Page 44 of A Kingdom Restored

“I really do need to go now,” he told his cousin. “But I’ll decide what I’m doing soon. And then we can talk. I promise.”

Brody didn’t look satisfied, but he made no further attempt to detain him as Heath strode from the training yard with his bow still in hand, heading toward the castle.

A few minutes later, he was settled in a corner of a public garden that opened onto the castle. It was a large garden, with plenty of quiet spots to hide. Heath had hoped to show Merletta some of the more elaborate garden beds, but her time in Bryford had been too short.

It was always too short. No matter how much time they had together, it never felt like enough. The ache of missing her was a constant discomfort in his gut, like the continuous pinprick of her presence in his mind, thanks to the connection he’d forged with his farsight. It had been so many weeks since he’d seen her.

At least, since he’d seen her in person.

She filled his vision at that moment, her face determined as she moved through dim water. Heath tried to see her companions, but he couldn’t. Perhaps it was because he was alone now, without Reka’s magic to bolster his, or even the smaller boost provided by Brody’s magic. But in his anxiety, he seemed to have regressed, once again only able to see her face, not her surroundings.

He felt a bit guilty for his eavesdropping, but he nevertheless listened avidly as Merletta told her friends what she’d discovered about her family. His hand clenched convulsively on the stone bench beside him. He wished he could be there, his hand on hers while she wrestled with these weighty matters. He knew how much it must mean to her to discover where she’d come from. She’d mentioned something about learning the names of her parents once, but they’d had no time for her to explain it.

He followed with trepidation while Merletta’s interview with the Record Master began. To Heath’s frustration, his farsight continued to be limited to Merletta’s image. No matter how he tried to draw on his magic, he couldn’t seem to tease it out enough to show the merman to whom she was speaking.

It didn’t surprise him to hear how brazenly she spoke to the leader who undoubtedly held her life in his hands. More than once he let out a small groan, his head dropping into his hands as Merletta spoke. He noted that she made no mention of him, or of finding her legs.

“Good gracious, Heath, who’s died?”

The anxious voice made Heath look up, to see his grandmother standing two feet away from him.

He blinked rapidly, emerging from deep water. He needed to work on maintaining awareness of his immediate surroundings while exercising his farsight.

“Grandmother,” he said, standing quickly. Merletta’s image faded from his mind, although he was still painfully aware of her. “How did you find my hiding place?”

“I followed your signature,” said his grandmother, settling onto the seat and gesturing for him to do the same. “I don’t know exactly what you were doing, but it was using a lot of magic.”

“I was watching Merletta,” Heath said simply, as he lowered himself to sit beside her. “And being terrified by her fearlessness.”

“I see.” She studied him thoughtfully. “She’s still alive, then?”

“For the moment,” Heath said miserably.

She let out a breath, settling against the back of the bench, her eyes still fixed on his face.

“I’ve just gone to visit Percival,” she said conversationally.

Heath looked up, dismayed. “Grandmother, the dungeons are no place for you.”

She gave him an amused smile. “I’m not as delicate as you might think, Heath. I’ve seen my share of confronting things.”

Heath let the matter drop. “How was Percival?” he asked.

“I didn’t get to see him,” the princess answered. “The guard wouldn’t let me in. He said his new instructions are that visits must be authorized by the king.”

“Yes.” Heath scowled. “I heard King Matlock say as much not long ago.”

She raised an eyebrow. “He issued the order in front of you? Was he trying to be inflammatory?”

“Oh, no, he didn’t know I could hear,” Heath said matter-of-factly.

His grandmother looked confused, so Heath drew on his magic, using more than necessary as he cast his farsight over Percival. His brother was bored, and understandably tense, but otherwise fine.

“Heath!” His grandmother had obviously sensed his use of magic, and grasped what he was trying to say. “You’re telling me you listened to the king instructing his guards by way of…” She waved a hand toward the air, as if his magic was a visible substance floating past them.

Heath shrugged, unrepentant. “Should I be apologizing?”

She eyed him shrewdly. “I don’t know. Maybe. Surely you comprehend how dangerous that ability could be. How powerful, and in the wrong hands, sinister.”

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