Page 136 of The King's Maiden

Understanding dawned, and he glanced quickly at her.

I turned, too, greeting her with a quick nod of my head.

Her expression shuttered, eyes narrowing on my face and searching for secrets.

She’d be hunting a long time if she wanted them all, before I’d truly be free to share them with her.

“Quinn, go ahead and wait inside. We’ll join in a moment and get started.”

Glancing from me to Landon, I caught the nearly imperceptible tightening of their grip on each other. But when he nodded, she relaxed. She gave him a secret smile and eyed me warily as she walked inside.

No more secret smiles for me, then.

That was fair, love.

But it had been everything while it lasted. I would hold on to that, at least.

“Kingston, what’s going on?”

Landon refocused me, pulling the door shut behind Quinn to give us privacy. Guiding my arm from my chest, he took hold of my elbow.

I winced at the flare of pain.

He steered us away from the door. “What happened? I thought?—”

“We have to take plan B.”

The door opened before he could respond, and our faces slipped into the masks we wore so well.

“Kingston?” Merle’s head appeared in the doorway, searching for me and finding us tucked away in the corner. His brows drew in as he met my gaze. “Everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine, Merle.” I nodded, refusing to move. “You came out here to find me?”

Landon shuffled back a step, putting distance between us.

Merle’s eyes narrowed. “We’re ready to begin.”

I nodded. “I’ll be right in.”

When I still didn’t move, and Merle registered that he would not be able to order me to do so, he shifted to Landon. “Your Maiden is waiting, Landon. Please come inside.”

Landon’s eyes shot to the door and back to me, but he didn’t give anything away. I gave him the go ahead, and he followed Merle’s instructions, heading inside to stand beside Quinn.

Merle waited until he was out of sight before turning back to me. “People talk, Kingston.”

Again, Merle offered advice when none was needed and I rolled my eyes internally, biting back the retort perched on the tip of my tongue. Offering what I could say instead.

“I’m the King of Camelot Court, Merle. And Landon is my oldest friend. If people need something to talk about that badly,let them.”

I walked past him without waiting for a response, my head held high even as the weight of the instruction I’d given to Landon weighed heavily on my shoulders.

But now wasn’t the time for regrets or second-guessing.

Right now, we needed to act.

Once an opponent stood poised to check the King, they cared little for the other pieces on the board, unless they stood in the way. And the only person between my opponent and ending the game washer.

Which meant the Knight had a choice to make.

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