Page 139 of The Robin on the Oak Throne

Gen glared at Graves. It didn’t exactly have the heat she intended in pink leggings, holding a cat. “Could you be a little less…youright now?”

“No?”

“If you weren’t here, she’d give me all the details,” Gen told him.

“She is free to give you all the details right now,” Graves said. He lifted his shoulders, unconcerned. “What is she going to say that I don’t already know?”

“Well, I don’t know,” Gen said. She glanced at Kierse.“What doesn’t he know?”

Kierse laughed. “Don’t I wish I knew the answer to that.”

“A chuisle mo chroí is a magic bond. I’ve seen it a few times.” Graves’s eyes were hot on her face as he continued, “It usually creates a strong connection, an awareness of the other person that might feel physical in the chest. Touch is almost like being intoxicated. Sometimes you feel a loss of your own will.”

Her hand went to her chest at the words. She remembered the ache there when she’d been in Brooklyn. The way she’d felt like she couldn’t physically pull away from him when he’d reached for her at the Frolic. And even all those months ago, when she should have feared him for all he’d done, and somehow she’d believed all the lies that had come out of his mouth. As if even before the spell had broken, the link had been there, but muffled.

“That’s why you broke his contact with me at the party,” Kierse said.

“I would have taken any excuse to hit him,” Graves said casually. She raised her eyebrows, and he conceded, “But yes, I knew what he was doing.”

“And you still let me go to Brooklyn.”

He chuckled grimly. “As if I could keep you from doing anything.”

“Aww,” Gen said with wide eyes. “He trusted you to come home.”

Kierse swatted at Gen. “You’re getting us off topic.”

“Am I? Are you going to see him again?” Gen chanced a quick glance at Graves. “You have to, right? We need to see Ethan after the last disaster.”

“We do need to see Ethan.”

“Aren’t you curious what he’s going to say?”

Kierse shrugged. Shewascurious. And it wasn’t like Lorcan hadn’t already made contact—he’d reached out the day after the auction, asking to see her. She’d left him on Read. And while she knew she needed to see him, she didn’t even know where to begin with this soulmate situation.

“Well, I’m curious,” Gen said.

“If we’re going to see Ethan, then yes, I’m going to have to see Lorcan, too.”

“When will you do that?” Graves asked.

“Before the engagement party?” Gen suggested.

Kierse nodded, thankful to have Gen directing this conversation. Her eyes met Graves’s across the distance and added, “Once I’m back to full strength.”

He nodded. “Understood.”

Gen looked between them warily and opened her mouth to ask more, but the door burst open, and in strode Laz and Schwartz. Laz was clearly bullying the taciturn mer, who looked one jab away from pummeling his friend. He probably deserved what was coming to him after he’d thrown Schwartz out of the car. George and Edgar trailed behind the men in a much more dignified fashion.

“Oh look, the testosterone has entered the room,” Gen said with an eye roll.

Laz grinned wide and strode across the room to sink into the seat next to Gen. “Admit it. You missed us,” he said with a nudge to her shoulder.

Kierse pushed the decoy box away from her for the start of the meeting and slid down the couch to make room. Schwartz sank into a nearby chair. George and Edgarremained standing, waiting for Graves to call things to order.

“Maybe Schwartz,” Gen said. Her eyes slid to the mer, taking in his state. “Do you want me to try another healing?”

He shook his head. “Just have to heal it up the rest on my own. Appreciate you taking away much of the pain, though.”

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