“Chaosweavers don’t use wells of power,” Isahn challenged. “And the story says they dug afathomlesswell. It still fits—metaphorically.”
“And it was from a vision,” Ean reiterated, “they’re often metaphorical.”
Wynnie huffed.
“If it was toldbeforeshe lived in Duhra, it would’ve been a true prophecy,” Dunstan noted.
“We already know what she did. Kind of. So, it doesn’t really help us much, at all.” Hildy sighed as she leaned back.
“Back to this, then.” George tapped the copied letter. “Is it possible that this tapestry my father believes exists is theliteralkey to keeping the veil of protection up around the city? Or maybe this is an attempt to harness chaosweaving for himself? I don’t know why he’s so desperate to track it down. It feelsbeneath him, inconsequential, in many ways. But it’s not. Is it? We need to find it.”
“And how are we going to do that?” Burke asked.
A strand of Isahn’s water found George’s leg, curling around her thigh, begging her attention as he side-eyed her again. She ignored him.
He was going to tell them; he’d realized she couldn’t do it herself.
Tension crackled around them, an omen of his impending announcement. And once her friends knew, it was going to feel so much morereal.
Rather than face Isahn’s departure head-on, she continued talking, “Regardless of what we’re unsure about, we know he’s sending Peros to hunt down this tapestry. I’m not inclined to trust much of anything my father says, but he believes it’s where the letter was written—in western Selwas near Lake Rasda, and we don’t have anything better to go on. If there’s anything of value on this tapestry, wecan’tlet them get it. Does everyone agree?”
Murmurs and nods ricocheted around the sitting room.
George nudged Isahn’s knee beneath the table, in support of the decision, though her heart cowered and her lungs froze up. It was time for him to talk.
“I’ll be following Peros.”
All eyes swung to Isahn, surprised and maybe a little offended.
It was the best course of action in an impossible situation. Sheknewthere was no other option, but every fiber of her being screamed in protest at the thought of him leaving her side for a single night, let alone the weeks he’d be away. The damned journey would likely be longer than they’d even known one another.Ridiculous.
Hildy’s brows shot up, but when she opened her mouth to argue, George held up a hand.
“Yes, I trust Isahn with my life. And yes, I love him,” she barked.
Isahn’s face lit up, eyes sparkling blue like Lake Loukeo. A warm coil of water wrapped around her waist, offering a loving squeeze.
Hildy stifled a smile and asked, “When did you two decide this? Were you planning on letting us know?”
“We just told you,” George said flatly. “I knew it was a possibility when we overheard the initial conversation about Peros’s travel.”
“And Lake Rasda is my home. The manor with a view of the stars is mine. It’s Staridge.”
“The tapestry is in yourhouse?” Burke asked, aghast.
“We think so,” George said, “but we needed to be sure that his going is the best course of action. Now we are”—she pointed between Isahn and herself—“and now you know.”
Isahn massaged her back with his magic, and Hildy cocked a brow but didn’t comment further.
“What are the odds?” Burke’s questioning continued. “This feels like fated intervention.”
Grumbling, Dunstan asked, “If the location is known, why chase?” Isahn’s magic stilled against her skin, settling into a warm circle upon her shoulder blade. “Why don’t we wait here for Peros to bring it back and intercept him outside the city?”
“It’s in myhome,” Isahn said firmly. “I have no interest in leaving, but Peros is headed to my godsdamned home. My sister is there, my people are there, and they have no clue he’s coming. Lia and I think he killed our parents. Thewholereason I was following him in the first place is because we know he’s dangerous and thought he was plotting to take us out—to steal our earldom. I can’t wait here and let him burgle my estate and hurt my sister. I’m going.”
Surprise lifted Dunstan’s brow. He nodded once, then shoved a bite of falafel in his mouth, chewing while he stared at the earl. George watched his brows drop and his gaze sharpen a smidge as Dunstan’s respect for Isahn grew before her very eyes.
“How will this work?” Burke asked what they wereallwondering.
