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“How is Emil?” Merletta asked. “Do you see him much, now that he’s graduated?” She’d never had the chance to thank him for the report he’d made to Ibsen, which had led to Jacobi being officially reprimanded for his part in a series of dangerous pranks against Merletta the year before. Not that she was at all sure she would thank him, even if given the chance. She had no idea if the reserved former trainee would appreciate her raising the matter openly. He’d certainly never mentioned his decision to her.
“He was well, last I saw him,” Sage answered. “I’ve seen him a few times.” Her voice was a little too casual, and she cast a sideways glance at Merletta as she added, “He asked about you every time, wondering whether I’d heard from you during your break.”
“Did he?” Merletta asked vaguely. “I wonder why he’d be interested. It’s not as though I’ve ever spent much time with him.”
Sage made a noise in her throat, but didn’t actually say anything. Perhaps it was because they’d reached the training yard, and Agner was greeting their little group with his usual enthusiasm.
“Ready to hit the current swimming, Merletta?” the instructor asked with a grin.
“Of course,” she answered, twirling her spear meaningfully. She had worked very hard to win the right to train with and have permanent custody of her sharpened spear. She still got a thrill out of carrying it with her everywhere. “Always.”
Agner chuckled. “Well, we’ll do some warm-up exercises, then let’s get you straight into a bout with Andre, to start us all off.”
Merletta cast an uncertain glance at the new trainee, who was beaming at this announcement. She felt a little bad about being paired with him straight away. She knew better than to hold back in a bout—what would be the point of training if she didn’t try her best?—but he was so fresh, and so eager to please. She was a year ahead of him in training, and it would feel mean to wallop him, even with the blunt training poles they would surely be using.
She felt differently ten minutes later, when she found herself shooting backward through the water, winded by a solid blow from Andre’s pole.
She straightened, rubbing her stomach ruefully as he gave her a grin that was half-apologetic, half-elated. She was glad that he didn’t insult her by apologizing aloud, however.
“My father’s a guard in Skulssted,” he said cheerfully, flicking his head so his dark hair swirled out of his eyes. “I’ve been training in combat for a few years already.”
“I can tell,” said Merletta with a smile. “I have some catching up to do.”
Andre was still grinning happily, and Merletta found she bore him no ill will for outclassing her. There was no malice in his eyes, just the joy of a good fight, and she could relate to that. They finished their bout—in which Merletta most definitely came off worst—then Agner assigned Andre to spar with Oliver.
Merletta’s respect for the new first year rose as she watched him skillfully defending Oliver’s attack. Oliver triumphed, unsurprisingly. As a third year, he was eighteen years old, and had been training with Agner for over two years now. In fact, he was only a couple of months away from his nineteenth birthday when, if he passed his third year test, he would begin his fourth and final year of training.
Andre took the loss gracefully, his good humor seeming unaffected by the bruise now blooming below his ribs. Merletta regarded him thoughtfully as he drifted back to Sage’s side. She had assumed that he looked up to her and Sage because he was as yet unskilled, and wanted friendships with more advanced trainees to give him credibility. But that didn’t seem to be the case, at least not in physical training.
That made his friendliness more impressive, and more welcome. But it also made it more confusing. What did he have to gain? Why was he going out of his way to befriend Merletta, instead of keeping his distance and watching to see which way the current flowed, as Lorraine was clearly doing? He’d said his father was a guard. A Skulssted guard, rather than a Center one, but still…Ileana was a guard, and someone had sent guards to kill Merletta the previous year. Could Andre be operating under someone’s direction? Was it possible he had some ulterior motive?
Merletta shook the thought off, focusing on the fight taking place between Sage and Lorraine. Sage undersold herself as a fighter. She’d managed to pass the difficult—and mysterious—second year test, and could have become a Center guard if she hadn’t wanted to continue to third year. She defeated the first year girl without great difficulty, and she even had a hint of enjoyment in her eyes when Agner directed Merletta to join her. Even Sage wasn’t immune to the thrill of a good win.
The two girls were fairly evenly matched, Merletta having a greater aptitude, and Sage more experience. They circled each other slowly, spears at the ready. They were both advanced enough to be trusted not to hurt each other by accident, and they were fighting with their weapons upside down, blunt ends exposed.
Merletta lashed out first, and Sage blocked her quickly.
“Don’t be hasty now,” Agner coached, watching their bout intently. Usually he would have assigned the rest of the group to other activities by now, but everyone was observing the two mermaids. “Make sure you’re in a strong position before you strike. You can’t take back a false move.”
Merletta fell back, glancing sharply at Agner. Sage took full advantage of her distraction to advance, her spear flashing out with the speed of a striking sea snake. Merletta barely managed to deflect it, rolling in the water and flipping her tail around so that she was on Sage’s other side.
“Don’t lose focus, Merletta,” Agner said warningly. Merletta tried to tune him out, her eyes on Sage again. She propelled herself forward, twisting her spear around and jabbing sharply with the dull end. Sage’s deflection was imperfect, and she let out a grunt as the wood grazed along her tail.
Despite Agner’s words, Merletta struggled to maintain her usual focus throughout the bout. When they pulled up, several minutes later, she cast another glance at the instructor. It was unusual for him to coach so actively during a bout. He usually saved his comments until afterward. Perhaps Merletta was being fanciful, but once she’d had a suspicion of hidden meaning in his words, it was hard to shake the thought. If he was trying to say something about her situation more generally, he’d now warned her to maintain her fighting edge, to stick close to Sage rather than wandering around on her own, and not to hurry into any confrontation. Was it simply because this was precisely the course she’d decided to take that she was reading into his comments?
Once Agner had put the trainees through every combination, he sent the two third years to complete exercises with the guards, and set a junior guard to drilling Lorraine and Andre. Only Merletta was left, and he turned to her, rubbing his hands together. If he wanted to say something about her situation, this, surely, was his opportunity. But there was no hint on his face that he was thinking of anything beyond her training.
“Now, Merletta,” he began, his eyes alight, “you’re back for your second year. You know what the focus of this year’s test is, of course?”
Merletta nodded. “Guard training.”
“That’s right. Of course, you will continue to study both history and literacy, but to pass second year, you must successfully complete the guard test. Then you will have achieved your highest ambition, and can discontinue the training program, and join my guards.”
Merletta chuckled responsively. “Nice try, sir, but I intend to continue to third year.”
Agner sighed. “You all do, but record holders have dull lives compared to guards, you know. Never mind that.” His tone had turned brisk. “My point is I’ll be working you harder this year. The test is extremely difficult, and it’s my job to make sure you’re equipped to succeed.”
Merletta restrained the groan she wanted to release at the news that he’d be pushing her even harder than the year before. He hadn’t exactly taken it easy on her. But then, that was how she’d made so much progress. She’d known nothing whatsoever about combat when she started the program.
