Chapter Seventy-One: Lorcan's Binding and Graves's Confession
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
After retrieving the spear and depositing it in the vault, Kierse struggles with the persistent soulmate bond to Lorcan. Ethan and Gen suggest a triskel to link magic, but Kierse cannot access her powers. Graves insists she rest. While showering, Kierse breaks down, scrubbing away the physical traces of her ordeal. She emerges and finds Graves carving wooden birds. She tells him the full story: the Curator is Jason, her former mentor who faked his death and has been siphoning her magic for years. Jason knows the identity of the Fae Killer and likely created other wisps. Kierse explains she escaped iron chains by phasing—a rare ability—but Lorcan then bound her. Graves admits he has tried to trick her absorption by making his magic feel like her own. Kierse questions whether he altered the bond or compelled her love. Graves confesses he was tempted but chose to earn her trust without manipulation. He vows to use the cauldron to undo the binding.
Key Events
- The group returns to the brownstone with the spear, but the soulmate bond to Lorcan remains strong.
- Ethan and Gen propose linking magic via a triskel; Kierse refuses because she cannot touch her own power and fears connecting to Lorcan.
- Kierse showers repeatedly, crying and scrubbing herself raw, overwhelmed by the violation of the binding.
- Graves is found carving bird figurines, a calming practice from his Druid days.
- Kierse reveals that the Curator is Jason, her old mentor who faked his death and has been siphoning her ability.
- Jason knows the Fae Killer’s identity; Kierse has a blocked memory of her parents’ murder but cannot access it due to the binding.
- Kierse describes how she phased out of iron chains, a power the Unseelie Queen Saoirse developed only after a century.
- Lorcan used the binding to kidnap her while her magic was drained.
- Graves confesses that he can get past Kierse’s absorption by tricking her magic into recognizing his as her own.
- Kierse asks if Graves altered the bond or compelled her love; he denies it and explains that he chose to win her trust honestly.
- Graves promises to try the cauldron to break Lorcan’s binding.
Character Development
- Kierse: Grapples with a new level of powerlessness. She has spent twenty years bound by magic; now, after six months of freedom, she is trapped again. Her breakdown in the shower demonstrates vulnerability, but she resolves to cry, embrace her stolen agency, and then fight back. Her trust in Graves is tested when she learns he tried to bypass her absorption, but she ultimately decides to believe he acted without malice.
- Graves: Confesses his deepest temptation and his restraint. He admits he could have compelled Kierse and others but chose not to, valuing earned affection over stolen loyalty. This marks a significant shift for a character who has manipulated minds for five centuries. His promise to use the cauldron shows he is willing to risk anything to help Kierse.
- Lorcan (off-page): Remains a controlling antagonist who uses the soulmate bond to possess Kierse. His actions drive the chapter’s emotional core, though he does not appear directly.
- Jason (Curator): Is fully unmasked as a long-term villain who faked his death, siphoned Kierse’s power, and likely created other wisps. His knowledge of the Fae Killer makes him a key threat.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Bonds and Agency: The soulmate binding is a literal and thematic chain. Kierse’s inability to remove it mirrors past magical constraints in her life. The chapter contrasts forced connection (Lorcan) with chosen trust (Graves).
- Water and Cleansing: The scalding shower represents Kierse’s attempt to wash away Lorcan’s presence. She scrubs until raw, yet the spiritual residue remains, symbolizing how trauma cannot be simply erased.
- Birds and Carving: Graves’s hobby of carving birds connects to the recurring motif of avian imagery (wren, raven). The wren necklace Kierse no longer wears once comforted her; now she must find comfort elsewhere. The figurines represent patience and creation as a coping mechanism.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point for Kierse’s relationship with Graves and her understanding of her own magic. Jason’s survival redefines the conspiracy around her, expanding the villain count and raising the stakes. Graves’s confession about his mind powers deepens the trust theme, forcing Kierse to accept him despite his dark abilities. The introduction of phasing and the possibility of other wisps hints at Kierse’s untapped potential. Finally, the promise of the cauldron offers a glimmer of hope to break Lorcan’s binding, setting up the next phase of the story.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Kierse refuse the triskel linking magic with Ethan and Gen?
Kierse cannot access her own magic because Lorcan’s binding drained her abilities. Even if they attempted a triskel, the link would connect to Lorcan through the soulmate bond, which she and Graves refuse to allow.
2. What new ability does Kierse display, and why is it significant?
Kierse “phases” to escape iron chains. This ability was previously associated with the Unseelie Queen Saoirse, who only achieved it after a hundred years. Kierse’s early manifestation suggests extraordinary magical potential and ties her lineage to powerful fae.
3. How does Graves’s confession about his mind power affect Kierse’s trust in him?
Graves admits he can trick Kierse’s absorption to enter her mind, and that he tried but failed. Initially unsettled, Kierse questions whether he altered the bond or her feelings. Graves insists he did not and explains that he chose to earn her love honestly. Kierse accepts this, reaffirming her choice of Graves over Lorcan.