Sadness tugged at the corners of his mouth while his eyes bore into hers. “And you?”
George’s pulse tapped in her neck as she stared back. The rest of the room faded away, a haze in her peripheral vision. Words froze partway up her throat:Yes, you have to forget me.“Temporarily,” she managed.
“Temporarily,” he repeated, voice rough with emotion.
She opened her mouth to speak, several times, but couldn’t get a damn thing to come out—at least not without an accompanying deluge of tears.
Hildy cleared her throat, drawing all attention her way. “It’s not safe if they question you. I’m sorry, Isahn. Theloyallegionaries—they can’t know you’re working for the princess.”
Isahn nodded, his eyes on Hildy as he reached for George across the table. She took his hand, grounding herself. Relief coursed through her: He wasn't angry, just scared. And so was she.
Conversation, though somber, continued a while longer. Ideas were bandied back and forth, until Hildy spoke up with a solution that involved everyone traveling to Nowosmont in shifts, where they’d mindmold Isahn at Villa Senone before sending him on his way.
George eyed Isahn as anxiety rolled through her in waves, scratching her skin raw from the inside out.
It was a decent plan, and she hated it.
Isahn frowned at her, slowly lowering his chin in agreement, his gaze resigned and eyes glossy. It was a decent plan. He hated it.
“How will he get into Selwas?” Burke asked of no one in particular.
“As Einarr Strom, from Gramenia,” George replied with a flicker of a smile.
“Clever.” Isahn smirked.
It would be easier for him to move across the border from Domos into Gramenia, then from Gramenia into Selwas as a Gramenian, whose country had the best relations with its neighbors.
By the time Ean cleared their plates away, they’d determined that Wynnie would stay at Villa Senone during Isahn’s journey, giving him a place to send correspondence.
It was late afternoon when her friends said goodbye. Tomorrow, they’d pack and lay the groundwork for their travel excuses. Then, two mornings hence, Wynnie and Dunstan would return before sunrise, via the exterior door, to collect Isahn for his departure.
George closed the door after her friends and turned back to face Isahn, who was standing beside the table, absentmindedly rubbing his chest.
She understood the sensation that plagued him. She too had a keening pain emanating from deep within her soul.
Forlorn.That summed it up.
“I can’t forget you,” he whispered.
“It won’t be for long.” Her words felt hollow.
He nodded as his eyes slowly refocused and landed on her face. “Do we need to do anything else tonight?”
She shook her head, gaze dropping to his lips. “Only each other.”
Her words broke the tension, and Isahn snorted, embracing her before scooping her into his arms. With an elbow hooked beneath her knees, he used George’s feet to knock open the door to her sitting room.
“Yours or mine?” he rumbled.
“Mine. I need the memory for when you’re gone.”
“Temporarily.”
“Temporarily.” She nodded into his neck, and the dam broke, her hot tears rolling down to soak his collar.
“It’s all right, Georgie. It’s going to be all right,” he murmured. Settling her on the bed, Isahn curled in behind her, drawing her close.
They both ignored his erection pressing into her bottom as she clutched his hand to her chest and cried. “I know it’ll be all right. If we keep our convictions, we’ll make it that way.”
