Page 225 of The Robin on the Oak Throne

Shock flashed across Jason’s face for the span of a second. “You shouldn’t be able to remember Tribeca.”

“You took the memories, because you didn’t wantanyone to be able to piece together what you’d actually done.” She looked up into his eyes. “You were siphoning my magic.”

He leaned against the cane and clapped twice, sardonically. “Took you long enough to figure out.”

“My magic flowed into you, continually replenishing you. When the spell broke, you knew, because you felt the loss.”

It was only after the spell was lifted that she’d had the full force of her magic. She’d thought that was because the spell was hiding her. But it was just that she was no longer continuously giving most of it away.

“I was powerful enough by then with Sansara regrown that it was but a blip,” he told her.

“And I wasn’t the only one.” She glanced at the two guards at his side. Likely other magic wielders who he was stealing from. “Just the strongest. Especially considering my absorption was a standby effect and could draw in powers for you at any time.”

“That was rather useful,” he agreed. “Though you were hardly the strongest.”

She didn’t believe him. She could read him too well.

She didn’t believe in good guys. People like Jason, they always won. That was how her world worked. But for once, just once, she wanted it to be the case that what was dead stayed dead. She came out ahead. This bastard didn’t win.

“All of this, just for your own power?” she asked him. “That can’t be your end game. You’ve built too much to keep it hidden and unappreciated. Do you want to take on the Druids?”

He scoffed. “As if I care about them. They lost long agowith their ‘goodness above all’ attitude.”

“That’s not exactly how they’ve appeared to me.”

“You’ve had interactions with Druids, have you?” he asked, leaning toward her with a smirk on his lips.

“Unfortunately.”

“That’s my girl,” he said with a laugh. “Always did have a problem with authority.”

She didn’t know how she had gotten to this point. Jason’s head games always gave her a headache. One moment degrading her, the next praising her. She was done playing with him.

She rattled against her chains, trying to use her magic.

Jason laughed. “Oh, I have missed you, Kierse. You always were entertaining. And I’ll let you in on a little secret.” She bared her teeth at him. “You owe me.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Why?”

“Because I saved your life. The Fae Killer destroyed your kind, and if it wasn’t for me, you’d have died alongside them.”

“You didn’t save me. You destroyed my life,” she accused. “You’re spinning more bullshit tales to make yourself feel better about stealing the powers ofchildren.You’re pathetic.”

Jason stalked toward her like a predator, but she saw him for what he really was. “You’re the one currently tied to a chair.”

“You’re just a man desperate for attention and caught up in your own grandiose fantasy. A narcissist who preyed on children,” she snarled at him. “You think this means you win? Because people worship you?”

“Better to be worshipped like a king than be anothersheep in the herd,” he told her, leaning down until they were at eye level. “You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you? Who would follow you?”

Kierse boiled with rage at the sight of his smug smile. She wasn’t the same girl she’d been when she’d gotten out. She’d been sixteen and still both enamored and terrified of him. She’d had enough gall to try her hand at killing him, but she knew now that she should have put a bullet between his eyes just to be safe. And she fucking intended to this time.

She reared forward and slammed her head against his nose. Thecrunchas his nose broke and blood spurted was extremely satisfying.

“You fucking bitch!” he cried, reeling back and reaching for his face.

All that remained after her fury was her magic. Not the place she’d gone while trying to reach Lorcan, but the center of her wisp powers. They were weakened from the iron, but still vibrant enough from the heist to latch onto. The guards rushed to Jason, who yelled and sent Maya off for medical help. The other goon fretted over him, and Jason pushed him away. He never could stand looking weak.

She smiled. Let that energy rush to her fingertips. The burst of power came to her like an emotional avalanche. He thought he was just going to get away with it. He was going to leave like he hadn’t destroyed her life.

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