“Does that mean ‘long’ or something?”
“Sure does.”
“Crossing on a ferry?”
“Bridge.”
Isahn nodded. It was a long, narrow lake, but still a wider distance than he’d ever seen spanned by construction, even by something earthshaper-made. A few moments of silence passed, during which he unabashedly watched the princess riding up ahead. He was pretty sure Hildy was keeping an eye on both of “her” men.
“Why are you riding with me? Wouldn’t you rather join the group?” Isahn asked.
“To guard you.”
He looked at her incredulously, expecting a laugh, but Hildy scowled at Dunstan’s arse—or maybe she was glaring at Burke’s.
Ah, I see.Isahn wasn’t so certain that she had been assigned to his side at all. Overnight, the other men seemed to have become best friends, teaming up against—rather than fawning over—the brunette.
He let his gaze float back to George in the middle. The set of her shoulders was regal, even while riding with friends. He trailed down over her ample curves, the pinch of her waist, and the swell of her shapely hips. Her riding coat was a pale blue that matched the skies.
“Did George permit you to do that?” Hildy asked, a bit too loud.
Isahn cleared his throat as he snapped his attention to Hildy and narrowed his eyes.
“Did I permit what?” George called over her shoulder as she slowed her mount, letting Dunstan and Burke carry on ahead.
“Nothing,” Isahn snapped, earning a pointed look from George and a chuckle from Hildy. “So, Hildy, what’s your role in all this?” he asked, unable to figure out if she was just a friend, a soldier, some sort of advisor, or even a guard.
“For George?”
“She’s my best friend.” George’s husky voice cut in, worn and saturated, like the aftermath of a storm.
“And future advisor,” Hildy added.
“That too, not sure which one’s more important.” George’s shoulders lifted.
“Are you a soldier?” Isahn figured he’d try to get the women to answer a few of his burning questions: Namely, who were the princess’s friends? And, what relation were they all to one another?
Hildy bobbed her head. “I trained as a legionary for five years before officially joining Georgie’s private guard.”
Private guard, soldier, future advisor, friend.He’d been right on all accounts. “And what of those two?” He tipped his chin toward the men up ahead.
“Dunstan’s a rich boy.” Hildy snorted. “His parents are the Lord and Lady Morelli. They’ve got money, he grew up in and around the capital, but his father’s not a viceroy.”
Viceroys in Domos were comparable toeverytitle in Selwas, all rolled into one, but especially the dukedoms and earldoms. He supposed the closest thing to being a non-viceroyal Domossan lord or lady would be to be a baron back home. But even that wasn’t a direct match since the Selwassan baronies still had a vote.
“Dunstan did his time as a legionary. Now he’s a member of my guard. And Burke, well, he was orphaned as a child, that’s no secret. I helped him get into the military when he turned fourteen, and he joined my guard when he was twenty,” George concluded.
“You do yourself an injustice,” Hildy interjected.
“I—”
“How so?” Isahn asked, sounding intrigued.
“Burke was down at the wharf and got caught stealing food. George stepped in and saved his life.”
“No, no,” George interrupted, and Isahn swung his gaze her way. Her cheeks blazed a deep burgundy. “I was selfish. I was having aperfectlylovely day by the lake. A hanging would’ve wrecked it. So I stepped in. Selfish.”
Hildy chortled as her horse clopped along. “Or with Ean—”
