With a sigh, she departed her bedroom and padded down the shady open-air corridor to Isahn’s room. Without raising a hand, she knocked with her magic.
“Come in,” he boomed.
“Good morning.” George slipped inside, closing the door behind her.
“What can I do for you, Princess Georgie?” Isahn glanced over his shoulder from where he stood at the end of his bed, packing his new wardrobe in a chest she’d also procured.
Georgie. Biting the tip of her tongue between her teeth, George fought a smile. “We have a big day ahead. I thought you might have some questions after last night.” She perched upon a low stool in the corner of his room.
“How’s it all possible? How does Gasparo get away with it? I know if Peros knew about Hepikoru, there’s no world in which he’d keep his big mouth shut. I know you said they use mindmolding, but is it that successful? Are there enough powerful mages to carry it out?”
George laughed morosely. “He uses his inner circle of wards, spies, shady viceroys, and whoever else he can force to do the mindmolding. Thereareenough mages to carry it out. But mostly, the veil does it for us.”
He lifted his brows in surprise.
“To get in and out of the capital without having all your recent memories wiped, you have to use a token and pass through the sole gate.”
“Let me guess, there aren’t many tokens and the gate’s closely guarded?”
“You’d be correct. It’s not a physical gate either. It’s invisible, just... out there on the water. Anyone who sees a boat go through forgets immediately.” George lifted the hem of herpallaand fished in the small pouch attached to her belt. Producing her token, she tossed it to Isahn.
He studied it, running his finger over the circle of raised dots on one side, turning it this way and that to study the worn star on the opposite side. “How does it work?”
As he handed it back, she trailed her fingertips over his warm skin for a blissful moment before taking her coin. “We have one each among my friends and me. As long as you’re making physical contact with it during the passage, you’ll be fine.”
“And your other friends inside? Ean and Adda?” Isahn sat back down on the foot of the bed.
“Adda—Ceadda. He’s the son of the head chef. We haven’t been able to take him out yet. Adda’s dad keeps him busy. He’s a real sweetheart.”
“Ceadda or his father?”
“Ceadda,” George replied, giving him a flat look.
Isahn’s eyes narrowed for the briefest of seconds. “Are you looking forward to seeing him again?”
“Oh, very much.” She grinned. “We’ve known each otheralmostas long as I’ve known Wynnie.”
Isahn hummed.
She eyed him curiously. He seemed stressed, the way he was bouncing his leg on the tiles.
“We should go toprandiumand catch up with the group.” Standing from the stool she’d claimed, she glided to the door.
Isahn’s questioning side-eye was back.
“Prandiumis lunch.” She laughed.
As they stood in the doorway, Wynnie popped up behind George and Isahn, nudging her way between them as she rushed in and snagged the only empty sofa.
George clenched her teeth. She should’ve moved faster. Overcome with a bout of pettiness, she hurried to join Wynnie on thelectus. She could have sworn Isahn’s lips twitched as he claimed a spot beside Hildy.
“How are we doing this?” Dunstan posed the vague question before biting into a date.
“Getting in?” George furrowed her brow.
“No, keeping him safe.” He nodded at the earl.
“He can stay with me,” Wynnie offered cheerfully.
