Thorn Queen Page 0,72

quickly motioned them down. Unfastening his cloak-it appeared to be navy in the moonlight-he spread it on the ground and sat beside me.

"Well, well, a party, and no one invited me."

"It was kind of impromptu," I said, reaching over to pour him a shot. My hand trembled as I held the bottle.

Dorian took it from me and finished pouring. He eyed me carefully. "And yet, it appears to have been going on for some time."

"Yes. We're toasting the birth of the next king or queen of the Willow Land."

"So I've heard, which is why I came to see how the news was received here." Dorian tossed back the tequila. His eyebrows rose in surprise at the taste, but it didn't stop him from pouring another. "And don't presume her child will inherit. It all depends on strength and power."

His words reminded me distantly of Leith's own inheritance problems, which then reminded me of Leith's declaration of love. Ugh. I'd probably killed our one chance at engineering help. Well, that was a concern for another day. "How'd you get here so fast?" I asked Dorian.

"Not that fast. I heard hours ago."

Hours ago. Dorian had found out before I had. Probably everyone had. Who was I, after all? Certainly no one who was connected to this birth. I was just another monarch who'd be expected to send jewels or tapestries when the baby was born. I poured another shot, but Shaya reached for it.

"May I have another?" She wasn't a fan of this stuff, but I had a feeling she wanted to stop me from drinking any more. Oh, well. There appeared to be about one more shot in the bottle-though Dorian beat me to that one too.

"You'll make yourself sick," I warned, reaching for the bottle. Only a few drops poured into my cup.

"I'll take my chances. This is a fascinating substance."

"It comes from cacti," I said helpfully, hoping it might deter him from that last shot. It didn't.

"Intriguing," he said after downing it. "You should try producing it here. I'm certain a number of people would trade for it."

I couldn't be certain in the near-darkness, but it looked like Shaya rolled her eyes.

Part of me resented Dorian's presence, though I had to admit that he did a good job in keeping the subject away from Maiwenn and Kiyo. That didn't stop me from thinking about them, of course, but I couldn't help but smile as he entertained the others. Whether it was part of being a king or just something inherently Dorian, he had a powerful charisma about him that could make everyone laugh and stay captivated. With my social reticence, his were skills I admired-and occasionally envied.

As the night wore on, though, I could feel the tequila's effects lessening a little. That wasn't to say I still wasn't drunk as hell; I'd taken down half that bottle myself. But, I wanted to go to bed while I was still in that delirious haze. It didn't stop me from feeling down over Kiyo, but I had to imagine being sober would be worse.

Everyone stood up when I did, and I felt my legs struggle for balance. "Let me assist you," said Shaya, reaching toward me. Dorian intervened before she could help.

"No, no. Allow me to guide the Thorn Queen to her room. I'd like a few words." Ysabel's face darkened at this, and he gave her a chastising look. "Oh, stop it. I'll come to you shortly-provided Eugenie will allow me to stay overnight in her castle."

"Sure, sure," I said. "Come on over. Make yourself at home. Pick out curtains."

He extended his arm to me, and I decided the indignity of letting Dorian guide me was less than that of me falling over in front of my servants. Ysabel's eyes followed us furiously, and I couldn't blame her. If my boyfriend were taking a drunk woman to her bedroom, I'd be pissed too.

"It was very high-handed of you to think I needed your moral support," I told him once we were out of earshot of the others.

"Right. You only need the moral support of a bottle," he teased. "Be honest, Eugenie. Your lover's at the side of a former lover, eagerly awaiting the birth of their child. I'd be distressed as well."

"Nothing distresses you," I grumbled. We reached my room, and he followed me in without invitation.

"Plenty of things do," he said. He frowned, ever so slightly, and it occurred to me he was none too sober himself.

I let go