Page 111 of Kings & Carnage

It was an unspoken agreement that we wouldn't tell anyone what Alexa had said about the owner of St. Andrew’s. I didn't know why, but I could only assume the Kings were keeping things close to their vests because of what Alexa had told us about the other Knights.

If some of the Knights wanted to stay quiet about their murdering alumni, it was a safe bet that all the houses had members who felt the same way.

"I heard it was the Knights," Quinn said. “They didn't want her to talk.”

"I bet it was her family," Erin said. "And by ‘family’ I don't mean her parents.”

Claire looked at Neo. "What does this mean for the game?”

"Nothing," he said, his voice cold. "The game continues.”

Claire tried to hide her surprise but it was written all over her face.

I didn't blame her but I didn't blame the Kings for keeping the game going either. It was way more dangerous now that Alexa had been murdered — and I was sure she’d been murdered — but if the Kings called it off, we'd be admitting we were powerless against whoever was behind her death.

This was a defining moment for every member of every house. They had to choose: stay loyal to their crime families or do the right thing, the honorable thing.

And in a lot of ways, the Kings couldn't have constructed a more perfect game. If the games were designed to prepare us for the world we would all be joining after graduation — a world of organized crime — this one was the ultimate test.

Except everything was upside down because in any other situation, the winner would be proving their loyalty to their families.

We were asking them to turn traitor.

My phone buzzed in my bag and I reached for it and saw a text from Mara.

We'd had one video date since our last argument, but she’d been aloof and distant and her texts had been perfunctory. I glanced at the text, a three-word response to a question I'd asked, and sighed.

I'd hoped our standing video call would make her feel better, but apparently not.

I added it to my long list of things to worry about and slipped my phone back in my bag.

"Are we still going to the Spring Fever masquerade at St. Andrew's?" Erin asked Claire.

Claire was the unspoken leader of their trio, which was why Erin took it so personally when Claire treated her like shit.

"I don't see any point in skipping it," Claire said.

"I don't know," Erin said. "Out of respect?”

“Don't you think the rest of us are in danger?" Quinn asked Claire.

"Not unless you know something about the assholes in the Irish family who have been taking girls," Claire said. “Because that's what everybody’s saying, that Alexa knew the Knights who were involved and threatened to tell.”

"I don't know shit," Quinn said, "and honestly, I'm fine keeping it that way at this point.”

“Same." Erin stacked her utensils on her empty plate, then looked at me and hurriedly added, "I mean, obviously I want to find out what happened to Emma and the other girls. I'm just saying I'd rather not end up dead myself.”

"I get it," I said, trying to reassure her before Claire jumped down her throat. "No worries.”

"So we're going?" Erin asked. "To the masquerade? Because it's only a week away and I need a costume.”

“We're definitely going," Claire said. "I've been waiting all year for this and I need to blow off some steam. Plus I've been flirting with Rico for the past three weeks and the masquerade at St. Andrew’s is my chance to get him naked.”

Claire had been working her way through the Saints since the start of the year. I admired her stamina, not to mention her ability to juggle all those texts from different guys in the same house.

Quinn leaned forward to look past Claire. "You should come with us, Willa. It'll be fun and you can always bring your bodyguard.”

It was hard to hide the fact that you had a bodyguard when he followed you everywhere you went.

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