Page 2 of A Kingdom Restored

Everyone’s backs straightened a little, but although it was Emil who had steadied them, they all looked to Merletta for an answer.

“I don’t know,” she said helplessly. “There’s nothing I can think of. I mean, how do we defend against dragons?”

“There must be some ways to fight them,” Andre said, like the son of a guard he was. “We’re not entirely defenseless.”

“They’re just so powerful, though,” Sage said. “And Merletta says it’s true that they can’t be killed.”

Merletta nodded. “The ones who choose to have offspring rather than live forever will die, but they can’t be killed by violence. They just expire when their time comes, from what Heath tells me. Forfeiting their magic in the way I mentioned is the only way an immortal dragon can die. And it’s absolutely reviled by their kind.”

“What would make an immortal dragon want to die?” Andre asked, sounding awed. “When they could live forever at full strength and power?”

“I don’t know, and that’s not my concern right now,” Merletta said.

“What does this Heath say about it?” Emil asked.

“That he’s ready to do anything he can to help us,” Merletta responded. “But he doesn’t have any bright ideas, either. Reka’s parents are more sympathetic than the other dragons. But their attempts to talk the rest around haven’t been successful so far.”

“We need to find a way to convince them that we’re not what they think we are,” Sage chimed in.

Emil frowned thoughtfully at her. “That will be difficult, given we can’t really be sure we’re not.”

“We’re not,” Merletta said firmly. “Our history is tied to Vazula, and perhaps the dragon colony that once lived there. I’m sure of it. It’s not tied to the rogue dragons of Heath’s land who once forfeited their magic.”

She ran a hand through her hair. “If only it was easier for me to get safely to the island without being seen. We never found anything very informative there in the past, but we weren’t looking that hard, really. We were always distracted by each other.”

“Unfortunate,” Emil said dryly.

“You’re one to talk,” Merletta shot at him, and he actually looked a little self-conscious. Merletta had the impression he was very deliberately not looking in Sage’s direction.

Sage looked bewildered, but didn’t get drawn into the petty exchange. “Can’t Heath and the dragon search the island for some evidence of our origins?”

Merletta shook her head. “Dragons have this magic called farsight. It allows them to follow others from afar, watch them across space. It works particularly with those they know well. Reka and Heath took a great risk in coming to the island a week ago to tell me all this. They think it’s too dangerous to come back, for fear the other dragons will follow Reka in their minds, and see where the island is. From there it wouldn’t be difficult to find us here. I’ve got Paul and Griffin scouring the island, but to be honest, I don’t have much hope that they’ll find anything useful.”

“Then we need to look for answers on our end,” Emil said firmly. “I’m the most senior amongst us in the Center hierarchy. I’ll lose my junior status soon, and be a full record holder. I’ll see whether some surreptitious inquiry can uncover anything about our origins beyond the story of the three brothers who came from the deep ocean.”

“Thank you,” Merletta said fervently. She looked around at the others, too. “And…and thank you all for not…you know, hating me.”

“Merletta.” Andre’s expression was fierce. “None of us would deny that since the moment you started the program, you’ve been swept up into a maelstrom. But it’s not of your making. The fact that your willingness to call out the Center’s lies has put a target on your back doesn’t make you responsible for their tyranny.”

Merletta smiled faintly. “Thank you, Andre,” she said. “But it’s not the Center threatening to kill us all. It’s the dragons. And it’s thanks to me that they even know about us.”

“That is unfortunate,” Emil said gravely, and Merletta’s heart grew heavier. “But I agree with Andre,” he continued. “It’s not a problem of your making. The only way for these issues not to come to a head would be for the Center’s rigid control to continue unchecked. And I can see more and more clearly that such a situation is untenable.”

Merletta blinked, surprised but no less touched by Emil’s more measured support. “Well,” she said, her throat once again tight with emotion, “all I know is that I don’t deserve such loyal friends as you. But I’m so glad I have you.”

Sage gave her a quick hug, and Andre thumped her on the back in a brotherly way. But Emil’s mind was already back on practical things.

“Do we know how long we have?”

Merletta shook her head. “Heath says dragons are strange about time. It could be tomorrow that they come looking for us. It could be years from now.”

“It would help us prepare if we had more of an idea,” Andre mused.

Merletta nodded. “That’s what August said. He and Eloise are leaving tonight. They’re going to the island, then onward in the morning. They’re planning to return to Heath’s kingdom, to try to find out more.” Her voice was sober. “It’s a very dangerous mission. If the dragons see them, they’ll certainly kill them.”

Andre frowned. “I’ll go see them today,” he said. “Wish them luck.” His tail swished in frustration as he stared out Sage’s tiny window. “I wish I could go with them. If we’re all going to die soon, I’d like to see more of the ocean than this bubble first. Not to mention try out my legs.”

“They’ll travel fastest alone,” Merletta said, a twinge of alarm for her friend shooting through her. The triple kingdoms weren’t necessarily safe, but proximity to the dragon colony was definitely dangerous. “August is very experienced in the open ocean. He’ll know how to lose any pursuers, and—”

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