The rowers climbed in the boat and I watched as they waited for the command, my eyes on Max the entire time. “What is Max’s deal again?” I found myself asking Johanna.
“His bloodline was accused of attempting to steal its way into royalty,” she replied. “Or something like that. There was this huge scandal and everything. All I know is that I’ve been told to never associate yourself with a Karling. It’s like the kiss of death in so many ways.”
I frowned. “That’s a bit ridiculous, don’t you think?”
Johanna shrugged. “Maybe, but our world isn’t as accommodating as the rest of the world is for scandals and outed royalty. You should know. Look how many people immediately pushed you aside because you were an American.”
“Yes, you are right,” I responded. “But surely you wouldn’t hold a grudge against his family forever, right?”
Johanna glanced over at me. “Why do you care?”
I didn’t know. I guess because I felt a kinship to Max. He was the only one who hadn’t tried to pull one over on me and I could relate to being the outcast in this academy.
I didn’t have to answer her, however, because the horn sounded, and they were off. Max’s arms strained with effort as he pulled the oar through the water, the concentration on his face letting everyone know he had no intentions of having his team lose. Would he miss these days? I imagined so for once they graduated, then he would be thrust into a world that he had been prepping for all his life.
It had to be like a dark cloud looming over him.
Before I realized it, I was standing as they came to the finish line, cheering them on with the rest that were gathered to watch the race. “Come on!” I shouted, cupping my hands around my mouth to help my voice carry. “Row that oar!”
The Weissmore boat edged out the other and everyone cheered, Johanna and I gave each other a high five as a result. I watched as Max pumped his fist in the air, accepting congratulations from his fellow rowers, and wondered if he would have the same elation in a few months, when he graduated.
Or would it be a sad time to know that he was no longer on top of the world?
**
The polo match made the knots in my stomach tighten and it had nothing to do with the match itself. After the trade of words between Arthur and me, I really didn’t want to see him.
In fact, I didn’t even want him to see me either. It had nothing to do with Royce, really, just that Arthur and I were on shaky ground and the more I was away from him, the better.
Luckily, he was tied up in the match itself and didn’t once glance in my direction. Still, he was a formidable player and very easy on the eyes, his strong forearms handling his polo stick expertly as he charged about the field. I had wished once upon a time that things were different between us, but now, watching Arthur play, I realized I didn’t have strong feelings for him any longer.
Maybe some of it had to do with the lies between us, but it also made me wonder if I really liked him that much to begin with. Our time together had been crazy, but also so brief that if he hadn’t taken my virginity, I might not even remember it now.
That and Johanna’s words were not something I could forget. Arthur needed me, or rather my title. He needed me to want to keep him close.
I wasn’t so sure if I wanted to be friends with someone like that.
A small laugh escaped me, and I was grateful that Johanna was immersed in the match and not paying much attention to me. Didn’t they all need something? I hadn’t figured out exactly what the other two kings wanted, but I was one hundred percent positive that they wanted something.
Arthur just had been far too transparent and couldn’t hide it any longer.
But as I had with Max, I cheered Arthur on to victory, wondering the exact same thing about Arthur’s future and what he would do if I didn’t help him by marrying him.
Which I wasn’t going to do.
***
The final king of the day was Royce and I was actually looking forward to seeing him.
Surprise, surprise. I didn’t want to feel this way about Royce. He had been a pain in my side since the moment I had gotten to Weissmore, but he was also the only one who had actually helped me along in my search for both my father and my mother.
Plus, he had helped me find my father’s will, which had opened up all sorts of questions.
Royce was giving a fencing demonstration in the gym and I was grateful for the warmer seating as we piled into the cushioned bleachers with our hot chocolate warming our hands through the cups. “I could have really used this outside,” Johanna muttered as the demonstrations began. “And why do they have to wear those complete bodysuits? Talk about putting a damper on the eye candy.”
I gave her a rueful smile. “Maybe because they know your eyes have been doing double time today.”
She laughed and I turned my attention back to the mat, where Royce was warming up. It was easy to pick him out amongst the others and I tried not to get excited by the sheer sight of him.
I mean, this guy had been my enemy for so long, yet he was now my partner in crime, the only person that I could rely on to help me find out about my past.
The match started and Royce dropped the helmet over
