Page 50 of A Kingdom Restored

“I’m glad you’re here, Merletta,” Paul said. “We haven’t known how to contact you safely. If we had, we would have told you about Letitia leaving. August told us that you intended to notify the Record Master of the threat from the dragons. Did you do that?”

Merletta nodded. “Yesterday. He hasn’t done anything about it yet, or at least nothing visible. But I have no doubt he will soon.”

Griffin and Paul exchanged another look. “We want to return with you,” Paul said.

“What?” Merletta looked between them. “But you’re so much safer here.”

“We’re not hiding here for safety,” Griffin said, as if offended by the suggestion. “We were here to protect Letitia, and she obviously didn’t want our protection. We have loved ones back in the triple kingdoms, and we haven’t seen them for a long time. We don’t want to wait out here while destruction races toward our home.”

“But someone has to keep searching the island,” Merletta said desperately. “We have to find answers.”

Neither guard looked excited by the prospect. “We all know we’re not likely to find anything,” Griffin said impatiently.

“I can’t stop you, of course,” Merletta said. “But at least tell me you’ll talk it over with August.”

“We have,” Paul said dryly. “He’s not convinced.”

Merletta looked at him helplessly. “That’s between you,” she said. “I have to go.”

“But you just got here,” Griffin protested. “You’ve barely told us what’s going on.”

“I have to find Tish,” Merletta said. “I got her into this mess, and I can’t leave her at the mercy of the open ocean!”

“If she’s in the open ocean, you’ll never find her,” Paul said brutally. “Your best hope is that she made it back to the triple kingdoms.”

“Then that’s where I have to start,” said Merletta firmly. She turned to Sage. “I’m sorry you didn’t get to properly see the island, Sage.”

Her friend shook her head. “Don’t be silly, of course Tish is more important. I’ll help you look for her.”

With a nod of gratitude, Merletta waded back into the water. Her legs turned sleekly to tail as she dove back under, and in moments she was swimming toward the triple kingdoms, Sage on her fins.

They’d barely cleared the coral when movement caused Merletta to pull up. She peered hopefully through the sparkling waters, willing it to be Tish returning to the island.

But the tail of the mermaid trying unsuccessfully to hide behind a coral-covered shelf wasn’t green like Tish’s. It was a pale, shimmering blue.

“Indigo?” The name burst from Sage, her voice aghast. “What are you doing here?”

Indigo floated slowly out from her hiding place, her eyes wide as they flicked between Sage and Merletta.

“Following you,” she told Merletta blankly. “Like usual. Did…did you just turn into a human?”

Chapter Fifteen

Merletta’s mouth opened and closed twice before she managed to get any words out.

“Did you say you were following melike usual?” she said at last, dodging Indigo’s question.

The other mermaid shifted uncomfortably, showing none of the brazen confidence she’d had at the previous Founders’ Day when she explained to Andre that she’d been instructed to watch Merletta by a senior Center guard.

“I’ve been following you since you took your third year test,” she admitted. “I’m surprised you haven’t spotted me.”

“I had the feeling someone was tailing me,” Merletta told her. “But I’ll admit I never saw you. I’m impressed.”

Indigo’s smile was a little painful. “I spent a lot of time with Andre’s family growing up. Most of the brothers didn’t want their annoying little cousin yapping at their heels. I used to follow them whenever they tried to ditch me. I got pretty good at it.”

“Good at sneaking around,” Sage said coldly. “What an admirable skill.” She turned to Merletta. “What are we going to do? We can’t let her report to the Center guards about the island.”

“I’m not here under anyone’s instructions,” Indigo interjected, her expression defiant.

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