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 invited 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.