Page 140 of The Robin on the Oak Throne

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 isthatgoing?”

“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 neverintended 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 ofthe best in the business.”

Graves met her eyes. “No.”

“But…”

“I know what you’re thinking.”

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