Page 242 of The Robin on the Oak Throne

“It’s been a long day. We should sleep.”

His gaze was long and hard as he watched her break from him and pull back the sheets. “You’re not upset.”

“Oh, I’m furious. If you could read me right now.” She clenched her hands into fists. “Trust me. I’m a volcano about to erupt.”

“But you’re not upset with me for…trying.”

She realized that she wasn’t. She knew who he was. She knew what he did for a living. She knew how he’d lived the last five hundred years of his life. She’d accepted that and decided to choose him anyway.

“You saved me,” she reminded him. “You heard me and answered my call.”

“Always.”

“Then let me ask you a few questions.”

He straightened as if anticipating a showdown.

“Did you alter the soulmate bond?”

“Of course not.”

“Did you make me more loyal to you?”

He tensed at the question. “Not you.”

She would look at that sidestep to the question some other time. “Did you compel me to fall in love with you?”

“No,” he said darkly.

She almost laughed at how mad he looked at the line of questioning. As if the mind thief was offended at the suggestion that he would ever try to steal her affections. If he could even do that.

“Iwantedto change your mind,” Graves said after a moment. “Iwantedto compel your loyalty as I had so many others. I wanted to force your hand to come back to me. I wanted to make you want me.”

She stilled at the words. “But?”

“But I didn’t. When we first met, I couldn’t read you at all. It took all my effort to learn you as you were, without the shortcuts I’d learned over the years. I could only change your mind about me the hard way.” His eyes were windows as he spoke. “When we started working on your memories, I wanted to do it. I could have.” He clenched his fists. “I was so tempted to just let loose when you were so furious with me. And then something changed. When Ididn’tdo it and I showed you how I felt, you turned to me like a flower in bloom.”

Her throat closed up at the words. “I did?”

“Each earned step was more rewarding than every stolen one could have possibly been. I became determined tonotdo it. To cease using my powers. Not just on you, but on others as well.”

“On others?”

“Do you not think I could have brought Ethan back to you the first day we were home?” he scoffed.

“Oh. I hadn’t considered that. Did you…do it when you saw him at the engagement party?”

“I wanted to see if I could win him the way I’d won you. I…told him the truth,” Graves said. “And look, he came here when you were in trouble, all on his own.”

“Look at you,” Kierse said, a teasing smile on her face. “If you’re not careful, you’re going to start looking like a hero.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“I’m almost embarrassed for you. Are you losing your nerve? You can’t even compel me to love you?” she joked. “For my friends’ loyalty? Are you going to be a good guy now?”

Graves snorted, a small smile appearing on his face. “Hardly. If you’re expecting me to give up my work…”

“I know the monster that lurks under your skin. I’m not afraid of who you are. Jagged edges and all.”

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