Total pages in book: 194
Estimated words: 187021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 935(@200wpm)___ 748(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 187021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 935(@200wpm)___ 748(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
Gen grinned. “Good. I was glad to help.”
“You’ve gotten really good,” Kierse said.
“I’ve been…seeing Niamh,” Gen said casually.
“As if I hadn’t noticed you sneaking out,” Kierse said with a laugh. “How is that going?”
“We’re just training!” Gen said quickly. “I hope you don’t mind. I know how you feel about the Druids.”
“Yeah, but I love Niamh, and you should train,” Kierse insisted. “The rest of us are.”
Gen gave her a small smile and fell silent as Laz started ragging on Schwartz again, triumphantly reenacting throwing him out of a moving vehicle.
“If you’re all done,” Graves said drily. Under his breath, he added, “Why did I ever decide to get a team together? It was so much quieter working alone.”
Kierse grinned. He was saying that, but she could tell something had thawed since their frozen winter. She liked the change.
“Where should we start?” Graves asked. “Laz?”
“Gotcha, Boss,” Laz said, leaning his elbows onto his knees. “The good news or the bad news?”
“Good news,” Gen said cheerfully.
“Well, I did some decrypting on the files we got at the auction. It’s not much, but you were right that they never intended to sell it. They wanted to see what the interest would be. The Curator is showcasing his entire collection at the Monster Con.”
Graves sighed. “Including the cauldron?”
“It was on a list of items to be shown the first night of the con.”
“Monster Con,” Graves said. “It’s at the Plaza this year?”
“Yep,” Laz said. “In the heart of our dear city, on the night of the twenty-first.”
Kierse could see Graves’s mind working. The cauldron at the Plaza the day of the summer solstice. It was a setup. She could already feel the trap closing around their heads. And yet…how could they walk away?
“We’re going to steal the cauldron at the Monster Con?” Gen asked.
Everyone turned to look at her, speaking the quiet part out loud. And then back to Graves, waiting on bated breath for his confirmation.
“Yes,” he finally said.
Gen nodded. “Well, fuck.”
The rest of the room laughed at her, but Graves was already strategizing.
“The bad news?” he asked.
“We need another tech guy,” Laz admitted with a frown. “I’m not the best in the world by a long shot, but I get by. I’m not sure getting by is enough for this Curator guy. He knows what he’s doing. We need someone better.”
Graves nodded once. He’d probably already had that thought.
Kierse had another one. “We know a tech guy. One of the best in the business.”
Graves met her eyes. “No.”
“But…”
“I know what you’re thinking.”
“Then you know that we need him.”
“Who?” Gen asked, glancing between them.
“Walter Rodriguez,” Kierse said.
“Who?” everyone repeated.
“It’s not an option,” Graves added.
Kierse huffed. “Walter was Graves’s apprentice before me.”
“Were you fucking him, too?” Laz muttered under his breath.
Graves shot him a sharp look, but the rest laughed. The fact that they could even joke with Graves was shocking. Revelatory.
“He has the ability to push his force-field magic into wards and combine it with computer systems. He kept Graves out of Third Floor. If he’s that powerful, we want him on our side,” Kierse told him. “If we leave him to himself, he might start working for them again.”
“If he helps us, we let him in on the take, and he could become that much more powerful.”
“Are you worried he would rival you?” Kierse challenged.
“No,” Graves said slowly. “I do not worry about that. But I am not in favor of giving more power to people with questionable loyalties.”
“They were all your apprentices, Graves,” she said with pointed look. “Maybe the common denominator is you.”
“Maybe it is, but it doesn’t change that Walter is a liability. He’s powerful enough.”
“You don’t even know if he’ll ask for more power. Just because it’s what you’re after.”
Everyone held their breath, waiting to see how Graves would react. They could needle him, but Kierse was the only one who pushed. She was right about this. Laz had admitted he wasn’t the best. They needed the best.
“I’ll find out what he wants,” Graves finally said.
A breath released from the room. Kierse felt it a victory he’d given in, ever so slightly.
“Schwartz?” Graves asked.
“If I’m healed up in time, then I’m on the detail for the next assignment,” he said. Then tipped his head at Gen. “Thanks to your little healer, I should be a go for the con.”
“Good. You’ll be on duty, though. We’ll need backup. Possibly someone else invited to the event,” he said softly. His gaze slipped to hers. He sighed like he hated the question he was about to ask.
“What?” Kierse asked warily.
“Nathaniel O’Connor?”
Her eyes lit up. “You want to work with Nate?”
Last winter he’d gone ballistic at her for working with Nate, and now he wanted to bring him into the fold?
“‘Want’ might be the wrong word,” Graves admitted, “but he’s the Dreadlord alpha. He’ll have an invite, and he’s on our side, right?”