“To addressanissue, but not the issue. Isahn has some memory of being in Gramenia, but nothing after, to the best of our knowledge.”
Nods bounced around their circle.
Hildy continued, “I’ll free him. Pose as a fellow prisoner or a disgruntled servant and get him out.”
“He doesn’t trust anyone right now. Why you?” Dunstan asked.
Wynnie crossed her arms over her chest. “How will you explain being in Domos?”
“What will you do to address his memory issues? He has a mission,” Adda chimed in.
“Do you mean ‘get him out’ like, out of Domos and never to be seen again? Or...?” George sniffled.
For once, Burke didn’t have a question.
“First, no, George, not ‘never to be seen again.’” Hildy took a deep breath before she continued, “Second, to address Adda’s concerns, I know he has a mission, and I intend to help him fulfill it. We need to beat Peros to Selwas and find the tapestry. I have no clue what to do about the memory issue.
“That brings me to third, Dunstan’s and Wynnie’s points. Why me? Because we were friends once, and I can get us there again. I’m sure of it. I have nothing keeping me here. I’m least likely to be missed and best equipped to travel for a while outside of the city. I’ll explain to Isahn that he was captured in Sorhaven by Domossan spies. He was brought here, mindmolded to forget, and I took pity on him. I’ll come up with a backstory for myself. That’s the least of our worries.”
“You’ll only have your sound magic. No mirages. It’s too dangerous.” George shook her head. She wanted to call the whole thing off. Bring Isahn back through the veil, make him remember... somehow. Make him fall in love with her again.
“What about the borders?” Burke asked, expression tense.
“I’m paler than you lot, with light enough hair. I can pass as a southern Gramenian, too. Get me papers like Isahn’s, and we’ll be fine.”
Dunstan nodded, apparently convinced. “So, we’re not doing any mindmolding, but you’re going to convince him he has been.” It wasn’t really a question. The man had full faith in Hildy, despite their romantic entanglement coming to an end.
“Hehasbeen. By the veil,” George said bluntly.
Burke asked, “How are you going to convince him to work with us?”
“I’ll stick close to the truth. He made it to Sorhaven, following his uncle. There, he was taken captive, brought to Nowosmont, where he met me, a fellow captive fighting against the Crown. He told me his whole story, and we compared notes before his memory was wiped by you lot.” She swung her finger around, pointing at each of them. With a dramatized sneer, she added, “Sycophants of King Gasparo, of course.”
“That’s insane,” Burke announced.
“The best lies always include a grain of truth,” Wynnie murmured.
“Precisely. Thank you. This is why I love you.” Hildy cracked a smile at Wynn.
“We’ll find the tapestry, and Iwillbring Isahn back to you, George. I promise.” Hildy awaited her approval.
George worried her lip. “None of this is ideal. But it’ll have to do.”
“We’ll keep busy while they’re gone,” Wynnie promised. “We’ll research, figure out how we can fix Isahn’s memory.”
Dunstan bobbed his head in agreement.
“I’ll go with you,” Burke announced.
“No, you won’t. I’ll be perfectly safe. And you have guard shifts at the palace. You can’t leave.”
Burke grumbled, but acquiesced.
“When you need a break, join me in the kitchens, Georgie. I’ll teach you how to cook.”
“We’ll keep busy,” Wynnie reiterated.
George sighed before turning to Hildy. “When will you make your escape?”
