Storm Born Page 0,137

as you've known the kitsune, and I daresay you think you're in love with him. Your little foray that night demonstrated as much. By the gods, that was one of the most foolish things I've ever witnessed. You stopped breathing. I thought you were dead."

I heard the catch in his voice, and it really struck me that he just might love me after all. It gave me a strange feeling, one I didn't know how to cope with. Dorian loving a person was almost incomprehensible. I thought of him as loving only his own amusements and ambitions.

"I do love Kiyo," I said in a low voice. "And if we can work it out...I'm going to - "

He shrugged, carefree and lax again. "It doesn't matter. I don't mind sharing you."

"You told Aeson you don't share."

"As a general rule, no - and certainly not with the likes of him - but I don't think you'll give me exclusivity, so I must compromise."

"There isn't going to be any exclusivity or compromise."

"So you say. You also said you'd never come to my bed in the first place. Or that you'd ever use magic. You probably said a dozen other things too. We all saw how those turned out."

"Stop it. I'm serious about this."

"And so am I. You're a queen now. You control part of this world. Ally with me, and we'll be the greatest power since your father."

"I don't want the power or the Alder Land."

"It's the Thorn Land now."

"I - what?"

"The land conformed itself to you. The Alder Land was Aeson's domain. Yours is the Thorn Land. You're the Thorn Queen."

"The smokethorn," I recalled. If someone tried to force a crown of thorns on me, that was going to be seriously fucked up.

"Very fitting actually. A tree covered in beauty yet possessing a sharp and deadly core."

I shook my head. "I don't care about metaphors. I don't want to rule this kingdom."

He moved into my space, something passionate kindling in those gold-green eyes. "So what? You think you can just ignore it? Pretend it'll go away? The land conformed itself to your will! You can't turn away from that. Its survival depends on you - particularly since, for reasons only the gods know, you turned it into a wasteland."

I faltered. "Well...I'll get one of those people...you know, someone who rules in your place..."

"A regent? That'll only work for so long. You can't avoid the land. You have to come back and visit it, or it will die. You're connected now."

"I didn't want this, Dorian." I felt tired. Maybe getting up hadn't been such a good idea after all. "You shouldn't have done it."

"We'll have to agree to disagree on that, but I'll do what I can to make amends. Take Shaya. She'd make an excellent regent. And I'll give you Rurik and Nia and any other servants you seem to like reasonably well."

"I don't really like Rurik."

"No, but he'll be as loyal as that dog I just had. More so, actually, considering what an unreasonable little bastard it was. Rurik will sift through what's left of Aeson's guard and keep only those who'll support you."

"You mean who support Storm King."

"It's the best I can do," he said with a shrug. "You may take it or not. And you'll still have to fill other positions yourself. Nia will do nicely for a lady-in-waiting, but she's not quite up to being a seneschal. You'll need one of those. And a herald too."

He spoke like he was reciting things I needed to pick up at the grocery store. "Oh, God. I'm trapped in the fucking Chronicles of Narnia."

"I'm sure that would be an amusing reference, if I understood it. For now, I can do no more. I'm giving up some of my favorites for you. The rest is in your hands." There was a smile on his face, but his eyes were serious. "No matter what you think of me and my motivations, I swear to you I wouldn't have had you seize Aeson's land if I didn't think you were worthy. There's power burning inside of you, Eugenie. I meant it when I said you'd surpass us all."

I shook my head and turned away, unable to hear this. "I'm leaving now. I really don't want to see you again. Nothing personal. Well, yeah, actually it is." I started walking toward the door.

"What about your magic lessons?"

I froze. "What about them?"

"Don't you want to continue them?"

I slowly turned around. "I have some control now. Not