“It’s time to go.”
twelve
Isahn gets scared.
“Areyoudoingallright?” George asked softly as she leaned in, her palm pressed firmly to Isahn’s forearm.
“I am. Are we through yet?”
She shook her head. “Just a few moments and we’ll pass through the gate.”
The world looked strange and hazy as he stood on the deck of theactuaria, the small vessel ferrying their group from Nowosmont into Hepikoru. Part of him had still wondered if his new Domossan friends were pulling a very elaborate prank.A whole hidden city? Fae?It was several minutes in that he’d decided they were, in fact, telling the truth.
The rowed boat sped across the placid water, heading directly for the mountain face that dropped off into the deep lake. Isahn was positive they were going to crash. His bound hands were tense where he gripped the vessel’s railing. But George onlylaughed, her rasping chuckles relaxing him when, instead of smashing into stone at thirty knots, they passed through.
Either the whole group had upped their illusions overnight, or thiswasreality.
A misty haze shrouded them as theactuariamoved through the illusion of the enormous mountain. Birdsong was absent here, and only the beating of his own heart and theplopandswishof the rower’s oars broke the silence.
“Here we go,” George whispered as the deep gray cloudiness of the atmosphere shifted rapidly.
A strange tug pulled on his stomach, and his brain did a little somersault as they cleared the illusion.
He blinked at George, disoriented and finding sure footing in her gaze.
“Look back,” she encouraged as she removed her hand from his arm and pocketed the token they’d shared to get through.
“Won’t they notice if we’re being too friendly?” he murmured, trying not to let his body language show that he was in conversation with the princess.
“We’re covered. I threw up a mirage. If the captain or rowers look at us, they’ll see me transporting my aide. You’re actually passed out on the deck, you know, since the veil erased your memories. I’m sitting on your chest.”
His lips quivered. “You are not.”
“Mirage-me sure is.” George grinned. “Now turn around and look behind us. In fact—” She took his hands and focused on unbinding his wrists.
“Thanks,” he murmured before turning to see the New Mountains from the inside. He gasped. “Oh, wow. Woah.”
Therewereno New Mountains. The view to the other side of the lake was crystal clear, all the way back to Nowosmont with its many colored homes packed into the tan and green countryside.
George finished freeing his hands, then clasped one between her smooth palms. “Isahn?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Coming along.” Her shoulders drooped. “I know we abducted you... and I know you say you want to stay, but if you change your mind at any point, you have to tell me. I’ll— We’ll let you go.”
“I don’t want to.” He covered her fingers with his second hand, squeezing tightly.
Her exhale was long and slow. “Thank you for pretending to be an aide. It won’t be much longer.”
He nodded, before leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.
“Turn around, you haven’t even looked at the city yet.”
George nudged him in a circle with her magic, but he would’ve obliged either way. The true capital was magnificent, built into the side of Deiwomont, the ancient mountain thought to have been destroyed when the New Mountains erupted from the earth.
