Page 108 of A Kingdom Restored

Merletta was about to answer, but the same older dragon spoke.

“We have been released from the obligation we believed ourselves under to destroy your kind,” he said grandly, addressing the merpeople at large.

Merletta gritted her teeth. There was that dragon willingness to take responsibility, she reflected sarcastically.

“We acknowledge that we acted under a misapprehension,” the dragon went on. “Based in part on deceptions perpetrated by your own leaders.” He examined the crowd. “Where is the one you call the Record Master?”

There was a deathly hush, no one coming forward. Merletta scanned the area as well, unable to catch any sight of him or the one of his personal guards who’d already tried to kill her. The other must still be in Valoria, she realized with relief.

“He was in Tilssted last I saw,” she muttered to Ileana. “Still bound. Do you think he’s there?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. August took charge of him when he and his wife arrived, and I thought they were going to move to a different location.”

The words had barely left Ileana’s mouth when Merletta caught sight of Eloise wending her way through the crowd, her head swiveling as she apparently searched for something. Merletta darted forward to intercept the older mermaid.

“Merletta!” Eloise cried gladly, gripping Merletta’s arm. “I’m so glad you’ve made it through this. Is it true what the dragons are saying? They’re not going to attack us again?”

“It’s true,” Merletta assured her. “Eloise, where’s August? Is the Record Master with him?”

A look of distress crossed Eloise’s face. “I’m so sorry, Merletta, but he got away from us. One of his guards took us by surprise—the blue-tailed one. He skewered August with his spear, and while I was distracted he got the Record Master away from us.”

Merletta’s eyes widened in horror. “Is August—?”

“He’ll be all right,” Eloise said briskly. “It’s not a life-threatening injury, although it certainly seemed that way at first. He got lucky.”

Merletta ran a hand over her face, shaking with relief. After Eloise had believed herself to have lost her husband once through the Center’s lies, it would be too crushing for her to lose him in earnest so soon before the removal of all danger.

“We need to find the Record Master,” Merletta said grimly. “He’ll get away if he possibly can.”

“Where do you suggest we look?” Elddreki’s voice startled Merletta. She hadn’t realized he’d approached close enough to hear the conversation.

“Well, he definitely had an escape plan,” Merletta mused. “But he didn’t have time to properly activate it. He may have left the triple kingdoms already, of course.”

Eloise shook her head. “Unlikely. It was mere minutes ago that he got away from us.”

“In that case,” said Merletta, “the only place I can think he’d go is his home. He talked some nonsense about how even though most would die, the civilization would still be preserved. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had some stash he intended to take with him on his final flight. Presumably he expected more warning.”

“Where is his home?” Elddreki asked.

Merletta pointed to the central spire. “Up there, I think. That’s the only place I’ve ever seen him come out of.”

Elddreki folded his wings to his side, weaving through the water like a sea snake. When he reached the other dragons, he spoke in a carrying voice.

“The mermaid Merletta believes the Record Master may be hiding in that building.” He indicated the central spire, and the dragons all turned to examine it.

“Let us investigate,” one said evenly.

To the shocked cries of many gathered onlookers, the dragons set upon the building, tails, talons, and teeth ripping at the smooth stone.

If the Record Master was sheltering in there, he wasn’t the only one. Many figures streamed in terror from the building’s main entrance, dodging falling chunks of rock. The dragons made no attempt to hinder them, too focused on the building.

“There!”

Ileana’s sharp cry brought Merletta’s head whipping around. The guard was pointing at the fleeing mass, her eyes fixed on one silver-haired figure who was trying to blend in with the rest.

“He’s trying to get away!” Merletta called.

The dragons looked around, but Ileana had already streaked away. Unlike Merletta, she was armed with her Center-issued spear, and she had the Record Master in her sights.

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