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Merletta tried to pay attention to the rest of the class, realizing that the history and hierarchy of the Center was probably valuable information for her survival within it. But her thoughts were too chaotic to focus for long on anything. And knowing that the instructor, with the knowledge of at least two of the other trainees, was intentionally providing false information to the group, made it hard to take anything he said seriously.
When the class ended, and the trainees began to drift out of the room and toward lunch, Merletta was still so distracted that she reached the open street before she realized she wasn’t alone. She turned to Sage, surprised to see the other mermaid keeping pace with her. The rest had all gone on some distance ahead.
Merletta waited, watching the coral-tailed girl with wary eyes. Who could tell what Sage might know that Merletta didn’t? Perhaps Merletta’s questions to Ibsen had revealed things to the older student that she hadn’t intended to reveal.
“Merletta, I, uh…” Sage cleared her throat, obviously struggling to find the words. “I just wanted to say that I thought that was…you know, harsh.”
Merletta came to a stop, staring at the other girl in surprise.
“I just wanted you to know,” Sage glanced around to make sure they were alone before rushing on, “it’s not always like that. I mean, it wasn’t like that for the rest of us, as first years. Instructor Ibsen is never exactly friendly, but we’re usually allowed to…to ask questions.”
Sage fell silent, and Merletta continued to stare at her.
“Why are you telling me this?”
Sage shrugged uncomfortably. “I just…I just didn’t think it was fair,” she said. “The difference. I don’t really understand it.”
Really? Merletta wanted to retort. You weren’t exactly falling all over yourself to welcome the new trainee from Tilssted. She refrained, though, interested to hear what else Sage might have to say. She remembered the way the other mermaid had looked between Merletta and her fellow first year during the class. It was heartening to discover that Sage had not only noticed the vast difference in Ibsen’s treatment of Jacobi and Merletta, but had been made uncomfortable by it.
Sage’s next words made her glad she hadn’t made a snippy reply. The older girl clearly knew what Merletta must be thinking.
“I also wanted to say I’m sorry that none of us have been very welcoming.”
Merletta observed her for a moment, noting the flush on the other mermaid’s cheeks. It wouldn’t be the first time someone had tried to use kindness as a trap, but Sage certainly seemed sincere.
“Thank you,” Merletta said at last. “I appreciate it.”
Sage nodded awkwardly, and the two of them began swimming again, heading toward the dining hall.
“Do you really think there could be resources on land that we could use?” Sage asked, her tone more natural again. “That there could be intelligent creatures?”
Merletta shrugged, keeping her voice casual. “Who knows? Anything is worth considering, isn’t it?”
Sage had never been hostile, and had just shown her more kindness than anyone else at the Center, but she was still far from what Merletta would consider a friend. She had no intention of trusting the other trainee with her secrets.
Still, she thought, as Sage voluntarily sat next to her at lunch, friend or not, it was certainly nice not to be surrounded by enemies.
The other mermaid was still chatting with Merletta in a friendly way when they reached their sleeping quarters. The room was empty but for them, and Merletta found herself speaking more freely than she had since arriving at the Center. She was entertaining Sage with a description of her first carer—an eccentric mermaid who had liked to adorn her hair with live sea snails—as she sank into her hammock. She was just nestling her tail between the hammock’s folds when she felt a horrifyingly familiar touch on her scales.
She surged out of the hammock with a scream that brought Sage tumbling out of her own sleeping area. Merletta backed away, her eyes wide with fear as the jellyfish emerged into sight, its diaphanous white body glowing faintly in the darkness.
“What’s wrong?” Sage asked urgently, her eyes passing from Merletta’s terrified expression to the intruder now drifting away across the room. The other mermaid’s expression softened. “Oh, I forgot. You’re afraid of jellyfish, aren’t you?”
“So should you be!” protested Merletta. “That’s a box jellyfish! Its venom is excruciatingly painful, and more often than not, fatal!”
Sage put a hand to her mouth. “Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure,” said Merletta shakily. “How did it get in here? No type of venomous jellyfish should even be inside the triple kingdoms, let alone in someone’s hammock!”
Sage raised one shoulder helplessly. “I just assumed it had gotten loose from one of the lanterns. It does happen sometimes.”
Merletta gave her head a vehement shake. “They don’t use box jellyfish in the lanterns,” she said. A shudder ran over her frame. “Trust me, I’ve been paying attention.”
“Oh my.” The lazy voice from the doorway made both girls turn. “How did a jellyfish get into our sleeping quarters?”
Merletta glared at Ileana, her suspicions instantly raised. One hand balled into a fist as she started forward. “Is this your idea of a funny prank?” she hissed. “That could have killed me.”
Ileana’s expression was cold as she stared Merletta down. “And what a tragedy that would be.”
