Page 214 of The Robin on the Oak Throne

Kierse’s jaw dropped as her former employer strode onto the stage, taking the microphone seamlessly from the presenter. She knew that this place was for all monsters, regardless of affiliation. That was sort of the point, to allow discourse without repercussion. But how in the hell had Amberdash taken control of the Men of Valor and then been given a platform? What else had he accomplished silently in the background all these months?

“Welcome!” Amberdash said. The wraith held an arm wide as if he could truly welcome the group before him and not like the soul-sucking wraith he really was. “What an honor to be speaking today before all of you and to have the distinction of announcing my new role within the Men of Valor.”

“Wren, move,” Graves said in her ear.

Kierse wanted to march up there and demand answers from him. He was the one person she trusted after she’d gutted Jason and left him for dead. Amberdash had continued to work with her. He’d sold her out to the Druids, sure, but he’d given her a warning first about how deep in shit she was. She might have died without it. He wasn’t agood monster—there were no good monsters—but she was surprised how much she hadn’t thought him capable of this.

Power ruined everyone.

“Kierse,” Lyra said, tugging on her arm.

She couldn’t. She couldn’t go up there. Least of all because she couldn’t blow her cover.

“I’m moving,” she said finally. She let Lyra lead her away from the crowd of monsters.

“While I’m pleased to bring in all monsters of character who were guaranteed a spot at this convention, I’d also like to welcome those who are not members of the Men of Valor into our ranks. Join us!”

Kierse ground her teeth together. Cut off the head of a snake and another one sprang up. Killing King Louis hadn’t meant the demise of the Men of Valor, despite how good it had felt to slice his head off with the spear. The spear that she was desperately missing right now. With it in her hands, she wouldn’t have been able to resist the call to finish Amberdash’s bullshit reign.

“You know our values. They’re yours as well. Monsters should rule themselves. Humans should rule themselves. The problem lies in treating us the same,” he said, his gaze shifting across his captivated audience. “When we all know that we are far superior.”

A cheer ran up at those words. She didn’t know which way the wind would blow for them, but none of it was good.

Amberdash continued his speech over the cheers. The last thing she heard before slipping from the room was, “Which is why I put forth my name—Gregory Amberdash—for consideration to be your voice at the Monster Treaty Convocation.”

Chapter Sixty-Two

“What the fuck?” Kierse hissed.

“That’s not good,” Lyra agreed.

They ditched their baskets of masks and roses as they slid out a back entrance. Kierse touched the small coin-size mark on the door twice—the signal Walter had given them when the doors were clear.

“Wards going up in three, two…” Walter said. “And they’re up.”

They looped their arms and stuck close together. Just two girls from the theater in masks, sneaking out together. Nothing to see here. Security turned a blind eye to them except for one guy who leered at the way they clung to each other. Then they rounded the corner, and the security thinned. They were too busy watching the room of guests to bother with entertainers. Just as planned.

“How long do we have until they figure out they’re locked in?” Lyra asked.

“Long enough.”

Walter had rigged his force field warding into a series of coins that Laz had systematically attached to the various ballroom doors over the course of the last couple weeks. Once activated, no one could go in or out until he took them down. Which meant Graves and Nate were stuck in there unless things went really wrong. If things went thatsideways, then it wouldn’t matter if they let loose the entire ballroom of monsters.

Soon enough, Amberdash would finish his horrific speech, the lot would move into the next ballroom for dinner. That combined dreadful affair would determine the length of time they had to get things done. Once people finished their “meals,” they would want to return to peruse the showcase or, worse, leave. Kierse would need to be done long before then.

“Schwartz reported in,” Walter told them. “He’s in position at the Curator’s compound. Waiting for Gen to call in. No security footage on that level, either.”

Worry crept into Kierse’s stomach even though she knew Gen could take care of herself. She wished she could be there, but she couldn’t be in two places at once. This was the moment she really wished Ethan was in on their mission. She would have trusted him to have Gen’s back.

“Here we are,” Lyra said.

Kierse glanced at the pair of security guards at the end of the hall. They immediately jumped to attention as Kierse and Lyra headed their way in their fancy ball gowns.

Before they could get up in arms, Lyra gestured to the gender-neutral bathroom with a giggle.

“Come on,” she said, going full Hermia in a split second. Her gaze shuttered, and her mouth turned soft and pouty. Her lips pressed to Kierse’s shoulder, a kiss against the skin.

“They’re watching,” Kierse said, loud enough for the guards to hear, and promptly looked away, feigning embarrassment.

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