Kings On The Horizon (Vol. 4-6) ✓

140 | New Leaders

♝

"SOMETIMES I WONDER IF it's a skill of yours to always get kidnapped," Marcus manages to joke while sitting on Max's bed with his legs crossed. Max, who just got back from J.S High after a crazy and stressful day, laughs at his brother's statement while removing his necktie. He then looks back at Marcus through the mirror and tells him, "Honestly, I'm wondering about that myself."

     "Well, thankfully you weren't severely harmed or I wouldn't have let Siren off that easily. She's known to be very cruel, so I'm glad, and surprised at the same time, that she didn't do anything else to you. But what really surprised me is that Siren was actually your club leader all along. No one even suspected it."

     "Except for the Royals," Max points out as he starts changing his clothes to something more comfortable.

     "We were also surprised that Viktor's been searching for Siren's real identity, but it was somehow expected. After hearing about their plan to catch Siren, what Viktor said during the morning assembly made sense. Whatever shall be, will be. He was directly saying that to Siren all this time."

     "It's pretty obvious that we shouldn't be underestimating Viktor anymore. After what you told me, about how he was the one who wanted me to enroll here, I finally understood how clever and precise he really is," Max explains, and Marcus couldn't help but agree to it as well despite not being fond of the king.

     "That's why I'm not surprised that he found out about your memory loss. He probably found out about it as soon as he saw you. He's that sharp after all," Marcus then adds.

     After changing his clothes, Max walks to his bed and sits beside his brother. He then pulls out his phone and sees new messages in his group chat with Felix, Ari, and Ervin.

     "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about this earlier, but my friends ended up telling me about the drug incident that happened before," Max reveals, surprising Marcus. "After the incident with Siren, they told me everything. Felix ended up crying and Ari and Ervin even bowed to apologize to me. I understood why they didn't tell, and I honestly never blamed them for it, but the fact that they were willing to risk it all just to tell me makes me feel...grateful."

     Marcus stares at his little brother and sees the warm smile he had on his face while Max continued to read his messages on his phone.

     Truth be told, Marcus also agreed to enroll Max in J.S High because he wanted Max to get back together with his old friends again, especially since Max changed after the incident with his mother, Luna. Marcus wasn't sure if Max would ever find real friends, but seeing him now with Ari and the others, Marcus couldn't help but be relieved.

     Max found friends that would support him like how Marcus would, and that's all Marcus could ask for.

     "It looks like I have to apologize to those three for forcing them to give you that drug. I shouldn't have involved them like that. It was all my fault, not theirs." Marcus then replies, making Max look back at him this time. "I'd be very thankful if you did," Max says, and Marcus couldn't help but smile before patting Max's head like he always does.

     "By the way, how's Krist?" Max then asks as Marcus pulls his hand away from him. But just as he was about to answer his brother's question, someone suddenly knocks on the door. Marcus pauses as Max stands from the bed to open the door, only to see his butler, Étienne, standing in front of him with a serious expression on his face.

     "What's going on?" Max asks.

     Étienne clears his throat and gives his reply. "An important guest is here to see you."