Thorn Queen Page 0,100

blade and tapped the end. "I can work iron into the tip here, and it shouldn't harm the Oak King so long as he's holding the hilt. It also shouldn't affect his ability to control the rest of the blade." As a master of the earth and its contents, Dorian could infuse copper and sometimes bronze blades with magical heat.

"But the tip will be deadly to his enemies," I said. The idea to work iron into it had been mine.

"Considerably. I can begin production right away, but I'll need to get an understanding of his current sword's balance before I can finalize this one."

"He'll be here tomorrow. You can talk to him then." Dorian too had offered to help oust my demons.

"Excellent. And Mistress Shaya tells me you have the materials here that I could use, if I have your permission to do so. Otherwise, I can return to my workshop in the Rowan Land."

I shook my head. "No, no. Use whatever you need here."

His lips twitched in a wry smile. "That's probably just as well. Were I to return home...well, I suspect my lord prince would spend days asking me about you."

I sighed. "Is he still upset about that?"

"He was, forgive me, quite heartbroken over your rejection of the gift and of him."

"I didn't want that. I liked him-still do. I just wanted us to be friends."

"In my experience, your majesty, men and women often have difficulty with that. It's not impossible-but not always easy."

I thought about Dorian. "That's for damned sure. Well, thank you for this, and let me know if there's anything I can do to help with it. But seriously-don't go work on it now. Go back to that party. Drink up. Flirt with Shaya. She could use a good guy."

Girard erupted into laughter. It was a rich, honey-filled sound. "I treasure my neck too much to risk the captain of your guards wringing it."

It took me a moment to catch on. "Who, Rurik? He doesn't like Shaya...not that way, at least. She's too, I don't know, refined. He only goes after trashy kitchen girls."

Girard merely shrugged.

"I'm serious!" I wasn't sure why this astounded me so much. "They might seem close, but it's because they work together. They're just friends."

Girard flashed another grin. "Didn't you just hear what I said about men and women being friends?" He dared a wink and bowed again. "Until tomorrow, your majesty."

I watched him go, that flamboyant red cape swirling around him. I was still in disbelief. Shaya and Rurik? No, it was ridiculous. I was certain she had no interest in him, and if he did want her, it was only for the same cheap reasons he wanted any woman. She was too smart for that.

"You give my lord gifts yet still claim no interest."

I turned and saw Ysabel standing near a corner in the hall. She'd apparently overheard my conversation with Girard. Did this woman have nothing to do except lurk in halls and wait for me? "He's done a lot of favors for me lately. It's the only way I can really repay him."

"No doubt there are other ways you could repay him," she said snidely.

I started to give the "friends" line but had already had enough of that with Girard. "Please, I don't want to go through this same old song and dance. And you know, we both fulfilled our side of the deal with Dorian. I let you teach me. You're free. He's coming here tomorrow to help with the demon problem. Go home with him afterward."

Those big blue eyes widened in surprise. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would you let me go?"

"Because you don't want to be here. You gave me the foundation of what I need to know, and I've been building on it pretty quickly." With a shiver, I recalled how I'd nearly suffocated that gentry in my yard. That had been intentional. I had no accident excuses as I'd had with her. It was probably something I shouldn't mention to her quite yet. As it was, she looked troubled enough.

"Yes...you have learned quickly. The magic burns so strongly in you, I don't think it needs much of an excuse to burst out. You really are like Storm King."

"Did you know him?" I asked curiously. I was always conflicted on hearing about him. Part of me wanted nothing to do with him, yet the other part longed to know more.

"I wouldn't say 'know,'" she mused. "My father was one of his bodyguards, so I saw Storm