Page 143 of The Robin on the Oak Throne

His expression was serious. “That’s understandable. Ethan is your friend. Things will work themselves out.Having Gen there will help.” His eyes darted to the closed door. “Are you sure you haven’t trained her in espionage? She’s incredibly adept at getting information out of people.”

“That’s just Gen.” Kierse shrugged. “She’s too good for this world.”

“Hmm,” Graves said uncertainly. “And as far as Lorcan…”

“I can handle Lorcan,” she told him.

“The soulmate bond is powerful. He’s going to try to use it against you.”

“You talk about it like it’s a weapon to be wielded.”

“I wouldn’t underestimate him,” Graves said solemnly.

Kierse lifted her chin. “I have no intention of falling prey to him.”

“Prey don’t have as many teeth as you.”

“Then don’t worry about me. If he can use it against me, I can do the same.”

He was silent a moment, as if refusing to say hedidworry about her. Especially when it came to Lorcan. The connection was strong, and she didn’t know what that meant for her uncertain future.

Finally, Graves nodded. “I believe that you believe that.”

Which was not the same as saying he believed she wasn’t in danger.

Still, she let it drop. She didn’t want to discuss Lorcan any more than he did. Lorcan was a thorn in her side that had released a drop of blood but hadn’t yet ripped her open.

“As for my work,” Graves said, transitioning smoothly. “You didn’t want me in your head at all. Now we’re not just skimming for memories of your parents.” He grinneddevilishly. “Or during sex.”

“No, that part I do not mind at all,” she said with a choked laugh.

“This is deeper work. I’d be remiss to not warn you that it may be trickier.”

“Why?”

“You don’t have any memory of Cillian. As far as we know, you only met him once. While we have his magic signature and the knowledge that he put the spell on you, you don’t remember anything else about him. It’s very little to go on. It might take a few tries to get to the night that it happened.”

“Okay,” she said, breathing out harshly. “But we will get there.”

“Yes, we will.” Graves ran a hand through his hair. “Also, I heard from Mafi.”

Kierse’s head jerked up. “About the psychiatrist?”

“She’s back in the city.”

She relaxed back down, her mind spinning. This whole thing with therapy and doctors still freaked her out. She couldn’t explain it, except that it had been so hard and expensive to pay for doctors for so much of her life. She wasn’t sure how to trust or open up to a paid professional. It was hard enough doing it with people she cared about. To think of Graves in her mind digging for answers.

“If you want to see her,” Graves added. “Mafi said we could come in whenever we wanted.”

“I’ll think about it.”

He acknowledged her and then went straight to business. “What are you going to focus on?”

Kierse bit her lip. “My parents. The night they left yourhouse.”

“That’s as good a place as any. We can try to skip forward until they reach him.”

“Should I think about the smell at Sansara, too?”

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