George and Isahn make love.
LaughterfloatedfromGeorge’ssitting room as she and Hildy trudged up the final tower stairs. Shoving open the door, George walked in to find Wynnie and Isahn sitting on the sofa, sharing a joke.
Dunstan and Burke came through the doorway opposite, closely followed by Ean, who announced, “Saw Gianis doing his rounds. He didnae pay us any attention.”
“Again?” Hildy asked.
“Again, what?” George focused on Isahn, trying to get him to meet her gaze, but he was looking over his shoulder at the guys.
“We saw Marinos downstairstwice. And wasn’t Gianis doing rounds when Wynnie left earlier?” Hildy took a seat on one of the many poufs.
“Could be suspicious. Or you know, they do live here,” Dunstan offered with a shrug.
“Did you get it?” Burke directed his question at George.
She pulled the parchment from the folds of her dress. “I did. Our mission was a success.”
A wave of relief visibly crashed over everyone as George set the note down on the table. Dunstan launched himself into a comfortable chair, separate from the group, Burke took a pouf beside Hildy, and Isahn sat on the sofa, smiling lightly as he looked up at George.
Wynnie returned from the sideboard where she’d procured glasses. “Wine?” she urged Ean.
He filled each of their drinks by relocating wine from some unseen bottle into their cups, then smugly produced a thimble-sized cup for himself.
“Are you old enough for that?” George teased.
“Are ye going to stop me?” he fired back.
“Ohhh,” Dunstan and Burke chimed in.
She rolled her eyes.
Isahn rose—finally—and stepped around the table to stand before her. Sliding a hand around her lower back, he hooked his finger beneath her chin, lifting her face.
She met his shimmering blue gaze and plunged directly into his depths.Deiwa nekami.Her heart shuddered at the thought of his departure. Perhaps the note would be nothing but a scrap of scribbles; perhaps Gasparo was lying to Peros and wanted him gone. Perhaps Isahn wouldn’t have to go.
“I’m so glad you’re safe and Marinos didn’t catch you.” He kissed her on the forehead, lingering on a slow inhale. When he pulled back and captured her gaze again, she studied the lines of his handsome face, the tiny shadow in the cleft of his chin. “I love you,” he rumbled, before kissing her firmly to a chorus ofoohsandahhs.
Isahn escorted George back to the sofa, where she settled in, curling up beside him with her head on his shoulder and his arm protectively around her waist.
“Not yet, right?” he whispered into her ear.
“Not yet.” It wasn’t time to thread his departure into the fabric of reality.
In response, he squeezed her against him and pressed his chin into her head. She felt much better, safe, like she could breathe again as the tightness in her chest faded—momentarily, at least.
Everyone drank in silence while Eanraig studied the parchment.
“What does it say?” Burke asked impatiently.
Ean glared at him. “It’s not in the common tongue,” he quipped.
Dunstan leaned forward and peered at the note, his locs bobbling in their big knot. “He’s not lying.”
All eyes slipped to Eanraig, who shrugged at Georgie. “I’m seeing something about a tapestry in western Selwas, protection, mind magic. I’m going to need some time to think about this. It’s some queer version of the Old Tongue, perhaps a mix of the ancient and old?”
“There’s anoldertongue?” Isahn shook his head.
Ean slanted his mouth and shrugged. “P Georgie, can I take this?” He tapped the note with his tiny foot. “If ye give me a day, I think I’ll have something useful.”
