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“So let me get this straight,” Gen said a few days later as they waited for everyone to gather in the library. “You’re Lorcan’s soulmate?”

Graves stilled at the word as he poured himself a drink.

Kierse cursed softly under her breath and lifted her head from her work on the decoy box. Edgar and George had brought it up for her to tinker with, to see if she could break through the Curator’s security.

“That’s what you got out of all of that?

” Kierse asked as she reached for the tray of biscuits—cookies—that Isolde had brought up earlier.

She snagged two of Isolde’s favorites—a jammie dodger and custard cream.

Recovering from the weekend had been tougher than she’d thought.

“Not the wish powder or car chase or goblin market or the tree cult ?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Gen said with a wave of her hand. “Business.”

Gen was right. That had been business, and while it had been full of action, it had not been what Gen’s romance-loving heart cared about. And while Gen had healed her bullet wound earlier in the week, she’d been mostly interested that Kierse was now sleeping in Graves’s bedroom.

“Okay but soulmate ?” Gen said with a shake of her head. “Why didn’t you tell me about this earlier? What the fuck does that even mean?”

“I’ve been trying not to think about it,” she admitted.

She returned to her work. She’d already dismantled the safety features, but it had taken the better part of an hour, and she was thankful she hadn’t tried to do this while at the venue.

It was going to be many, many more hours before she got through the biometrics and combination lock. But she enjoyed it.

“How can you not think about it? It would be all I was thinking of. Soulmates are like…soulmates. Do you feel different when you’re around him?” Gen wrapped her arms around Anne Boleyn and hugged the damn cat to her chest. “Tell me everything.”

Graves leaned back against the table and brought his drink to his lips. When Kierse met his gaze, he arched an eyebrow. As if challenging her to answer those questions while the thought of his cock inside her every night still resonated through her.

“Uh, can I get a raincheck on a feelings conversation?” She reached for a chocolate biscuit and finished it off with some steaming hot tea.

Gen glared at Graves. It didn’t exactly have the heat she intended in pink leggings, holding a cat. “Could you be a little less… you right now?”

“No?”

“If you weren’t here, she’d give me all the details,” Gen told him.

“She is free to give you all the details right now,” Graves said. He lifted his shoulders, unconcerned. “What is she going to say that I don’t already know?”

“Well, I don’t know,” Gen said. She glanced at Kierse. “What doesn’t he know?”

Kierse laughed. “Don’t I wish I knew the answer to that.”

“A chuisle mo chroí is a magic bond. I’ve seen it a few times.

” Graves’s eyes were hot on her face as he continued, “It usually creates a strong connection, an awareness of the other person that might feel physical in the chest. Touch is almost like being intoxicated. Sometimes you feel a loss of your own will.”

Her hand went to her chest at the words.

She remembered the ache there when she’d been in Brooklyn.

The way she’d felt like she couldn’t physically pull away from him when he’d reached for her at the Frolic.

And even all those months ago, when she should have feared him for all he’d done, and somehow she’d believed all the lies that had come out of his mouth.

As if even before the spell had broken, the link had been there, but muffled.

“That’s why you broke his contact with me at the party,” Kierse said.

“I would have taken any excuse to hit him,” Graves said casually. She raised her eyebrows, and he conceded, “But yes, I knew what he was doing.”

“And you still let me go to Brooklyn.”

He chuckled grimly. “As if I could keep you from doing anything.”

“Aww,” Gen said with wide eyes. “He trusted you to come home.”

Kierse swatted at Gen. “You’re getting us off topic.”

“Am I? Are you going to see him again?” Gen chanced a quick glance at Graves. “You have to, right? We need to see Ethan after the last disaster.”

“We do need to see Ethan.”

“Aren’t you curious what he’s going to say?”

Kierse shrugged. She was curious. And it wasn’t like Lorcan hadn’t already made contact—he’d reached out the day after the auction, asking to see her. She’d left him on Read. And while she knew she needed to see him, she didn’t even know where to begin with this soulmate situation.

“Well, I’m curious,” Gen said.

“If we’re going to see Ethan, then yes, I’m going to have to see Lorcan, too.”

“When will you do that?” Graves asked.

“Before the engagement party?” Gen suggested.

Kierse nodded, thankful to have Gen directing this conversation. Her eyes met Graves’s across the distance and added, “Once I’m back to full strength.”

He nodded. “Understood.”

Gen looked between them warily and opened her mouth to ask more, but the door burst open, and in strode Laz and Schwartz.

Laz was clearly bullying the taciturn mer, who looked one jab away from pummeling his friend.

He probably deserved what was coming to him after he’d thrown Schwartz out of the car.

George and Edgar trailed behind the men in a much more dignified fashion.

“Oh look, the testosterone has entered the room,” Gen said with an eye roll.

Laz grinned wide and strode across the room to sink into the seat next to Gen. “Admit it. You missed us,” he said with a nudge to her shoulder.

Kierse pushed the decoy box away from her for the start of the meeting and slid down the couch to make room. Schwartz sank into a nearby chair. George and Edgar remained standing, waiting for Graves to call things to order.

“Maybe Schwartz,” Gen said. Her eyes slid to the mer, taking in his state. “Do you want me to try another healing?”

He shook his head. “Just have to heal it up the rest on my own. Appreciate you taking away much of the pain, though.”

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?”

“My side, at least,” she agreed.

“Good enough for me,” Graves said. “Would he do it?”

“I can ask him,” she said.

“We’re going to his engagement party next weekend,” Gen said brightly. “You should come.”

“To the party?” Graves asked. His eyes were curious as they swept to Kierse.

“If you want,” Kierse added quickly, knowing he never would. That was not Graves’s world. “But I can ask him there regardless.”

“Good. Schwartz, you have your assignment. Kierse and I will bring on our next two members. Laz, I have an idea for you, but I might need to call in a favor. Keep combing through the files to see if there’s anything else in them in the meantime. Send them to me to review.”

Laz nodded.

“Is your warlock friend going to continue to be a problem, sir?” George asked from where he’d been standing silently.

“No,” Graves said gruffly. “I’ve dealt with that.”

Dealt with was a word for it. Montrell had shown up one night, an apology on his lips.

Imani was badly injured, and her magic was on the fritz from the car crash.

Graves had told him that if Imani ever set foot in his city again, she was going home in a body bag.

And because of their previous affiliation, that had been as much leeway as Montrell would ever get from him.

“Edgar, any luck with the stakeout?”

“No one came or went from Sansara in days, sir.”

“So they’re self-sustaining?” Schwartz suggested.

Graves pursed his lips. “It’s possible.”

“Or they moved the door,” Kierse said.

Graves nodded. “That’s also a possibility.”

Since currently only Graves and Kierse could see magic, one of them would have to be the one to look into it.

Before Kierse could even volunteer herself, Graves said, “I’ll look into it.

Thank you, Edgar.” Edgar nodded his head once.

“Kierse has gotten us one step toward the Curator,” Graves continued.

“We’re going to do some work to verify the information she provided.

” By work, he meant digging around through her memories again. “Anything else?”

No one said a word. The plan was coming together. Kierse could see his mind working, and already she had ideas to help. She’d broken into the Plaza with Jason. She knew the layout like an old friend.

“Get to work,” Graves said, clapping his hands to end the meeting.

George and Edgar promptly left. Laz hassled Gen out of her seat, insisting she come downstairs for some biscuits with him and Schwartz before they headed out. Kierse stood and stretched her arms overhead. She could still feel the strain from her wound, but Gen had fixed the bulk of the damage.

When everyone was finally gone, Graves’s eyes met hers again. “Are you ready?”

“Are you?” she teased.

He shut the book he’d been looking at. “Always ready for you. Lay down and let’s get started.”