“Isahn poked through it every night on our journey north, looking for any old words he could translate. It’shers, the ancient queen’s, we think. A journal. And it seems to go from Selwas to Domos with the owner.”
Wynnie gasped excitedly, and Hildy grinned.
“Whose?”
Wynnie and George both looked at Burke like he was an idiot.
“Oh! The one who put up the veil.”
“If I may...” Hildy reached for the book, and George lifted her hands away while Hil turned to a page not far from the end. “This is the start of the final entry.”
“It’s in a different hand.” George noticed immediately, despite the weathered pages.
“Look, right here.” Hildy pointed to the middle of the right side.
“This whole part is in Old Domossan,” Wynnie breathed.
“It’s what my father was looking for. It’s the full prophecy.” George grinned.
“Can I study the book, Princess?” Bouncing on her shoulder, Ean slipped excitedly and deeply into his elven brogue. He even called her by her proper title, a sure sign of his desire to get his hands on the critical relic.
She assented while her focus returned to the rise and fall of Isahn’s chest.
The book vanished in atinkle,and George pulled her knees back up to her chest since they were no longer needed as a pedestal.
Ean zipped from the room, and Wynnie closed the door after him before returning to the bedside.
“Ah, ah.” George held up a hand, stilling Wynnie’s path. “What are you doing?”
“We’re keeping you company,” Hildy replied.
George shook her head. “I have all the company I need right here.” She patted Isahn’s forearm.
Burke snickered.
“He needs to rest. Everybody out.” Her tone was pure princess, pure command.
Adda and Dunstan rounded the end of the bed as they made for the door, Burke following along.
“I can stay, help keep you distracted,” Hildy offered.
“Me too,” Wynnie agreed from where she stood by the door, a few feet to George’s right.
“We’refine.”
“We can wait in the sitting room.” Wynnie shrugged.
“We’re fine! Clear out.”
Hildy still hesitated, though Wynnie left.
“You said he remembered me before?”
Hil nodded.
“Even if this didn’t work—the mindmolding—we’ll be all right. Go. Go to your apartment or Dunstan’s. Tell Ean where you end up, and he’ll give you an update after I give him one.”
Hildy offered one last hopeful smile before leaving.
