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Merletta shook her head without hesitation. “No, I don’t.”
“Then I won’t,” said Heath simply.
“Thank you,” said Merletta, still speaking carefully. “I suppose it seems strange, it’s just that—”
“You don’t have to give me an explanation,” Heath cut her off. “I won’t expose you if you’re not ready to be exposed.”
A strange look passed over the mermaid’s face. Heath waited curiously, hoping she would share the thought in her mind.
“I think you’re telling the truth,” she murmured at last, seeming to speak mostly to herself.
“Of course I am,” said Heath calmly. He leaned into the elbow that was still resting on his propped up knee. “Merletta, I will never lie to you.”
Her expression was impossible to read. “But you’ll lie to your own family for my sake, if they ask you where you’ve been?”
Heath shrugged. “I won’t lie. I’ll just decline to answer.”
Merletta raised an eyebrow. “And they’ll accept that?”
“Probably not,” Heath acknowledged, with a rueful smile. “But that’s my problem to worry about.” He glanced back over his shoulder again. “Reka!” he called.
The dragon ambled into sight, and Heath pushed himself to his feet. “Until next week, then, Merletta.”
The mermaid was already sliding back into the water, her expression enigmatic enough to make her look the part of a mythical creature.
“Until next week, Heath.”
* * *
“Heath? Did you hear me?”
“What?” Heath turned to his brother, emerging from his distraction. “Sorry, Percival, what did you say?”
“I said we’re leaving now. Are you sure you’re not coming?”
“I’m sure,” said Heath impatiently. He glanced at the sky. “If you want to get to Bryford before noon, you’d better leave.”
Percival frowned. Heath could see through the open window that a groom had brought his brother’s horse around to the front of the manor, but Percival made no move to leave.
“What’s up with you, Heath?”
“What do you mean?” Heath asked defensively.
“I mean what’s got you so distracted? I’m surprised you don’t want to come.”
“To an official meeting of the king’s nobles?” Heath raised an eyebrow. “I’m surprised you do want to go.”
“It’s not just some meeting,” Percival reminded him disapprovingly. “It’s an audience to discuss the question of whether restrictions should be placed on power-wielders. You really don’t have an opinion on that?”
“Of course I do, but I doubt I’d even be welcome,” Heath hedged. “Neither one of us has a real position in court. You’re just scraping by because of being the heir. I don’t have any such excuse.”
Percival gave him a look. “You’re not that oblivious, Heath. Don’t try to pretend you don’t know that plenty of the real persuading will happen outside of the official meetings. I’ll be surprised if any of the other power-wielders fail to attend.”
“Yes, well, I’m not really one of those, am I?” Heath said vaguely.
“You’re part of this family, aren’t you?”
The new voice made both brothers turn, and Heath squirmed a little under his father’s steady gaze.
