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Merletta was silent, stunned. She’d never received the tiniest modicum of praise from the chief instructor before. His tone was actually respectful, and he was looking her in the eye, like an equal. Could she really be accepted if she took a guard position?
Her eyes passed over Agner, still nodding encouragingly, and Freja, who looked flatteringly hopeful. It was certainly a far cry from her interview with Ibsen at the end of first year, when he had tried, with poorly concealed disdain, to persuade her to take a position as a scribe. He hadn’t been able to hide his anger when she refused.
But that memory made everything fall into place. It wasn’t coincidence that both Agner and Freja were present for this meeting. Ibsen’s aggressive approach hadn’t yielded the desired result, that of stopping Merletta from progressing into the heart of the Center without using force. Now Wivell was trying a gentler approach, one based on praise rather than fear.
But it was no less a manipulation, and the object was the same. They didn’t want her probing any further into their secrets, and she knew now that they had very good reason for it. And so did she have very good reason to continue.
“Thank you, sir,” she said respectfully. She looked at Agner and Freja as well. “And thank you for your support. I truly appreciate it. But my decision isn’t taken lightly. I wish to progress to third year.”
Agner looked disappointed, but not really surprised. Freja looked genuinely crestfallen, and Merletta couldn’t help but be softened. Wivell’s face showed no emotion at all. The respectful look was gone, but he showed no scorn. He was once again impassive.
“Then you are dismissed,” he said. “You will be expected to start third year classes in a month.” He looked at her for a moment. “Will you once again spend your break in Tilssted?”
Trying to mimic him, Merletta kept her own face impassive. “I haven’t quite decided yet, Instructor,” she said. “I’ve been invited to spend some time in Skulssted with friends. I’m not sure what I mean to do.” It was all perfectly true. Sage had invited Merletta to spend some time with her family during her break, but Merletta wasn’t at all sure she wanted to accept, not when Sage would only be there on rest days.
Wivell’s face still gave nothing away as he nodded her dismissal.
Agner clapped her on the shoulder as they swam from the room. “Ah well, you can’t blame us for trying. We may get you yet, if you fail your test next year.”
“No need to sound so hopeful,” said Merletta, half laughing.
He gave her a wink and swam away, toward the dining hall. Merletta turned to Freja, who was still floating beside her, looking a little dejected.
“Are you sure, Merletta?” she asked. “I had requested you to join our squad if you chose to become a guard.”
Merletta regarded her in silence. “Why do you want me to be a guard, Freja? What’s your motivation?”
The normally stoic older mermaid flushed slightly, and Merletta knew she’d hit some point of discomfort. It was an encouraging sign, actually.
“My motivation is that I like you, and I see your potential, and I want you in my team,” she said evenly. “You would make a great guard, Merletta, there’s no doubt about it. But…” She hesitated. “But I’ll be honest with you, I also received orders regarding you. Since you started training with our squad, I was instructed to do my utmost to convince you that the life of a guard would suit you. And I had no hesitation following those orders,” she added, with a touch of defensiveness. “It’s perfectly true that it would suit you, in my opinion.”
Merletta nodded slowly, relief seeping through her. That was a level of deception she could handle. It wasn’t even deception, really. Freja was under no obligation to communicate such innocuous orders to the trainee under her care.
Knowing from what she’d overheard that Freja wasn’t sure herself, Merletta didn’t bother asking whom the orders had come from. It didn’t matter, anyway. There were plenty of merpeople who didn’t want Merletta to progress through the program. Discovering which one had set guards to influence her wouldn’t really tell her anything she didn’t know. For all she knew the idea might have originated with Agner. He had his own reasons for wanting to persuade Merletta, and at least they were based on recognition of her abilities rather than a desire to prevent exposure.
At least, she was fairly certain.
“I appreciate your support,” Merletta said, smiling at Freja. “I hope I can still train with your squad sometimes. Third and fourth year studies involve plenty of guard training, you know. And you did convince me that I’d probably like being a guard. It’s just…not the path I’ve chosen.”
Freja nodded, looking resigned. “I figured as much,” she sighed. “But I thought it was worth trying to convince you.” Her smile broadened. “But I shouldn’t be bringing the mood down. You passed your test, Merletta. You’re halfway through the program!”
“So I am,” said Merletta, amazed at the thought. “I need to find my friends,” she added, turning in the direction of the dining hall, where Sage, Emil, and Andre would presumably be eating their dinner. “They’ll all be waiting to hear what happened.”
“Of course,” nodded Freja.
She drifted away toward the guards’ barracks, and Merletta hurried through the darkening streets. She hadn’t gone far when the sensation of being followed became undeniable. Turning swiftly, she caught a flash of dull green.
“Come out, Ileana,” she sighed.
The other mermaid obeyed, looking sulky.
“It’s been so long since we had one of our little chats,” said Merletta lightly. “But I can’t say I’ve missed them.”
“I have nothing to say to you,” spat Ileana.
“The fact that you’re lurking in my shadow suggests otherwise,” Merletta pointed out. Her eyes narrowed. “What do you want, Ileana? Wondering how I survived? It must be a shock, to see me return from the dead a second time.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Ileana, still sounding grumpy.
