“Don’t tell me I’m too late!” Sage called cheerfully. “If Serena’s eaten all the squid, I’m going back to the Center.”
“Sage!” Merletta half rose from her seat, delighted to see her friend. “I thought you wouldn’t be here until tomorrow.”
The other mermaid grinned as she embraced her parents. “Agner let us loose from training early, so I thought I’d come straight home, get a head start on rest day.”
“That’s perfect,” said Merletta. “Has Andre gone home for his break yet, do you know?”
“Last night, I think,” said Sage, as Serena hid a snigger.
Merletta glanced at the ten-year-old, confused, but she’d fallen silent under her mother’s stern gaze.
Once the meal was finished, Sage drifted back to Merletta’s room with her.
“Why were you asking about Andre?” she asked, idly picking up Merletta’s paua shell knife from next to the bed, and turning it over in her hand.
“I want to speak with him,” Merletta said. “Tonight, if possible.”
“Why?” Sage sent her a sharp look. “Did something happen today with…you know?” She widened her eyes meaningfully, and Merletta shook her head.
“No, they’re all fine. But it’s time to tell him.”
“Are you sure?” Sage looked nervous. “I spoke to Emil at lunch yesterday, and he said—”
“It’s in Emil’s nature to be cautious,” Merletta said firmly. “But Andre deserves our trust.”
Sage fidgeted with the paua knife, still looking unsure.
“Sage.” Merletta’s firm tone brought her friend’s eyes up to hers. “Imagine if it was you. How would you feel to be the only one who didn’t know?”
Sage sighed. “You’re right, of course. I’d hate it. I did hate it when you kept things from me last year. It’s just…I do think Emil has a point. If Andre knows, it will be terribly hard to expect him not to tell his parents. His father was—I mean is—such a close friend of…” She trailed off, clearly not wanting to say August’s name aloud, in spite of the fact that they were alone.
“We’ll just have to trust him,” said Merletta, shrugging. “He knows best whether it’s safe to tell his parents.”
Sage didn’t say anything, but Merletta still knew what she was thinking. Emil most definitely wouldn’t approve of trusting that decision to Andre. Merletta ran a hand over her face, knowing Sage was right.
It would have been so much simpler if she’d been able to just tell all her friends the moment she found out about the guards’ survival, and be done with it. But that opportunity hadn’t arisen straight away. She’d managed to tell Sage that night, in the brief minutes before Lorraine followed them into their sleeping area, but of course neither Andre nor Emil had been present. And when Sage had found a private moment to pass it on to Emil the next day, he’d sent back a caution against Merletta’s intention to apprise all the missing guards’ families of the news.
Merletta often thought Emil too cautious, but on this occasion, she’d soon realized he was right. To even discover the identity of the relevant family members would require her to ask questions which would raise suspicion. And she had no way to guess how those people would react, and whether their responses would endanger not only themselves, but all Merletta’s friends.
Reluctantly, she’d held off telling Andre as well, which wasn’t actually very difficult, given that she’d left the Center immediately to stay with Sage’s family, and he’d been completely distracted by studying for his first year test. But he’d passed the test the day before, so that excuse could no longer stand. Even though Merletta hadn’t seen much of Andre in the three weeks since her own test, she could still hardly believe she’d let it go so long without filling him in. It wasn’t the action of a friend.
“Even if you’re right,” Sage said, “it’s probably not the best time. His family is hosting his birthday celebration early, remember? To double as a celebration that he passed his test.”
“I know,” said Merletta eagerly. “It’s tomorrow, right? That’s why I want to speak to him tonight. I’m hoping he’ll invite me.”
“You…you want him to…” Sage hesitated, her expression hard to read as she searched Merletta’s face. “Won’t you be…away?”
Merletta shook her head impatiently. “It’s your rest day, Sage. I was going to hang around Skulssted like I did last week. Unless…” She hesitated as a sudden thought occurred to her. “Unless you want some time with your family, without any guests. That would be completely understandable, and I really should have—”
“No, it’s not that,” scoffed Sage. “I see plenty of my family. It’s just that I, uh…I’m actually busy tomorrow. Going to…well…” She flashed Merletta an apologetic look. “Going to Andre’s celebration. My whole family is going.”
“Oh.” Merletta blinked, surprised and a little hurt that Sage had been keeping that information to herself. “And will Emil be there?”
Sage nodded, looking miserable. “Yes, I believe he’s going, with…with his family.”
Merletta turned away, tidying her small living area and trying to sound casual. “Well, that’s good. It’s been too long since we were all together in one place. And tomorrow could be an opportunity to get together without raising any suspicion.”
Sage remained silent.