me off.

That was it.

It had to be.

Chapter Twenty-One

QUINN

As we walked away, I tried to gauge Landon’s mood after what had just happened with Max.

I assumed I’d be left in the dark.

But for the first time, he didn’t leave me wondering what was going on inside his head.

“Max has hated me since we joined KRT and came to live at Camelot Court. We pledged together our freshman year, but Kingston was a year older than us and the favorite for King in his senior year. Kingston and I have been friends since we were kids. Max has never liked that he preferred me.”

“Wait, so the King changes every year?”

Landon nodded. “It’s always a senior. I guess Max has aspirations for the job and he sees me as competition because of my friendship with Kingston. He’s had it out for me ever since freshman year, at least. And now he has his sights set on you.”

“Why go after me?”

Landon’s jaw worked overtime as he thought about his response. He kept his eyes trained on our path through the house, going past the kitchens and to the stairs before he finallystopped and looked at me. “Because he thinks he can hurt us by eliminating you.”

“Oh.” I chewed on the inside of my lip, warring with myself over asking more, but I couldn’t help myself. “Can he?”

“No.”

He answered so quickly, I didn’t have time to prepare myself for the sting. But that one word pierced through my protective outer shell and sank into the softer flesh hidden beneath it.

I couldn’t deny it then.

Despite my best efforts not to, I’d started to care.

Landon, of course, noticed my reaction and wouldn’t let me hide it from him. He gripped my chin and forced me to meet his gaze. “Not in the way he wants to hurt us.”

Staring up at him, I warred with myself. I wanted to ask what that meant. But I wasn’t sure I wanted to do anything with the knowledge—ifhe even gave it to me—so instead, I just nodded.

He let go of my chin, and we continued on up the stairs to the hallway where the Knights’ rooms were. As we walked to the end of the hall, I thought through what he’d told me about The Quest and Max. It felt like he’d left out some serious bullet points in their shared history, but I also wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

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