by James Wisher
If she was going back on their deal there was nothing to keep Damien from snitching a couple rolls. He concentrated and a pair of rolls flew across the kitchen and into his waiting hands.
“How many times have I told you to leave my rolls alone?” The cook waved a wooden spoon at him.
Damien waved back and led Salem toward the guest quarters. He handed her a steaming roll and bit into his. He sighed as sweet, yeasty, buttery perfection melted in his mouth. Of all the things he’d missed, honey rolls were near the top of the list.
“These are wonderful,” Salem said. “I’ve never tasted anything like them. I don’t think that woman was very happy with you stealing them.”
“It’s an old game and we’ve been playing it for years. I’m not certain where we’ll find Dale, the castle seneschal, but you can rest in my room until we track him down. There’s always several empty rooms in case of unexpected visitors.”
“I wouldn’t want to put anyone to any trouble.”
“It’s no trouble. Handling things like this is Dale’s job. My friend John’s around here somewhere. He’s a gift for healing as well. I bet you two would hit it off.” They reached the door to Damien’s room and he pushed it open. He conjured light globes, filling the room with golden radiance. Everything looked just the same as he left it. “Be it ever so humble.”
“Excuse me?”
“Nothing.” Damien waved her over to the room’s lone chair and sat on the edge of the bed. “Hopefully, in time, you’ll come to think of the kingdom as home.”
Chapter 50
Karrie and John sat at the dining room table in the royal apartment putting the finishing touches on their plan for Damien’s party. Her parents had loved the idea and so had Jen when she received Karrie’s message. Even Fredric had agreed to come. John had flown them over from The Citadel just that morning. Everything was pretty much set, they just had to decide on the menu.
A knock sounded on the door. John opened it and a servant was waiting outside. She bobbed a curtsy. “He’s back, Princess.”
All the servants knew she was anxious to hear when Damien returned so Karrie didn’t need to ask who. She beamed a smile at the girl. “Thank you so much. Where is he?”
“I passed him headed to his room. Princess—”
“I should go say hello.” Karrie brushed past the servant, walking toward Damien’s room as fast as decorum allowed. John was still talking with the servant, probably flirting. The man couldn’t seem to help himself. Not that any of the ladies minded. They all giggled and smiled whenever he paid them the least attention.
John caught up to her halfway to Damien’s room. “Maybe we shouldn’t bother him right now. He’s probably tired after his mission.”
Karrie waved him off. “I won’t stay long. I just want to poke my head in.”
John shook his head and fell in beside her. It took only a minute to reach Damien’s door. Karrie straightened her dress and hair then knocked. The door opened a moment later revealing an exhausted-looking Damien. He mustered a weak smile. “Princess, John.”
Karrie wasn’t listening. Her gaze was focused on the pretty brunette sitting in the chair beside Damien’s bed. Apparently he wasn’t too tired to bring a girl back to his quarters. Why was it every time he returned from a mission he was being overly friendly with a different beautiful girl? First Lane and now this…person.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Karrie said.
“I was. You weren’t listening. This is Salem. She was a sorcerer on the ships from the Old Empire. Salem, this is Princess Karrie and my best friend, John Kord.”
Salem offered a hesitant smile. “Hello. Damien has been very kind to me since the dragon sank our ships. Perhaps we could talk about healing sometime.”
Beside her John brightened. “You studied healing as well? I’d love to hear about the Old Empire’s techniques.”
“I don’t know that I could show you anything you don’t already know, but it would be nice to chat.”
“How about right now?” Karrie grabbed Damien’s wrist and dragged him out of the room. “We need to catch up anyway.”
“Good idea.” John eyed the girl like a hungry shark.
Damien dug in his heels and Karrie couldn’t budge him. “Go easy, John. It’s been a long few days.”
His voice held an edge Karrie hadn’t heard before. John must have noticed it too. His expression softened. “Kid gloves, Damien, no worries.”
Damien nodded and turned his gaze to Salem. “I won’t be long.”
She smiled. “I’m sure we’ll be fine. Take your time.”
Damien let Karrie pull him down the hall. He was awfully protective of the girl. Was she yet more competition? Karrie wanted to scream. Damien collected pretty girls like a garbage bin collected flies. How come she was the only one he didn’t show any interest in?
When they moved out of earshot Damien pulled away from her. “What was that about?”
“I find you alone in your room with a strange girl and you ask me what it’s about?”
“I don’t see that it’s any of your business who I bring to my room. You act like you own me. Let me make this clear: you don’t.”
Karrie couldn’t have been more stunned if he’d slapped her. Damien turned to leave. She grabbed his arm and spun him around. “What about your precious Lizzy? Will you cheat on her with anyone as long as it isn’t me?”
His expression darkened. Karrie didn’t care. She was sick of being ignored. “John told me about her. How you loved her so much I didn’t have any hope of winning you over. Looks like you don’t love her so much after all.”
“You stuck up, arrogant brat. Salem’s in a strange place, surrounded by strange people. Four hours ago I had to stop her sister from killing her by blasting a hole in the deluded woman’s head. I dug a grave for her in a pine grove in the middle of The Great Green. I’m the only friend she has in the kingdom. What did you want me to do, leave her in the entry hall with a note around her neck asking Dale to find her a room?”
Karrie didn’t know if she’d ever seen Damien so angry. After hearing everything that had happened over the last few days she didn’t blame him. She’d seen him alone with a girl and spoke without thinking. It was getting to be a bad habit where he was concerned.
Damien yanked his arm free and stalked back toward his room. Karrie ran after him.
“I’m sorry. Damien, please, I’m sorry. I overreacted, jumped to conclusions. I didn’t mean it.”
He stopped and spun to face her. “That’s the problem. You did mean it. You meant every word. It’s like you imagine if you say or do something I’ll fall head over heels for you. I’ll forget about everything and everyone else I care about and focus all my attention on you. Well, I won’t. Even if I liked you the way you want me to I wouldn’t suddenly abandon everyone else.”
Did she really think that way? When it came to Damien, Karrie guessed she did. She obsessed over him every minute despite the fact that he only liked her as a friend, and at this point she wasn’t entirely certain he even liked her that way. She had to do something to change his mind.
“I’d like to meet her. Lizzy, I mean.”
Damien just looked at her. “What?”
“Please, I want to see what it is that makes you care about her so much. Your father is visiting Daddy and I put him in the room next to yours. Maybe you could borrow the sword and introduce me.”
“Are you serious?”
Desperate times and all that. “Yes. I know I’ve done some things that annoyed you. Well, more than annoyed you. I thought maybe if I understood what you like a little better it would improve our relationship.”
Damien sighed. “All right. If she’s in the room next door that’s close enough for a psychic projection. If you really want to meet her come to my room after Dad and Uncle Andy finish telling war stories. I should have Salem settled in her own room by then.”
Karrie almost danced in place. He’d invite
d her to his room. Just the two of them, more or less. Finally she’d have a chance to convince him, show him how much she loved him. Even better if she could convince the spirit that she’d be a better partner for Damien. If she won Lizzy over they could convince Damien to do the right thing.
“Daddy’s not much of a night owl. Around nine sound good?”
Damien nodded and left her smiling in the hall.
Chapter 51
Damien lay on his soft mattress and stared at the ceiling. Tired as he was he found he couldn’t sleep. To say Karrie’s request to meet Lizzy had surprised him would be an understatement. He hoped the princess didn’t do something stupid, like demand Lizzy give him up so he could marry her. He didn’t think Lizzy would hurt her, but in the psychic world Lizzy was queen. He’d try his best to keep the peace.
At least he’d gotten Salem settled in. Dale had found her a room four doors down from Damien so if she had any troubles or questions he was only a short walk away. After dinner she’d pleaded exhaustion and turned in for the night.
A creak sounded outside and a moment later Damien was floating in the night sky with Lizzy. They wasted no words, but rushed together and shared a kiss. When they came up for air Lizzy had covered herself in black silks. Damien just looked at her, reveling in the fact that they were together again. Heaven’s mercy, it had been too long.
“Far too long,” Lizzy said, reading his mind as was her habit. “I wish there was something to be done about that.”
“You and me both. I have a favor to ask.”
“Anything, you know that.”
“Karrie wants to meet you. She’s gotten it in her head that she loves me and she’s hoping you can teach her how to get me to love her back. At least that’s the impression I got. Maybe she just wants to check out the competition. I’ve tried telling her every way I can think of that there’s no competition. I love you and no one else. I’m hoping if we both tell her maybe she’ll listen.”
Lizzy tapped her chin with a black lacquered talon. “I haven’t brought a woman here in many years. I don’t suppose it could hurt. The last royal I spoke to was back in the Old Empire about five hundred years ago. It should be interesting to see what a modern princess is like. When will she be here?”
“We said nine, but I have no idea what time it is.”
“Another ten minutes. We could play for a while.” Her silks vanished, her wings lashed, and she flew through the endless night. Damien followed right behind.
Lizzy stopped in mid-flight only minutes later, a little frown creasing her features. “She’s early.”
Damien sighed and found himself back in his physical body. Probably just as well Karrie arrived when she did. If Lizzy had let him catch her Damien would have lost all interest in dealing with the princess. He heaved himself out of bed just as her knock sounded.
Damien opened the door and found Karrie standing there, her fist raised for another blow. She’d changed out of her frilly dress and into a thin, loose-fitting top and billowy pants. “Pajamas?”
“What? This is sort of like a sleepover, right?”
Damien massaged the bridge of his nose and stepped aside to let her in. She brushed past him and sat on the bed, feet tucked up under her legs. “Do your parents know you’re here?”
She nodded. “They both think us being a couple is a good idea. Anything that advances that cause is okay with them.”
Damien did her the courtesy of not checking to see whether she’d lied. It wasn’t worth the argument. “I doubt this will take long, but you might as well get comfortable.”
She slid across the bed and lay on her side facing him, smiling. “Just think, you could end every day like this if you played your cards right.”
He lay on his back beside her, arms crossed. “Ready?”
She put an arm across his chest and rested her head on his shoulder. “Ready.”
Damien closed his eyes and opened them in Lizzy’s world. She floated five feet away from Damien and Karrie, wings flared wide open and naked as was her preference. Beside him Karrie gaped. He knew how she felt, Lizzy still filled him with awe. The princess was so stunned she hadn’t even noticed they were standing in midair.
Damien found himself shifted fifteen feet away from Karrie. The princess squeaked in surprise then fell silent as Lizzy flew closer and circled her. When she’d finished her survey Lizzy turned to Damien. “Not bad looking for a mortal. Does she not tempt you?”
Damien grinned. “I’m seventeen. All women tempt me, but I only love one.”
Lizzy smiled his favorite smile, the one that made him want to get rid of Karrie right that second. Lizzy turned her attention back to the princess. “And you? You claim to love my sweet Damien.”
Karrie brought her chin up, every inch the proud princess. “I do love him. I’ve loved him since we were little. I can do things for him you can’t. I can take care of him when he’s sick, give him a family. I think we’d be a good match.”
“Perhaps. I can’t disagree with the family part of your argument though if he were sick I could heal him with my power. I’ve told him often enough that he can’t stay with me in this world. It’s not good for mortals long term.”
“Would you give us your blessing?” Karrie sounded hopeful.
Damien tried to understand what Lizzy was doing. He thought the plan was to tell Karrie to forget about him not get her hopes up.
Lizzy flew over behind him and wrapped her wings around him. “Unfortunately I’m not willing to give him up.”
Damien slumped with relief.
“You don’t have to. I’m not greedy. We can share him.”
Now it was Damien’s turn to stare. What was she thinking?
Lizzy laughed and flew back to Karrie. She got so close their faces were only inches apart. “Hmmm. Now that’s something I haven’t done in centuries.” She traced the princess’s cheek with a long fingernail. “It might be fun. I suspect Damien would enjoy it.”
Karrie hurried to put some distance between her and Lizzy. “No, no, not what I meant. You can have Damien here whenever you want, I won’t complain. After all, you only see him when Fredric’s here or Damien visits The Citadel. In the real world he agrees to marry me, saving me from having to deal with a bunch of greedy noble boys that are only interested in getting at the throne.”
Lizzy tapped her finger against her chin. “That’s not a terrible idea. I’m not the jealous type and it might be good for Damien to have a flesh-and-blood woman in his life.”
Damien had heard enough. “Is anyone interested in what I think?”
“We both know what you think.” Lizzy turned her attention to Karrie. “Excuse us a moment, dear.”
Karrie vanished, leaving Damien and Lizzy alone. Lizzy flew over and touched his cheek. “She makes a good point. The princess is terrified she’ll end up married to someone that will take advantage of her. I don’t know if she actually loves you or if she just trusts you to treat her kindly and with respect. Her thoughts on the matter are all jumbled up.”
“What do you want me to do?” Damien asked.
“The same thing I always want you to do, whatever will make you happy. You have this adorable notion that I’ll be offended if you enjoy any of the many women in your life. What I told the princess is the truth. I don’t get jealous. I’ve lived for millennia, done things you couldn’t even begin to imagine, many of them so horrific if I told you it would sicken you. I can’t and won’t judge your choices. There’s nothing you could do that would shock me or make me stop loving you. Live your life to the fullest. It’s so terribly short.”
Chapter 52
Karrie blinked and sat up. She was a little stiff though they hadn’t been very long. Having met Lizzy, Karrie now understood what interested Damien about the demon sprit. The whole experience had seemed so real. And when she’d stroked Karrie’s cheek. She shivered. Down that path lay nothing good.
Damien sat up beside her. When he looked at her she saw somet
hing new in his eyes, sadness maybe. What brought that on?
“So what did you think of her?” Damien asked.
“Stunning is the first word that comes to mind. It’s like someone took every feminine quality, combined them, and amplified them by ten. I suspect if you surveyed every man in the kingdom and turned the results into a person she’d look like Lizzy.”
“I suspect you’re right. You should have seen the look on your face when she touched your cheek. That alone made the visit worthwhile.”
Karrie touched her cheek. “It felt real.”
“It was real. Out here everything you experience is filtered through your five senses to your brain. In her world the senses are bypassed and your mind is stimulated directly. In a lot of ways it’s a more intense experience. Sometimes when I return after a visit, the real world feels sort of flat and washed out. I think that’s why she doesn’t want me to spend too much time with her.”
“I meant what I said, about sharing you. I doubt you’ll get a better offer.”
“This isn’t an auction, and I’m not for sale.” Damien sighed and swung his legs off the bed. “Are you really that scared of marrying one of the nobles’ sons?”
“Scared? Who said I was scared?” Her denial didn’t even sound believable in her own ears.
“Lizzy. She can read the minds of anyone in her psychic range and if you enter her world your thoughts are an open book. She said you may have mixed up loving me with fearing them.”
Karrie hopped off the bed and stalked around the little room. She spun to face Damien. “My feelings for you are real. I won’t deny being with you would solve my other problems, but that’s a bonus. There are a lot of things I’d like from you, but one thing I won’t accept is your pity.”
He smiled a sort of sad half-smile. “Fair enough. Do you want me to walk you to your room?”
