Page 42 of The King's Maiden

Which is why his next question surprised me.

“Who said anything about us kicking you out?”

“Max Dread,” I spat, mentally cursing myself for using his full name.

“Ah, I see.” He nodded, another grin tugging at his lips—this one amused and at my expense. “Told you you’d want to be careful with that one.”

I huffed, throwing my hands up and turning back to the mirror. “Yeah, well. You should’ve given me a heads up about my so-calledKnight.If I’d needed a warning about anyone, it was him.”

“Would you have ignored that warning, too?”

My eyes snapped to his. “Probably. But that’s not the point.”

He stared back pointedly. “No, I’d say the point is whether you’re going to let one moment define a person…Or your future.”

I frowned, thrown off by his rational question and forced to consider it. He made it sound likeIwas the one running, not the one being kicked out. He asked as if it was my choice to stay or run for the hills.

And if it was, what was I going to do?

Was I just supposed to forget how Landon accused me of lying and restrained me like a criminal? Was I supposed to ignore the way Max flickered between hot and cold like a fucking faulty pilot light?

Could I get past those moments to get to the end?

I rolled my eyes. “So, the team motto hereisn’tto make every moment count?”

He laughed, the sound bursting out of him like it had taken him by surprise. I liked that. It seemed…messy and free.

Real.

“No, the team motto is a bit wordier than that.”

“Tell me.”

His eyebrows rose at my sudden demand, and it surprised me, too. Given that he hadn’t kicked me out yet, I begrudgingly tacked on some manners before he changed his mind.

“Please,” I added.

He stalked toward me, his voice low and smooth as he shared their code with me for the first time.

“Arthur believed we should live with honor.”

My lips parted as he approached, my breathing growing more erratic with each step.

“Fight with courage…”

He came to stand in front of me, and brought his hand up to my face, cupping my jaw and tilting my chin up towards his.

“Protect with nobility…”

His soft breath warmed my skin as he delivered the last line, and my eyelids grew heavy under the hypnotic sound of his voice.

“And love with all our hearts.”

My voice came out softer than it had been before. “Does everyone in Camelot follow the code?”

He nodded.

“Even you?”

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