Page 80 of The Robin on the Oak Throne

“The day Kierse useswilesto get what she wants instead of subterfuge and stabbing,” Corey muttered under his breath.

“Okay. Okay. I get it,” Kierse said with a panicked laugh. “But we all agreed that, under the circumstances, I am the one who is best equipped to deal with Lorcan?”

“Equipped is right,” Colette said with a wink.

Kierse choked. “That isn’t what I meant.”

“It worked on Graves,” Gen said with a shrug.

She put her head in her hand. “I’m just going to break in and see Ethan. Then I have some questions for Lorcan. None of that means seducing him.”

“Or fucking him?” Colette asked. “I’ve heard from very reliable sources that fucking gets you all the information you want.”

“The reliable source being…you?”

Corey barely suppressed a laugh. “I sort of love you.”

“If the need arises, use what you have. That’s all I’m saying,” Colette said.

Kierse sighed. “It’ll be fine. It won’t come to that.”

“All right, you go alone this time.” Gen deflated. “But I want to go the next time.”

“As soon as I know it’s safe.”

Kierse hated excluding Gen. They were finally home, finally this close to Ethan and Lorcan andanswers. But she wouldn’t risk Gen any more than she had already been risked. And she would get those answers so that she could bring Gen safely into the fold.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Kierse had to jog to get to the M platform right as the train was about to pull away. She jumped on before the doors closed and settled into an open corner. A group of elementary-aged children in blue-and-white plaid uniforms jostled each other while two teachers tried to cajole them to behave. A pair of goblins were reading a book together in a corner. A man in a suit had earbuds in and was talking unnecessarily loudly. A mer and a vampire were discussing business and laughing.

Humans, monsters. Monsters, humans. All together. The life the Treaty wanted for all of them, one Kierse had been certain was impossible.

If she couldn’t still feel the undercurrents of the Third Floor deep beneath their feet, she’d think all was well in her city. But there were always those who didn’t agree with the tenuous peace.

The M train took her across the East River and into Brooklyn. She’d so rarely left Manhattan before meeting Graves that it was still strange to step into Druid territory. Back then, she had just thought they were an Irish gang who helped humans on this side of the river during the war. It turned out they wereactualDruids with magic and a long-held feud with Graves that she’d gotten in the middle of. Now that she’d uncovered that memory, she was startingto think that she’d always been stuck between these two powerful forces. Even as a child.

She got off at the Marcy Ave stop and jogged down the stairs onto Broadway. Brooklyn was much the same as her last visit here, when Lorcan had kidnapped her and brought her to his restaurant, Equinox, for dinner. A delightful interrogation where Kierse thought she’d gotten more out of him than vice versa, but she was never sure with Lorcan.

Kierse had texted Niamh as her train approached and been given a rendezvous location in South Williamsburg. She liked having someone on the inside of the Druids even if the rest of them made her apprehensive. As soon as Kierse entered Druid territory, passing people on the quiet streets lined with large, red-brick buildings, she could tell she was being watched. She ducked her head and tried to look unobtrusive, lingering in the shadows and wishing she’d come at night.

She was two blocks from her meet up with Niamh when a door creaked open next to her, and she felt the barrel of a gun, leveled at her head.

Kierse froze to stone. Out of the corner of her eye, she searched for the face beyond the weapon at her temple. She recognized the bright green eyes and crooked smile—Declan. This was Lorcan’s second. He had chased her and her friends through Little Italy at gunpoint. She could see the acorn tattoo confirming his allegiance to the Druids.

“Look what we have here,” Declan said. “The boss will want to see our trespasser.”

“I’m not trespassing,” Kierse snapped.

“Inside,” he growled.

“You’re making a mistake. Lorcan is going to thinkyou’re incompetent.”

“I’m the one with the gun,” he reminded her.

“I can see that.” Kierse snorted. “Not sure how you made second. Niamh probably runs circles around you.”

“Niamhisn’t in charge here,” Declan said. “Now get the feck inside.”

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