Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 171450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 857(@200wpm)___ 686(@250wpm)___ 572(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 857(@200wpm)___ 686(@250wpm)___ 572(@300wpm)
They stepped back through the bronze door only to see Kingston enter the building with a top hat, cane, and all his luxurious Victorian flare. A young, blond man was at his side. He was shorter than Kingston by half a head, dressed in a tight-fitted suit and hanging just a step back. He had delicate features and pouty lips. This must be the person Kingston had mentioned in his letter—Andrew.
“Time to get to work,” Lorcan said, glancing up to find Graves striding toward them. His expression soured. “Look at us. Dressed like an Arthurian legend. The king and queen besieged by their loyal knight.”
Kierse flushed at the comparison, realizing then and there that they did look like a trio of Arthur, Gwen, and Lancelot in their attire. Nothing that any of them had planned and somehow it had still happened that way.
“Are you besieging us?”
Lorcan’s grin was regal. “Every chance I get.” He pressed a kiss to Kierse’s hand. “I’ll meet you in the room, my queen.”
Then he was gone and Graves was at her side once more, his face a mask of indifference, but his eyes followed Lorcan’s quick departure.
“Ready?”
Kierse let the intensity of what they were about to do settle over her. Then she nodded. “For my parents? Yes.”
“What did Amberdash say?”
“As we expected,” she said, holding onto his arm, “he wants a truce, because you had a little too much fun making good on your threats. He assumes you’re going after Nova next.”
Graves’s grin was devious. “Good. And you?”
“He asked me to be an attendant himself this time.” His jaw clenched. “He suggested that it was because of my vitality. I don’t know if he means my magic or me presumably being a warlock or…what, but he wouldn’t tell me anything about the cache. Just suggested he could keep me safe in the impending conflict.”
“More than I thought we’d get.”
“Yeah. Also, he offered to take care of either you or Lorcan.”
“As if he could.”
Kierse shrugged. “I didn’t tell him that. I might have gotten more out of him if my knight in shining armor hadn’t interrupted.”
“I noticed that. How exactly does he match us?”
“I swear I just told him I was going as a queen.”
Graves’s gaze swept back to Lorcan’s disappearing back one more time with a hint of fury in his expression. “Typical.”
“So truce is on, I guess,” she said, drawing him back to the present. “We’re good to go tomorrow.”
He nodded as they both meandered through the busy crowd. Kierse caught Bram’s eyes, still dressed in his kilt. He had a glass of what she could only assume was scotch in his hand. He nodded his head at her as they passed and continued toward the library to get into position.
“Do you know what Andrew’s magic is?” Kierse asked.
“He’s a muse,” Graves said as they rounded the room closer to his old mentor. “Makes perfect sense that Kingston would keep him nearby for so long, but he’s barely apprentice level and, as far as I know, has never shown any interest in improving.” Graves flexed his hand. “We’ll be cautious.”
They waited until Kingston and Andrew had drinks in hand before drawing her forward through the crowd.
“Graves!” Kingston boasted, a twinkle in his eye.
“Hello, Kingston.”
“Oh, don’t be that way,” Kingston said at once. His gaze shifted to Kierse, lingering a beat too long before returning to his old apprentice. “Is this because I did not stay with you? Andrew wasn’t ready.”
Andrew stepped forward, lowering his head. “Pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. Kingston has told me all about you.”
“I’m glad he’s finally let you out of the house,” Graves said.
“You can’t blame me for keeping him to myself. He is quite talented,” Kingston boasted as his fingers ran through Andrew’s hair. “How is your protégé?”
Graves slipped a possessive arm across her lower back. “Magnificent.”
She was not his protégé nor his apprentice anymore. And yet his praise always made her toes curl.
“Surprised we didn’t meet Andrew when we were in London,” Kierse said.
“I’m quite protective of my muses,” Kingston said. “And Andrew is special.”
“Sir,” Andrew said softly, pink hitting his cheeks. Praise worked on him, too.
As Legion’s heavy beats thumped in her ears, the four of them left the crowded main floor for a more secluded space in the library. The conversation was the same as it always had been. The same Kingston since he’d strode into Graves’s brownstone and turned her world upside down, explaining all of Graves’s opaque trainings.
She’d liked him.
She still liked him.
It wouldn’t stop her from killing him.
“Did I tell you about the Zodiac Club, Kingston?” Graves asked, later in the night.
Kingston laughed and looked up at the ceiling and the twelve astrological paintings on it. “Is this the place?”
“What’s the Zodiac Club?” Kierse inquired.
Andrew’s expression had softened throughout the night. He was a lightweight and had enough vodka tonics to flatten most men. He’d giggled at half the things she’d said for ages. Good. Let him get comfortable.