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)
“I invited many people. I didn’t expect all my guests to get along, but I expect them all to avoid violence for one night.” The skin of his face stretched into something terrifyingly like a smile. “You may continue to kill each other as soon as you leave the building.”
“Fine,” she spat.
She couldn’t kill Jason here. Not without repercussions. There was a reason she was here. Not just to hear Amberdash’s asinine plan.
“Excellent,” Amberdash said. He tried the creepy smile again. “Enjoy the party.”
She watched him walk off with her hands balled into fists. “I’m going to take a break. I can’t deal with that.”
She stormed away. She was pissed.
Jason should have known her better. He’d taught her how to manipulate her emotions for her benefit. She hadn’t given into her anger for nothing. She was using it as a weapon, since she wasn’t allowed any others tonight. Her anger was the distraction.
And in that moment, she needed to get out of this party and into Amberdash’s office.
“Where are you going?” Lorcan said at her back.
There was only one problem.
“Getting some air.”
“The balcony is over there.”
“I need to be away from the party for now. Ping me if Amberdash starts monologuing.” She pointed to her head and continued to stomp away from him.
But the bastard didn’t let up. He was still at her back, and she could feel the suspicion coming off him.
“This is something else.”
She rolled her eyes at his words in her mind. “Watch the door, would you?”
“The door…”
Then she fished out a reinforced plastic lock pick that she’d hid in her bra.
“What is your plan? Are you going to steal from him?”
She nearly laughed. “It’s like you’re just learning I’m a thief. Ping me if Amberdash comes back.”
“You weren’t going to have anyone watch your back before this,” he argued. “What would happen to this plan if you got caught?”
Kierse shrugged. “Don’t get caught and you don’t have to find out,” she said, turning back to him as the lock clicked. She winked at him. “Be my lookout?”
“Kierse,” he warned.
But she was already sliding through the door and leaving him behind. She hoped Graves had made it inside. Their plan hinged on it.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The hallways of Amberdash’s private quarters were dark and ominous. She’d tried desperately to only be here during the day. A wraith’s rooms at dark was a recipe for disaster. It just asked for violence. Knowing he had never agreed with the Monster Treaty made it that much worse. Even though she was breaking it currently, he could kill her either way.
She shook off the dose of fear and let the rush of thieving take over. This was a real heist for her. The stakes were as high as they got. Every one of her enemies were only a room away, and they’d all happily kill her for what she was about to do. It gave a boost to her magic as she got farther from that damn amulet.
Voices came to her as she continued forward, and she jerked open the first available door and slid behind it. Two pale women came slowly down the hallway as if in a trance. Kierse recognized them as Cait and Jessa, two of Amberdash’s longest attendants.
“He’s going to turn me tonight,” Cait said in a slow, dreamy voice. Her skin was as pale as death but not quite like a wraith.
“He’s not going to turn anyone tonight,” Jessa argued in a melodic tone.
Cait huffed. “Why must you always spoil my fun?”
“He wants that other one from the party,” Jessa said dismissively. “The one who used to come here. He’s always wanted her.”
“Well, he will get everything he wants.”
“She will be our sister,” Jessa agreed easily.
“Her vibrancy will help us all.”
Kierse shuddered at their words. They had to mean that Amberdash wanted to feed on her soul.
Just him touching her made her sick with the cold. There was no way that would be her.
Kierse waited until they were gone and hurried the rest of the way down the hall to his closed and locked office door. For years, she hadn’t needed a lock pick to get into Amberdash’s office. He’d given her an all-access card to the top floor, and she could come and go as she pleased. She had been smart enough never to rob him, knowing that he would draw and quarter her if she did. A healthy level of respect and fear existed between them. Now he was the leader of the Men of Valor, and that was gone. So was her respecting his privacy.
She picked the lock with ease. She didn’t sense any wards as she crossed over. His office was the same as it had ever been. A classic businessman with a dark wooden desk and uncomfortable leather chairs. She’d watched Amberdash float in and out of the back room, giving her chills of fear, so many times. She’d still conned him enough to force down her true feelings. But it didn’t dissuade the chill that settled in her bones at what she was about to do.