“Listen to me. Stellonlovesyou. And you love him.”
Her head shook a little, and she tried to turn away, but I held her in place.
“You’ve always loved him,onlyhim. While you were in my castle, all your thoughts were of getting back to Stellon.”
Raewyn had stopped struggling, going still.
“Back to Stellon,” she repeated, her voice sounding dazed, and her eyes glazing over in inevitable obedience.
My own voice cracked, but I kept going.
“And now your dreams have come true. You’re home at Seaspire. You’re going to walk away and go inside those walls and be reunited with your true love.”
“True love,” she whispered.
“Yes. You’re going to have everything you’ve ever wanted and be loved every day for the rest of your life… for eternity.”
By me as well as my brother, though he’d be the one with the privilege of actually being with her.
“And you’ll be happy,” I said. “Do you hear me, Raewyn?Happy.”
She nodded dutifully, her beautiful face blurring as bitter tears filled my eyes.
“Happy with Stellon,” she said, and I felt one leak out and roll down my face.
“Now say it. Tell me you love Stellon.”
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
So I intensified the compulsion.
“Tell me,” I ordered. “Repeat after me. ‘I love Stellon.’”
This time she did as she was told.
“I love Stellon,” she said, albeit weakly.
“Again. Like you mean it this time. I love Stellon.Say it.”
“I love Stellon,” she said in a stronger voice.
Hearing the words from her lips was nauseating. I felt like I might vomit.
Clenching a hand over my gut, I said, “Good.”
“Now when I tell you to, you’re going to turn around and walk, and you’re not going to stop until you’re standing in front of him,” I commanded.
“Try not to mention me if you can help it. If you can’t… if he demands an explanation for where you’ve been… I don’t know.You definitely shouldn’t tell him you had any desire to stay with me,” I said.
I thought for a second. “Tell them all I kidnapped you, and you escaped on a stolen horse or something. Tell them how…relievedand overjoyed you are to be away from me and back where you belong. They’ll find it easy enough to believe, especially Stellon.”
Raewyn gave a slow blink and nodded.
I stared down at her for another long moment before bending and pressing my lips to her forehead.
Then I removed my hands from her face and let them drop limply to my sides.
“Now go.”
