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She nodded. “And Tish?”
A sigh escaped Paul. “She’s at the lagoon. That’s where she lives now. She’s not adjusting well.”
Merletta was silent, her heart aching for the trouble she’d brought on her friend. It made it worse that she’d managed to re-enter her own life, albeit in a strange, precarious way. It felt wrong, when Tish was still trapped at the island.
Eager to go and talk to Tish, she rushed Paul through a quick summary of what had passed in the triple kingdoms.
“August and Eloise aren’t with you?” he asked, scanning the water behind her.
She shook her head. “It would have been too conspicuous if we traveled together. They’re staying with friends—basically avoiding going anywhere without witnesses. For the moment, no one has moved against them.”
Leaving Paul with his thoughts, she struck off toward the lagoon. Just as Paul had said, Tish was floating in the water, amongst the mangroves. She brightened at the sight of Merletta, swimming quickly toward shore.
Merletta slipped into the water, the two of them sinking below the surface to speak.
“You’re back,” Tish said. “What happened?”
Merletta told her, stumbling over the information that she’d passed her test. She half expected Tish to look angry, but she should have known her friend better.
“You’re amazing, Merletta,” Tish said, with a soft smile. “I could never have managed half of that.”
“Tish…” Merletta swallowed, fiddling with a strand of her own hair as it floated by her face. “I’m so terribly sorry for all of this.”
Tish shook her head. “None of this is your fault, Merletta,” she said. “I won’t deny that I wish I hadn’t gotten tangled up in it. But I know you didn’t cause the problems. You just…found them.”
“I was always good at that, wasn’t I?” Merletta said ruefully.
Before Tish could reply, rushing wind caught their ears, audible even beneath the surface.
“Heath is here?” Excitement shot through Merletta, and she started swimming toward the surface. He must have been watching her with his magic sight, and seen that she was headed for the island.
“Will the dragon be with him?” Tish asked, sounding frightened.
Merletta hesitated, then nodded.
“I’ll stay here,” said Tish. “I don’t want the dragon to see me.”
Merletta nodded again, sobered by her friend’s fear. She’d once been so impatient of that attitude toward dragons. The memory of her own foolish overconfidence was painful. If she’d taken the Center’s warnings about dragons more seriously…
But there was nothing to be gained from what ifs.
Merletta clambered quickly onto the rocks at the lagoon’s edge, her scaled skirt settling into place around her hips as she hurried toward the beach. That was where Heath usually landed.
Sure enough, the dragon was alighting just as she arrived, Heath clutched in his talons. Merletta noted that Reka didn’t take off this time, instead sitting back on his haunches on the sand, as if he meant to stay. It was the first time in a very long time.
Merletta saw Paul melting into the brush, although she suspected he was motivated less by fear and more by the desire to give her and Heath the opportunity to talk. He’d always been a little more tactful than Griffin.
“Merletta!” Heath cried at the sight of her.
She ran straight to him, throwing herself against him as his arms closed around her. She could feel the tension in his muscles, and she pulled back slightly, looking up at his face in concern.
“What’s wrong?”
“You first,” he insisted. “I saw you back in the triple kingdoms. What happened? Are you safe there?”
Merletta sighed, laying her head back against his shoulder. “This is the only place I feel genuinely safe,” she whispered.
“If only that was true.” Heath’s voice was bitter, and Merletta stepped back.
