One True Queen (School for Good and Evil Book 2)

Chapter 15

A few hours earlier, Rhian huddled with his rain-soaked team behind the gates to Camelot Park.

"We're looking for two things. Loyalty to Camelot and loyalty to Tedros. That's all. Anyone who passes the loyalty test qualifies to fight," he said, raising his voice over the chants of his and Sophie's names. "When the Snakes come, we need our army to stop them outside the castle perimeter. Before they cross the drawbridge. These soldiers will be our first line of defense, so we need as many as we can get. But they must pass the loyalty test first."

He held out his hand. "Ready?"

Sophie, Hester, Anadil, Dot, Beatrix, and Reena put their hands on his.

"Ready!" they said.

The gates opened. Selection began.

The process was simple. Rhian took charge of the Evers line with Beatrix and Reena; Sophie helmed the Nevers line with Hester and Anadil. As each candidate came forward, the respective teams tested them:

Do you believe Camelot is the leader of the Woods?

Do you believe King Tedros is a Good king?

Are you willing to die to protect Camelot and King Tedros?

If they passed the test, then they were sent to Dot, who stamped them with her fingerglow and ushered them to the Town Hall inside Camelot Park, where they'd be fitted with armor and weapons. If they didn't pass, then they were denied entry and sent home.

At first, progress was slow.

For one thing, the leaders of the allied kingdoms came flurrying down the hill amidst a cavalcade of carriages, camels, elephants, magic carpets, and other modes of royal transport, Guinevere trailing behind, with each foreign leader determined to have a private audience with the Lion. Sophie thoroughly enjoyed this impromptu summit, staying close to Rhian and greeting Ever and Never kings and queens, while they kissed her hand and complimented her pantsuit ("If I'd have known this was a royal occasion, I would have dressed the part!" Sophie wisped). One by one, the leaders gave Rhian gifts for saving their kingdoms: a medal of honor from Foxwood, a mother-of-pearl wristwatch from Malabar Hills, a ruby-hilted dagger from Ravenbow, a diamond monocle from Glass Mountain. . . .

"We've informed Tedros and his mother that you must command the army," the King of Jaunt Jolie told Rhian quietly, so Guinevere wouldn't hear. "With you in charge, we know we'll win."

"You've shown yourself to be a leader," the Ice Giant of Frostplains confided. "We only feel comfortable in your hands."

"And with a face like that, you're made to be a hero," added the Empress of Putsi, admiring Rhian's torso through his wet shirt.

Rhian gritted his teeth politely, looking eager to get back to work.

Even Guinevere herself couldn't stop thanking him for saving her son in Nottingham, emotion nearly overtaking her, before she remembered Rhian and his charges had a job to do and she whisked the leaders into the Town Hall to make sure that the deliveries of weapons and armor from their respective kingdoms had arrived.

But just as Rhian and his team tried to push on, Agatha rode up, hidden beneath a hooded cloak, looking unnerved by the crowd.

"Aggie, isn't it wonderful? They love him," Sophie said, helping Agatha from her horse.

"And it seems they love you too," said Agatha tightly, hearing chants of Sophie's name.

"Who would have thought that a student of Evil would have to come to Camelot for respect?" Sophie saw Agatha's face. "Oh, don't be greedy, darling. Not everything in life can be about you and Teddy. You'll get more attention than you can handle at your wedding."