Page 2 of Wicked Knight

I knew something was coming. It was bound to happen eventually.

Butthis?

How am I supposed to understand this when our families arestillat war?

That damn contract was supposed to be a clever ruse I used against my father to break his control and power over me. It was the only thing that would stop him from marrying me off to Levi Sluskia—an absolute asshole. More importantly, the contract kept my dance career safe.

The women in Levi’s family don’t work, so all my dreams would have died with my vows.

I couldn’t imagine that my father had knowingly signed my life away to such archaic people. I’ve wanted to do ballet for as long as I can remember, and he didn’t care that marrying into the Sluskia family would have crushed me.

Dad was in the process of working through the terms of the marriage contract when I learned about the Valkyrie auction and arranged with Kyle to win me.

The contract we agreed on prevented my father from binding me to anyone else until Kyle released me next year.

Within the foreboding world of the Knights—one of the most infamous secret societies in this world—that contract is seen as a blood oath ritual that is only breakable by the one who owns you.Thatwas supposed to be Kyle.

He agreed he was going to release me today.Thatwas the plan.

So, how did he come to be making other arrangements with Dmitri?

Now I’m still trapped. Trapped in my own game of defiance.

My plans backfired on me, ensnaring me in a position that’s so much worse.

“Mackenzie?” Kyle touches my arm, reminding me he’s still beside me.

I look back at him, my hands trembling, and it feels like the fabric of reality has splintered around us, stretching the seconds into eternity.

“Are you okay?” He studies my face, and a lock of his inky black hair falls over his eye.

My lips part as the ghost of an answer flickers through my mind, but nothing comes out. Nothing can. No words. No sound. No way to figure this out.

Instead of trying to speak, I return my gaze to Dmitri. And of course he’s walking away.As usual. These days, I see more of the back of him than I do the front.

I want to run over and stop him. I want to grab him and shake the answers I need from him, but lead flows through my veins, making my body feel like it’s going to sink into the earth.

Weakened by the heaviness in my soul, I take in my surroundings. The lustrous summer glow covering the campus grounds taunts me with its perfect contrast to the war raging inside me.

Raventhorn University has some of the most beautiful gothic architecture with the kind of buildings and statues and gardens you find on postcards. Like many other students here, I’ve spent hours admiring the scenery. But right now, the same buildings and statues and gardens loom over me like a black blanket of smoke reminding me that I live in the world of the Knights.

How can I be surprised that this has happened to me when I attend a college for the heirs of the Knights and their allies?

I’mone of them.

I’m the daughter of a judge on the Knights Council, yet I’m acting like I don’t know that this is a place where being ruthless, heartless, and merciless is as common as breathing air.

You can never break free from the restraints the Knights have on you. Even when you think you can, there is no winning.

That said, I nearly did. Dmitri was just a crazy wild card I never saw coming.

“Hey, I didn’t think you’d be this shocked. You two are always staring at each other.” Kyle’s deep voice draws me back to face him.

His expression is calm, a juxtaposition to the screaming thoughts crashing around in my mind.

“I… are you sure Dmitri meant to take over the contract? It makes no sense.” Finally, the words come, but my voice sounds frail and fickle, like it’s caught on the edge of the wind.

“He wants you.” His answer cuts through me like glass.