Page 184 of The Robin on the Oak Throne

“All the more reason not to let you leave anytime soon.”

She knew what he meant—more reason not to let Graves in her head. If he only knew.

“How are Gen and Ethan?” she asked, changing the subject.

“Sleeping and exhausted. Ethan burned off a lot of the magic right away. So he’s fine, but Gen stayed up and watched over you until Niamh made her sleep.” He refilled her glass of water. “And you should curl back into my bed and do the same.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’d be happy to join you.”

She rose to her feet unsteadily. “I’m going to head out. You get that sleep. You don’t look like you slept at all.”

“I didn’t. I watched over you the entire time.”

She flushed at the comment. She needed to leave. Nothing good could come from staying another minute in Lorcan’s bedroom.

“Do you have my clothes?”

“If I tell you I destroyed them, will you keep wearing my clothes?”

He ran a hand along the collar. Her legs felt like jelly. She needed to find out how to get out of this building and to a subway. Fuck, she couldn’t ride a subway in this state. She couldn’t brave a troll.

“Stay,” he pleaded. “You’re not well.”

A part of her wanted to listen to him. To fall back into that spring rain and let the summer sunshine lull her into submission, but she couldn’t. So she shook her head, not trusting the words that might come out of her mouth right now.

He sighed and retrieved her clothes, offering them to her. “You’re not a prisoner.”

“You sound so convincing,” she joked as she padded into his bathroom.

She slid out of his shirt, leaving the soft cotton on the counter and pulling her leggings and tank back on. They felt dirty and constricting in comparison. She forced herself not to look back at the shirt she should never have been wearing.

Her phone had been stashed inside the pile of clothes, and she cringed as she turned the thing back on and saw it light up with texts and calls from Graves.

She jotted out a quick message, letting him know she was fine and on her way back now.

The phone immediately rang in her hand. With a sigh, she answered, “Hey.”

“I’m on my way,” Graves said. “Where should I pick you up?”

“Do you really think you should drive through Druid territory?”

“Do you think I give a fuck?”

“No,” she muttered.

“Where are you right now?”

She bit her lip. “I’m not sure, actually. I’m in Lorcan’s bathroom.”

Graves was silent a moment. “I know where his building is. I’ll meet you downstairs as soon as George gets us across the bridge.”

He’d been waiting. Her heart warmed at that thought. She figured if it had been anyone other than Lorcan, he would have already barged in and rescued her.

“See you soon.” She hung up the phone and exited the bathroom.

“He’s on his way?” Lorcan asked with distaste.

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