A sublime time later, during which they didn’t talk at all, George and Sophie came back. Aubrey was disappointed when Caroline detached herself from his embrace, but understood that a time and place for everything was a useful, if unsatisfying, motto.
‘I say.’ George wore a huge grin and he leaned over the backboard of the lorry. ‘You should hear all the magical stuff that Sophie’s been getting up to, old man. Sounds as if she could be useful for whatever you’re planning here.’
Sophie playfully tweaked him on the shoulder. ‘George, Aubrey is an expert. I am a learner.’
‘Sophie had some special instruction from Commander Craddock’s people,’ George said.
‘Not enough,’ she said, ‘but they said that my talents are mostly in the magic of seeming and illusion.’
‘Which is how you were able to slip into Baron von Grolman’s factory,’ George pointed out, ‘even though your magical talents were as rusty as an iron anchor.’
Aubrey blinked. ‘All anchors are iron, George.’
‘Are they? That’s a lot of rust, then, which is my point.’
‘A point that we’ll allow to slide gracefully by. Sophie, I have two items that you’ll be most helpful with.’