Page 4 of A Kingdom Restored

Agner shot her a sharp look, seeming to hesitate over his next words. But if he recognized that there was genuine meaning behind the expression, he didn’t call her out on it.

“That’s what I thought,” he said instead. “In which case, you’re going to need my training most. Records learning won’t help you stay alive. I prefer not to get involved in that aspect of things, but this is where my part comes in.” He waved his hand around the training square. “I’m going to work you harder, teach you how to defend yourself.”

“Last year’s training wasn’t as hard as you can go?” Merletta asked dryly.

Agner just grinned.

“But seriously,” Merletta pressed, recognizing that careful dancing with words was out of place with Agner, especially now. At his level of seniority, he must have a pretty good idea of what was going on. “If you know my life is at risk for not keeping my head down, how can you be part of all this?”

There was no offense in Agner’s smile, but perhaps the tiniest hint of sadness. “It’s like a guard formation, Merletta. We can’t see the full picture from where we float in our position. But the one coordinating the squad can. We may not always know the reasons—and we may not always like the methods. But you can be certain therearereasons.”

“That’s not answer enough to satisfy me,” Merletta told him bluntly.

His smile was back. “Which is what has always made both your potential and your threat so high. But I’m not interested in the politics. I’m interested in seeing your spear work.”

Responding to his gesture, Merletta followed him across the square as the instructor’s eyes roved over his options.

“I think we’ll get you to spar with—”

“I can spar with Merletta, Instructor Agner.” Ileana’s voice cut across him, the green-tailed mermaid appearing from a group of guards in full training mode.

“Ileana.” Agner looked faintly surprised. “Don’t you have other duties?”

She shook her head. “My squad isn’t on patrol today. I’m here to train in my own time.”

“Well, then,” Agner said, his ready smile growing. “Excellent. I’ll leave Merletta in your capable hands for the moment.” And with that, he swam off toward the bumbling first years.

Merletta regarded Ileana warily. “What do you want, Ileana? Is this some kind of trick?”

“Of course not,” Ileana said impatiently. “I’m trying to help you.”

Merletta raised a skeptical eyebrow, and Ileana’s cheeks reddened in anger.

“I’m better at combat than you are, I always have been,” she insisted. “I’m trying to help you stay alive. You won’t get anywhere training with that useless lot.” She gestured toward the first years.

“I’m not disputing your prowess,” Merletta said mildly. “Just your intentions. Why would you want to help me?”

“Did you get hit in the head?” Ileana snapped. “For a fourth year, your memory is atrocious. I told you a couple weeks ago.” Her voice dropped. “I want to help you bring down the Center and expose their lies. You can’t do that if you’re not even able to stay alive.”

Merletta considered her. “All right,” she said, raising the new spear she’d been issued upon starting fourth year. She’d yet to find an opportunity to return Griffin’s to him. “You want to fight? Let’s fight.”

Chapter Two

Heath strode down the corridor, blind to the stone walls and tapestries around him. He remembered in a detached way that he’d once found the castle beautiful. Now it was a place of fear and urgency, every feature drawing his attention down to the dungeons beneath, where Percival was still imprisoned.

At the thought, his power flared out without his permission, pulling into his mind an image of Percival at that moment, sitting still and sober on a straw mattress in a corner of his cell. Heath yanked his thoughts back into his own control. Sometimes his extra sight was a very mixed blessing. It wouldn’t help quell the rising panic to watch his brother wait in a cell for his execution date to be set.

No, Heath reminded himself firmly.That’s not going to happen. I’m not going to let it happen.

Not that he could claim any success. His efforts to prove to King Matlock that Percival hadn’t been behind the attempt on his life had so far been fruitless. He’d done little else—with the exception of his visit to Vazula a week before to warn Merletta of the dragons’ intentions—but there was simply nothing new to find. The king had launched an official investigation as well, his guards crawling all over the site of the fire, but that had also turned up nothing. A fact which clearly neither surprised nor concerned King Matlock.

“Lady Leonora.” The gruff voice up ahead sounded uncomfortable. “I must ask you to desist.”

“She’s not hurting anyone,” someone responded angrily.

Heath sped up slightly, recognizing Jasmine’s voice. It couldn’t be a good sign if two of his cousins were arguing with someone official. He rounded the corner to see the two girls—once both quiet and biddable—facing off against a pair of guards.

“King’s orders,” the second guard said, sounding no more comfortable than the first at being required to sanction two high-born ladies.

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