Page 53 of A Kingdom Restored

“Look,” Sage whispered. “That group definitely aren’t guards, but the ones on duty are letting them through! Are they opening the barrier because of what you told the Record Master, do you think?”

Merletta frowned, studying the group who were now moving out into the open ocean, thankfully not in their direction.

“I don’t know. I’d like to think so, but they didn’t look like they were carrying supplies for an extended absence. I caught Center armbands on at least some of them. They must be someone official.”

Sage nodded her agreement. “Maybe they’re making preparations for setting up a safe base outside the triple kingdoms,” she suggested. “Maybe they’re going to start relocating everyone, in the hopes of clearing the place before the dragons come.”

“Maybe.” Merletta wasn’t convinced, but she had to assume that the clandestine activity—for the interaction had certainly been furtive—had something to do with the Center’s response to the coming crisis.

She was relieved when they finally managed to get past the guards into the city, after almost an hour of tense waiting. Normally Merletta wouldn’t travel to Vazula so late in the day—she preferred to avoid shark feeding time. But on the other hand, the near darkness was probably the only thing that allowed them to get through the tightened border security.

“So much for the border not being this closely guarded outside Tilssted,” Sage muttered, as soon as they were safely into the streets.

“That was this morning,” Merletta said grimly. “Things are going to change pretty quickly from now, I imagine.”

Sage frowned. “But what’s the point of manning the border? That won’t stop dragons.”

“Maybe they think it will give us warning of their approach?” Merletta guessed.

She fell silent as a small patrol squad swam past, weapons gripped tightly, and strokes purposeful. They were well above the seabed, and the two mermaids followed their movement as they ascended swiftly.

Merletta heard Sage’s quiet gasp when they caught sight of the formation above them, with guards spread evenly but sparsely in a half bubble perhaps half a league above their heads. They hadn’t even noticed it before, and Merletta chastised herself for her lack of observation. Most merpeople didn’t look up very often, but she knew better.

“Surely there’s no reason to guard the barrier upward except for dragons,” Sage murmured. “I guess that means the Record Master believed you. That’s something, at least.”

Merletta nodded slowly. She supposed she should be encouraged. But putting extra guards on patrol—armed with only the usual spears—didn’t suggest the Center had any very effective plan for how to hold off a colony of dragons.

“If only he’d take up my offer to get in contact with the dragons,” she burst out. “I could speak to Heath right now, and he could tell Reka. I know the dragons tried to kill me on sight, but I’m a random lowly mermaid. Surely it’s worth at leasttryingto arrange formal negotiations between them and the leaders of our civilization. There’s nothing to lose, so even the slim chance of gaining something seems worth it.”

“I’m guessing the Record Master hasn’t been in touch since yesterday to take advantage of your offer,” Sage said dryly.

Merletta grimaced. “Not exactly.”

Sage was frowning. “How could you speak to Heath right now?”

“It’s part of his magic,” said Merletta. “He can sort of…see me. From anywhere.”

Sage raised an eyebrow. “That seems powerful. Is that why the humans in his kingdom are scared of magic? I remember you telling me humans are very particular about their privacy.”

Merletta shook her head. “Actually, they don’t even know about his magic. He’s kept it secret. But you’re right. If they did, they’d probably be even more worried.”

She glanced upward again, but darkness was falling rapidly, and she could barely see the guards above her now.

“I suppose it’s too late to hunt for news of Tish tonight,” she said reluctantly. “But I’ll make inquiries first thing.”

“What about classes?” Sage pressed. “Ibsen will be furious you skipped today.”

“Look around you, Sage.” Merletta gestured upward, to the no longer visible armed guards crisscrossing the water above them. “Classes are the least of my concerns right now.”

True to her word, she rose with the sun, determined to seek news of Tish. Unfortunately, she was unable to sneak into Tilssted—conflict there was raging as hotly as ever, and the boundary was too tightly guarded. But she managed to locate Felix, a friend among the guards. Like many of his fellows, he was posted in the contested city, and he agreed to make inquiries.

With nothing practical to do, Merletta made her way to class after all. The trainees were with Wivell, and if he knew of her truancy the day before, he made no comment on it. He’d always been hard to read, but Merletta thought he was watching her more closely than usual. She couldn’t be certain, but she suspected he knew of her report to the Record Master.

Felix sought her out at lunch, but his report wasn’t encouraging. He’d gone to the shellsmith tower where Tish had been apprenticed, and spoken with several of her colleagues. No one had seen any sign of her. He’d even visited the charity home where Tish and Merletta had grown up. The windows were boarded against the fighting outside, and if the guard at the door was to be believed, no one but the carers and beneficiaries had gone in or out for weeks.

Reluctantly, Merletta had to acknowledge that she had no idea where else to search. Like Merletta, Tish had no family to retreat to in times of danger or distress.

Some part of Merletta’s mind knew it was a very real possibility that Tish was either lost or perished, somewhere out in the open ocean. But somehow she just couldn’t believe it. No matter how uncomfortable Tish had been with her legs, and her place in the slowly building rebellion centered on Merletta, it was utterly inconceivable that she would leave the relative safety of the island to venture into the ocean alone.

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