Hil nodded. “He was almost back, Georgie. Just a few missing pieces he wanted fixed.”
Georgie returned her attention to her earl, tracing his stubbled jawline, watching his eyes move rapidly behind his closed lids. “He’s dreaming.”
“Good, that means we probably didn’t break him.”
“Shut up, Burke.” Wynnie beat George to the scolding, so George slapped him on the arm with an invisible palm to express her frustration.
Hildy snorted, and Dunstan chortled, likely at Burke’s reaction. George wasn’t looking; solely focused on Isahn’s peaceful face, she ran her fingertip over his luscious lips.
Wake up,she pleaded.
“Georgie,” Hildy began, in a clear attempt to distract her, “how did you know which inn we were going to stay at on our way south?”
George glanced over and laughed. Isahn twitched, and her eyes snapped back to his face.Still asleep.She may as well give in to the distraction her friends offered. “Every single inn in eastern Gramenia is sitting on a copy of an identical note from Mira to Melody.”
“Tenacity,” Hildy complimented, her eyes alight.
“So, um,” Burke began, “where’s the tapestry?”
Hildy held up a finger before ducking from the room. When she returned a breath later, she was unwrapping a rather padded package in her arms. “It’s a book. Therewasan actual tapestry on the wall, but it turns out this is what we needed. Also, the wall hanging burned.”
Wynnie blinked, waiting for more information.
“We’ll explain that later.” Hil pointed to Isahn, then lifted the unwrapped text. “This is more interesting. Trust me.”
“Let me see,” George demanded.
Hildy passed it off with alacrity, her shoulders relaxing with it out of her hands.
George forced her focus onto the ancient book. Hil mentioned it wasn’t a wall hanging in her letter, but the actual artifact was gorgeous. It was bound in thick dark leather, embossed, and inlaid with an array of tiny stones. She spotted heartstone, diamond, lapis lazuli, a tiger’s eye, ruby, onyx, tourmaline, and so many more. It was expertly crafted and very, very old.
“That looks pixie-made,” Ean commented as he settled down on George’s shoulder.
“Are you going to open it?” Burke grumbled.
A glance confirmed that all her friends had crowded around the bed. She snorted as she looked from face to face. They all eyed her expectantly, aside from Isahn, who slept on, and Hildy, whose tan face bore a smirk.
George flipped open the book.
Burke crowded over the pages like a child picking through a bowl of candied fruits for the cherries.
Wynnie shoved his head out of the way.
Dunstan and Adda, the tallest of the group, had gone to the other side of the bed and leaned over Isahn for a glimpse of the book.
“I can’t read a single word,” Dunstan proclaimed.
“Terrible penmanship,” Burke added.
“It’s Old Selwassan,” Hildy explained, “according to Isahn and his sister.”
Burke huffed and retreated a smidge.
“Could they make sense of it?” Wynnie asked, peering over George’s right shoulder.
“Only a bit, enough to learn something critical.”
“What?” George barked, not willing to play games. She wanted information.
