“Isahn was just telling us how he left hissisterin charge of the earldom while he’s away, did you know that?” Hildy asked with a wink.
George didnotknow that. It was likely part of why they’d decided to embrace his presence. Gods, if she didn’t respect it too.
Her father would never consider leaving the kingdom inherhands in his absence, let alone any other woman. Power rested with men in Domos and had for generations. There weren’t even female viceroys anymore. There had been, hundreds of years before. That faded with time and a string of misogynistic tyrants, culminating in her father’s horrid reign. Loath to pass his crown to adaughter,he made sure she knew it. He viewed women as nothing more than background decorations or the objects of his fleeting attention.
“Gustatiowill be in shortly,” Elio announced, entering the chamber and joining his wife on herlectus.
“What does that mean?” Isahn whispered.
“Gustatiois the pre-meal course. Appetizers?” George offered, absentmindedly twisting her still-wet hair into a long coil down her back.
“I can dry that for you,” Isahn murmured for her ears alone. “I meant to do it earlier. I’m sorry.”
“Please,” she replied softly. Elemental magic really was something else. She tried not to study him too closely as he helped, but he’d cleaned up nicely. It looked as though he’d borrowed a tunic from Burke, who was about the same width, if smaller in stature. The azure shirt complemented the earl’s sky blue eyes. She sighed at the confusion of feelings tumbling within her.
Isahn’s magic tickled her scalp as he drew the droplets from her curls. She could feel the weight coming off of her heavy hair as the coils sprang up into place to brush the tops of her shoulders rather than the bottoms of her shoulder blades. Isahn even pulled the dampness from the back of her dress beforehe sent a small orb of water across the room to plop, rather helpfully, into a thirsty-looking potted palm.
In the intimacy of the moment, George didn’t notice the room grow silent. But when the water splatted into the pot, someone clapped.
“I’m going to have to see that again,” Hildy gushed.
“That’s so neat.” Burke chuckled.
Waving a hand, Isahn’s cheeks reddened adorably. “Please, it’s nothing. I’m just a watercourser.”
“Are you a powerful one? Weak? Middling? What? I haven’t met any elementals.”
“Questions, Burke,” Hildy chided.
“It’s fine.” Isahn spoke through a smile. “I’m, uh, one of the more powerful water mages I’ve met.”
Everyone nodded, finding that easy enough to believe. It wasn’t like they had much to go on, but the darkening color of his face told her he was embarrassed from the attention. She didn’t think he was lying.
A tiny part of her still expected replies to her identity-verification missives saying she was off her rocker and no such lord existed. But it would be a few days before the other shoe would have the opportunity to drop, and George increasingly suspected it wasn’t coming.
Isahn continued, “Over the years, I think most of the noble families in Selwas became the most powerful ones. Or maybe it was the other way around.”
Hildy and George hummed their assent, then caught each other’s gaze and laughed.
“It’s the same in Domos,” Burke replied. “How else do you think I came to be friends withPrincessGeorgie?”
“Maybe because she rescued you from a life of poverty on the docks,” Hildy jabbed, then sniffed the air and frowned, pushing at Burke’s chest. “Oh, rude.”
“A treat for you, for those lies. I’m plenty powerful.”
She must’ve said something back with her magic because Burke rolled his eyes, then trailed his fingers down Hildy’s arm. Oddly, Dunstan didn’t so much as stiffen. He just moved his hand closer to her and caressed her thigh.
Beside George, Isahn made a small sound of surprise.
“Don’t ask, because I don’t know,” she mumbled.
He chuckled.
Dinner went on in the same fashion for several enjoyable hours, with everyone trading stories around the room. George translated the occasional term for Isahn, like dolmades.She explained that they were stuffed grape leaves, filled with rice, nuts, and herbs, before popping one directly into his mouth.
She hadn’t considered what she was doing before her hand was on the move. Luckily, his eyes crinkled at the corners as he bit into the food.
After dinner they lay around enjoyingcomissatio,a final selection of fine wines and whiskeys, all produced at Villa Manolay. George sighed heavily into her liquor as she decided, at long last, that it was time to get their group back on the road. It was time to gohome.
