Page 78 of A Kingdom Threatened (The Vazula Chronicles 3)

Andre’s voice held a hint of concern, and Merletta turned reluctantly. She didn’t want to miss her chance to catch Emil alone.

“Hi, Andre.” Her gaze passed to the pale-haired mermaid swimming quickly to catch up with her cousin. “Hi, Indigo.”

“Where are you going?” Andre asked. He dropped his voice slightly. “Why are you alone?”

“Sage went to dinner,” Merletta told him, with a warning glance at Indigo, who was now within hearing. “I’m just going to the training yard briefly before I join her.”

“I’ll go with you,” Andre said.

“Yes, we’d love to come.”

Indigo’s voice was bright, and Merletta glanced at her in confusion. The first year had seemed a little wary of Merletta when she’d started the program, but in the weeks since she’d become excessively friendly. She almost always joined Andre when he played unofficial bodyguard, and was very chatty and cheerful on those occasions, evidently eager to get to know her cousin’s friend.

Merletta would be flattered, if only she could stop herself from being suspicious.

“Thank you both, but there’s no need,” she said firmly. “I’ll meet you at dinner shortly.”

“But—” Andre started to protest, but Merletta cut him off.

“Honestly, it’s fine,” she insisted.

Andre still looked concerned, but Merletta gave him no chance to argue.

“See you at dinner,” she told him, swimming on toward the training yard.

Several guards were leaving the area, obviously on their way to the evening meal, and Merletta hung back to allow them to pass. Hoping she hadn’t already missed Emil, she swam inside the training square. To her relief, she spotted him returning a borrowed weapon to one of the open storage areas around the edges of the space. His long pale hair flowed around him, partially braided in an attempt to keep it from his face while he trained. There was a reason most guards—unlike the rest of the triple kingdoms’ mermen—tended to wear their hair short.

“Emil,” she greeted him quietly, swimming up behind him.

He turned, scanning the empty water around her with creased brows. Obviously he was as concerned by her solitary state as Andre had been, although he made no comment.

“Merletta. What brings you to the training yard?”

“You, actually,” Merletta told him. “I was hoping to speak to you alone.”

Emil glanced around them, at the various guards still training. “Let’s swim,” he said. “Less conspicuous than floating around talking.”

Merletta nodded her agreement, and they began to move slowly toward the street outside.

“Has something happened at last?” Emil prompted her quietly.

Merletta didn’t ask what he meant. “Still nothing,” she said. “Beyond a half-hearted comment from Wivell that if I miss too many classes I’ll fail by default.” She drew in a calming mouthful of water. “But the blow is coming. I can tell.”

“It was inevitable the moment you opened your mouth and accused the Center publicly,” Emil said. He wasn’t entirely able to keep his voice free of the disapproval Merletta knew he still felt regarding her decision.

Merletta was silent for a moment as they passed within hearing range of a trio of guards doing warm-up exercises. When they emerged into the mostly deserted street, she spoke.

“I didn’t actually accuse anyone of anything.” She gave him a wry smile. “I think you must have rubbed off on me, because I was more careful than you realize.”

“Careful?” Emil repeated incredulously.

“No, it’s true,” Merletta insisted. “I didn’t accuse the Center of lying. I just suggested—without actually even saying it—that their records aren’t as reliable as we might hope because they can’t be verified against mistakes.”

Emil was silent for a moment, considering this. “That was restrained of you,” he admitted. “But you will still face punishment for revealing information you learned as part of the program. You took a vow of confidentiality when you signed up.”

“But I didn’t reveal anything I’d learned in the program,” Merletta told him. “Or anything I’ve seen in official records. I intentionally didn’t. I only talked about my own firsthand experiences, outside the barrier. And commented that they didn’t tally with the record the educators had just made public. I think that’s why they haven’t moved against me officially. I didn’t do anything that would earn more than a slap on the wrist according to their public stance. I even got the educators to admit in front of everyone that I didn’t break the law when I snuck outside the barrier.”

Emil sent her a calculating look.