Page 63 of A Kingdom Restored

It was clear that such a thought hadn’t occurred to anyone else, and understandably so. Panicked forms fled around her, some of the guards even abandoning their positions to race out of the training yard. As terrified cries spread out from the site, Merletta’s eyes darted to the Record Master. He was frozen in place, his shock and displeasure clear. If it wasn’t for…well, everything, Merletta would have felt a hint of satisfaction at seeing his chagrin. His lie about the protection of the barrier had just been exposed. He would have a harder time keeping his disposable decoys inside the triple kingdoms now.

Even as she watched, the Record Master flipped in the water, diving down from his elevated position and sliding through a gap into a storage area, like a sea snake disappearing into a crevice. It was no surprise to Merletta—she didn’t doubt for a moment that he’d find a way not only to survive the incident, but to turn it to his purposes.

And there was no reason he wouldn’t get away with it, because the dragon wasn’t focused on him. As soon as the enormous beast reached the seabed, he drew up, his eyes scanning the water.

“You are Merletta,” he announced, when his gaze found her. “I’ve come for you at Rekavidur’s request.”

Merletta just gaped back at him, hardly able to process his words. Reka had sent him? It was Heath’s doing, no question. She remembered the goodbye she’d sent out into the water back in the holding cell, trusting that Heath would hear. He certainly hadn’t been idle in the short time since then.

“Do not let her leave—or any of them!” The Record Master’s words issued from his hiding place.

One of the guards holding Merletta released her, raising his spear as he turned to the dragon. The other shoved Merletta behind him, and she found herself colliding with Sage. Several guards formed a ring around the two friends.

“Do you have your weapon?” Merletta demanded, although a quick scan of her friend provided an answer.

Sage grimaced. “They grabbed me before I even got a good defense up. I was never strong with combat.”

“You’re hardly to be blamed for being distracted by a dragon penetrating into the Center,” Merletta reassured her.

Looking over her friend’s shoulder, she saw that other guards were attempting to apprehend Emil and Andre, both of whom were giving a very good account of themselves.

“Really?” Merletta said, exasperated. “Even in the midst of a dragon attack they’re focused on arresting you all for daring to support me?”

But she wasn’t really surprised that the guards were still blindly following the Record Master’s instructions. They had been well trained. And it was becoming increasingly clear that this one dragon’s presence didn’t constitute a true attack.

Sage gave a small cry, and Merletta followed her gaze to see Emil being swarmed by half a dozen guards. One of their spears caught his arm, and blood trickled into the water. Andre was hanging on amazingly well, but he also was outnumbered, and would surely soon be overwhelmed.

Merletta saw at a glance that most of those who’d been watching her sham trial had fled the training yard. Many of the guards had stayed, however, and more were beginning to pour in, presumably summoned from the barracks nearby. And one figure was fighting against the tide, trying to reach the two mermaids who were being hemmed in by guards.

“Sage, your mother,” Merletta said.

Sage’s expression was hard to read as she spotted the older mermaid. But there was no time to focus on Rowena. A scream brought their attention back to the scene before them, as the dragon swept three guards out of his way with a single swish of his tail. He lowered his enormous head so that it was at eye level with Merletta’s.

“Do you wish to come with me, or not?”

“Of course she does!” Sage said, her voice strong even as she trembled at bringing the dragon’s attention on herself.

Merletta inclined her head, dimly aware of the guards raining spears upon the dragon. The weapons glanced off, the hardened tips making a musical tinkling sound against the dragon’s scales. The creature didn’t seem to be noticing the assault.

“Greetings, Mighty Beast,” Merletta said, as Heath had taught her. “I thank you for your kind offer. I would be glad to accept if not for the danger in which I would leave my friends.”

“Don’t be absurd, Merletta, you were about to be executed!” Sage cried. She shoved her friend toward the dragon. “Go!”

As she said the word, Emil came hurtling through the water, thrown by a vicious stroke of someone’s spear. His form broke through the still partially intact ring of guards, thudding into Merletta’s side.

“Isn’t the beast here to rescue you?” he grunted, his eyes flying between Merletta and the dragon. “What are you waiting for?”

“She doesn’t want to leave us,” Sage said in evident exasperation.

“I could carry a second,” the dragon said, taking in the ongoing fight with clinical interest. Andre was flagging. “But not all four of you.”

“Take Sage as well.” Emil’s answer was instant and predictable. “Andre and I will manage.”

“Wha—?” Sage’s protest turned into a cry of surprise as the dragon’s talons closed around her middle. He seized Merletta in a similar fashion, and with a single beat of his mighty wings, sent them all propelling up toward the distant surface.

“NO! SAGE!” The agonized cry from Rowena cut Merletta to the heart. She could only hope Emil and Andre would succeed in convincing the record holder that her daughter wasn’t going to be killed by the dragon.

A glance down revealed total pandemonium below. Merletta could almost see the news of the dragon’s appearance spreading like ink from the training yard outward. But soon the Center was nothing more than a pearlescent glow beneath them as the light of the sun grew steadily brighter above.

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