Page 20 of The Robin on the Oak Throne

Which had always been enough before. And it would have to be enough now.

She pushed up to all fours and then forced herself upright. She had survived her mother’s death and her father’s abandonment. She had survived Jason’s relentless abuse. She had survived on the streets of New York during the Monster War. She was asurvivor.

This would not stop her. No matter what Estelle hadplanned for her.

Now that her initial shock had worn off, Kierse turned her attention to the treasure trove around her. The room had no vault. Why use a vault when wards were this powerful? Illusions of the people you cared about dying were a sufficient deterrent. But now Kierse was inside, and she could see there were innumerable priceless paintings, jewels, and artifacts. All pieces she would have killed to steal in another life.

Which was good, because Kierse knew how to replenish her magic—stealing. Easy enough in a room full of treasures.

Kierse swallowed. “You underestimated me.”

“Graves,” Estelle said on a sigh. Her illusions flickered between the gown and the pants. “He always collects such interesting people.”

“Such as?”

Estelle waved a hand. “You, obviously.”

“Obviously,” Kierse bit out.

“His wife,” Estelle said with a bland smile.

Kierse kept her gaze purposely off of Estelle as she made a slow circuit of the room. “Impressive collection.”

“Dusty trinkets. You and I both know that’s not what I’m interested in collecting.”

Kierse slipped a coin in her hand, rolling it between her fingers. She felt Estelle’s pull on her lessen slightly. “What are you interested in collecting? Because as far as I know, you have the cauldron.”

Estelletsked. “Give me more stimulating conversation.”

Kierse laughed. For some reason, she kind of liked Estelle. She was likely unhinged, but at least she admitted to her games. “As you wish.”

She slipped on a diamond bracelet, and the next time she looked at Estelle, she could barely see the outline of the woman she was pretending to be. Kierse only wanted to deal with the real thing.

“Tell me about the bracelet,” Estelle said.

“This one?” Kierse held up the diamonds she’d just slid on her wrist.

Estelle shot her a look, and Kierse grinned. Obviously not this one.

“Why did you steal it?”

Kierse shrugged. “Seemed fun at the time.”

Estelle’s laugh was a bell. “Fun. You stole from the queen of the nymphs for fun. Perhaps you are correct and I did underestimate you. You are much too like Graves.”

She was uncertain what she thought of that assessment from someone else. She’d already thought it too many times herself. “Is that how you knew we were married already? You’re in consort with the queen?”

“Do you believe Graves unaware of that?”

Kierse slipped a ring on her finger. She remembered him saying that Aveline wouldn’t cross Estelle. Had he meant something more than that? It would be like him to leave out the important details.

“Graves keeps his own counsel.”

“Youdoknow him,” Estelle said with a bitter laugh.

Kierse slipped a ruby pin into her hair before turning back to Estelle. “I do know him, but you already knew that,” Kierse intuited. “You were aware of us long before I stole that bracelet.”

Estelle inclined her head. “It may have reached my ears that Graves’s new apprentice was immune to magic. Ithought he might make a play for the cauldron with you.”

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