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Kierse was still rattled and angry when she made it back to Graves’s brownstone. The team meeting was supposed to start any minute, and she was surprised that it was so quiet. Maybe she wasn’t the last person to arrive.

“Oh Kierse, you made it,” Isolde said with a smile as she came out of the kitchen carrying a tray of drinks.

“Let me take that,” Kierse said.

“Thank you. Oh! Do you want to see the cake?”

Kierse grinned and followed her into the kitchen, where a stunning, multilayered cake sat on the counter. It was several layers of white buttercream with a wave of roses falling down one side like a river of blood.

“It’s stunning.”

“Ready for my delivery tomorrow,” Isolde said with a wink. “Now, let me grab the snacks.” She hefted a second tray into her arms. “Here we are. Let’s go to that meeting.”

“Has everyone already arrived?”

“I believe they were still waiting on Mr. Schwartz,” Isolde said.

Kierse smirked. Mr. Schwartz sounded like Schwartz’s father. The thought of calling him that almost jogged her out of her bad mood. But it didn’t explain why the library was so quiet. With that many people, she should have been able to hear with her enhanced abilities.

They had begun their climb to the library when the elevator dinged and Schwartz appeared.

“Sorry I’m late,” he said, catching up to them. “Allow me.”

He took the tray from Isolde, and she kissed his cheek as she headed upstairs with them.

“Of course,” he said with a short bow.

“Busy?” Kierse asked.

Schwartz huffed. “Purchasing explosives last minute raises flags. I had to call in some favors.”

“Oh, explosives,” Kierse said. “Fancy.”

“Hopefully, it’s enough,” he said with a shrug.

Her unease intensified as they reached the second-floor landing to continued silence.

Schwartz raised an eyebrow. “Are we the first ones here?”

“Isolde said we were the last,” Kierse said as she pushed the door open.

Everyone was seated at the center of the massive library.

In fact, an extra couch and chair set had been brought in to accommodate the additional members.

Anne Boleyn lounged languidly between Laz and Gen.

Walter sat across from them in front of his computer setup.

Nate sat on the other couch with his ankle crossed over his knee, typing away on his phone.

George and Edgar stood sentinel in a corner.

Isolde headed over to them. Graves had his arms crossed over his chest as she stared at the girl sitting opposite him—Lyra Anderson.

“What the hell did we miss?” Kierse asked.

Schwartz deposited the tray of food and then did the same with Kierse’s full of drinks. He took the open chair, leaving Kierse standing beside Lyra’s seat in confusion.

“We have an interloper,” Graves explained.

“Opportunist,” Lyra interjected.

Kierse glanced between them. “What happened?”

“She was snooping around.”

“Trying to get your attention,” Lyra corrected.

“Why would you do that?” Kierse asked.

“Because I’m not an idiot,” Lyra said, breaking Graves’s gaze to look at Kierse. “Look, I was interested in the offer and everything, but I was raised to ask questions. And the more questions I asked, the deeper I got into whatever this is, and I want in.”

“Why?” Graves barked.

“Why not ?” Lyra asked, arching an eyebrow at him.

“This isn’t fun and games,” Kierse argued.

“Who said it was? My parents did this sort of shit all the time, and I grew up on stories of the scary motherfucker who helped them.” Lyra gestured to Graves.

“Your parents were not doing anything like this,” Graves assured her.

“Mind if we know who her parents are?” Laz asked.

Nate scoffed. “You don’t recognize the vampire princess in our midst?”

Kierse glanced between Nate and Lyra. She knew that his family had connections with the Andersons.

Laz shrugged. “Fill me in.”

“Beckham and Reyna Anderson,” Lyra muttered.

Schwartz whistled low. Laz looked impressed. They were sort of legends for their part in the first vampire war.

“ Anyway ,” Lyra said. “If they can do it, then so can I. Plus, if you’re going to use me anyway, then I at least want a cut.”

“That’s fair,” Kierse admitted. It would be simpler for Lyra to be involved than to use her and ditch her the way they’d planned to. A lot fewer questions.

“Fine,” Graves said with a shake of his head.

“Oh and…maybe don’t mention this to my parents,” Lyra added with a wince.

Kierse bit back a laugh. She was all hard-hitting confidence until it came to her parents finding out what she was doing. Joining the theater against their wishes was one thing. This was something else entirely.

Graves’s eyes met Kierse’s. The look curdled the laughter inside of her. She had to tell him about Lorcan. They had to talk about what had happened. And he had gotten much better at reading her without ever laying a hand on her.

She broke eye contact and sauntered across the room to take a seat next to Nate. Right now was neither the time nor place.

“You seem tense,” Nate said, throwing an arm across her shoulders.

“We’re stealing the cauldron tomorrow .”

Nate arched an eyebrow. “Normally you’re hyped up for this shit. Jonesing for some thievery.”

Damn her friends for knowing her too well.

She shoved Nate’s arm off her with a good-natured laugh. “I’ll be there tomorrow.”

“Suit yourself,” Nate said.

Graves cleared his throat. “Let’s address the new factors.

The troll revolt and the Men of Valor logos spray painted in the subways.

It’s unclear if they’re going to make a move at the conference while we’re busy, but it is a possibility.

Nate and I will be on high alert throughout and we’ll have Walter with eyes in the sky. Otherwise, proceed as normal.”

“Lorcan will be there, too,” Kierse added.

Graves’s eyes skipped to her, and she looked away. She didn’t want him to see whatever was on her face. “Wonderful,” he said drily. “He better stay out of our fucking way.”

“He’s there to counter the Men of Valor. So I’d guess he’s on our side.”

When Kierse glanced at Gen, her best friend was staring bullets into her. There were questions in her eyes that Kierse had no answers for.

“Similar objectives doesn’t put him on our side ,” Graves said.

“Okay,” Kierse agreed.

Graves was silent for a few seconds. She hoped he wasn’t piecing together something she didn’t want him to look too closely at.

But eventually he moved on. “The convocation seats add a new layer to the plan,” he said, glancing to Nate.

“There are two seats up for grabs. We know the Men of Valor are going to try to get both of them.”

Gen bit her lip. “How do we stop that from happening?”

“Nate is going to put himself forward for one of the seats.”

Nate jerked around. “What?”

“You were part of the treaty signing. You are well liked. You have an army of wolves behind you,” Graves said. “You’re an obvious choice.”

“But I’ll be busy with this,” he said, gesturing to the heist party.

“Voting will be after,” Graves said. “You’ll do your job with this, put your hat in the race, and all goes well, we’ll be voting you in to the convocation this weekend.”

“Fuck,” Nate said. “Maura is going to kill me.”

“She’ll be fine with it,” Kierse told him.

“You’re perfect for the job, Nate,” Gen told him.

He groaned. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“Good,” Graves said. “Everyone else set? Laz?”

“All wards are in place. I’m set for transport tomorrow.”

“Schwartz?”

Schwartz nodded. “Explosives purchased. I’m laying them tonight.”

“Gen?”

She gave him a thumbs-up. “Laz got me a uniform and a pass to access the security room. Walter showed me what I need to do.”

“Nate?”

“Besides the new problem of dealing with the Treaty issues, I’m good to go. But if they need me to vote…”

“We’ll deal.” Graves turned his attention to Kierse. “You’ll have Lyra with you. Fill her in on specifics. She’ll be your backup and diversion now.”

“Will do.”

Kierse watched Graves survey the room full of people.

A few short months earlier, he wouldn’t have trusted one person, let alone an entire room of them.

Any of them could betray him in the middle of this.

But it was their chance to get the cauldron, and everyone had a necessary part to play in the scheme.

Graves simply couldn’t have done it all alone.

It was good to see him accept that their little family had grown to eleven.

He opened his mouth as if he were about to give a closing speech, but he stalled and looked upward. “Edgar, someone is at the door.”

A few seconds later, the doorbell rang.

“How does he know?” Lyra whispered.

Kierse didn’t have it in her to explain warding to the girl. She might be a vampire princess, but Kierse had a strong bet that she didn’t understand magic in the slightest.

“Who is it?” Kierse asked, standing.

Gen came to her side and placed a hand on her arm as if she was going to pull her away to ask questions. But Kierse absolutely could not stomach questions.

Walter choked. “Uh…Graves…the security footage.”

Oh right, he’d installed cameras.

Graves walked around to look at the screen and closed his eyes briefly. He looked half ready to shred anyone who spoke to him sideways. “Fuck.”

“Who is it?” Kierse asked, pulling away from Gen. She took one look at the man in the top hat and repeated Graves’s epithet.

“The meeting is adjourned,” Graves said.

He found George where he was waiting in the corner.

“Get rid of everything that makes it appear like we’re working in here.

” George nodded and began to collect the paperwork.

“Walter, you need to move your computer equipment elsewhere. I’ll delay him as long as I can, but make it quick.

Laz and Schwartz will help you.” He glanced up at the rest of the confused faces.

“The rest of you need to leave out the back way.”

“There’s a back exit?” Gen asked in confusion.

“I’ll show them,” Isolde said, gesturing to the men. “Come with me.”

“I have to deal with our…guest,” Graves grumbled.

“I’m coming with you,” Kierse insisted.

Graves glanced back at her before nodding. “He’ll expect you.”

“Kierse, wait, we should talk,” Gen said.

“After,” Kierse promised.

She hurried after Graves and out of the library as the rest of them hustled to clean the place up.

Edgar had just thrown the front door open, and in strode the English gentleman who upended Graves’s life.

“Kingston,” Graves all but growled.