“It’s not humans I’m worried about!” Griffin seemed to have forgotten his intention to keep his voice down. “It’s dragons! They will wipe us out if they find out where our cities are. And some of us have families we want to protect!”
Merletta flinched slightly, her new sensitivity about her nameless status still a little raw.
“I’m sorry,” said Griffin at once, seeing her reaction. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, I just—”
“Really? It sounded to me like you did.” Heath’s voice was unimpressed as he appeared behind Merletta.
“Heath, you’re not helping,” said Merletta wearily. “It’s natural that they’re alarmed. I should have told them about Reka, but I’ve been putting it off, and this is the outcome.”
“This isn’t your fault, Merletta,” said Heath. “If they won’t listen to sense…”
“Sense?” Griffin scoffed. Neither man was making any attempt to speak quietly now. “Do you really think we’re so easily duped?” He turned appealingly to Merletta. “Surely this is enough to show you how dangerous your friendship with this human is! He clearly doesn’t care for your safety, or any of ours.”
“That’s not fair!” Merletta felt anger rising up in Heath’s defense. “Heath almost got himself killed trying to save my life!”
“And we risked our lives to save you, as well!” Griffin shot back. “Because we thought you were the triple kingdoms’ best hope, because we thought you would actually change things! Not that you’d throw it away for a pair of big seal pup eyes!”
“Hey!” Heath’s voice was sharp. “Don’t speak to her like that. She doesn’t need anyone’s encouragement to take the weight of the world on her shoulders. It’s not her job to fix your civilization’s problems.”
“You have no voice in this conversation,” growled Griffin, turning his attention to Heath. “It’s bad enough that you come here like it’s nothing, like our very lives aren’t put at risk just by your presence. But to actually bring a dragon?! A vicious beast who won’t hesitate to eat every one of us, then move on to the rest of our kingdoms!”
“You are rude,” said Reka coldly. He still stood some distance away, but his response demonstrated the truth of Merletta’s comment about his hearing. “I imagine I should enjoy annihilating you. But I would certainly never consider demeaning myself by consuming your body.”
Both guards raised their spears at these words, Paul moving to join Griffin as they formed a shield in front of Merletta. Even in her frustration, the gesture softened Merletta toward the stubborn guards. In spite of believing she’d brought danger on them all, they were still determined to protect her.
“Enough!” she said, pushing past them both. “Reka, I don’t know what your problem with me is, but you and I both know you’re not going to annihilate anyone. They might be rude, but they’re speaking from ignorance, not malice. It’s not really their fault—they’ve been taught to fear dragons from earliest memory.”
“With good reason,” Paul said, his voice more measured than his companion’s. “I have to agree with Griffin, Merletta. You should not be fraternizing with a dragon. Surely you know the history better than we do. Their kind have killed so many of ours. If given the chance, they would gladly slaughter us all.”
“That’s just more of the Center’s lies,” Merletta said impatiently. “I’ve known Reka for a long time. He’s never shown aggression. He doesn’t want to kill us all.”
She looked up to find Reka’s eyes fixed on her, something unreadable in the yellow orbs. For a moment her words hung in the silence, then the dragon let out a slow sigh that sounded almost sorrowful.
“No, I do not,” Reka said, his gravelly voice unusually soft. “But your companions are not wrong that it is unwise—and indeed unnatural—for our kinds to interact, Merletta. If you were to take my advice, you and Heath would abandon your friendship, and each allow the other’s kind to fade back into legend.”
“Reka!” Heath protested. “That’s ridiculous. We’re not going to do that.”
He shifted closer to Merletta, and she stepped forward to stand beside him, also feeling the need to reassure herself that they were united on this point.
“We can’t just forget what we know, Rekavidur,” she said earnestly. “Even if we wished to. My civilization has been controlled and subdued by lie upon lie for more generations than I can unravel. Pretending the lies are truth won’t help anyone. We need to expose the secrets, let the truth come out.”
Reka gave a rippling shrug, his voice becoming disinterested. “You will do as you choose. It is not my affair. But do not be surprised if the consequences are more than you were prepared for.”
Merletta glanced at Heath, who looked just as perplexed as she felt.
“Reka,” Heath asked cautiously, “what is it you’re not saying?”
“Do whatever you came here to do,” Reka said, ignoring the question. “I will depart for Valoria imminently. One of them was tolerable. Three is more than I am willing to countenance.”
“One of them?” Heath repeated, Reka’s tone seeming to offend him on Merletta’s behalf. But Reka had already crouched, and the next moment he’d taken to the air, wheeling slowly away over the island.
“What more proof do you need that dragons hate our kind?” Griffin hissed under cover of the rush of wind created by Reka’s wings. “This human isn’t your friend. He’s deceiving you, for some sinister purpose you don’t—”
“Enough.” Merletta’s voice was as cold as the depths of the Center. “I acknowledge that Rekavidur’s behavior was strange. But I won’t hear a word against Heath.” She strode over to him on the words, holding out her hand. “Come on. It sounds like you don’t have long.”
A pleasant shiver went over her when Heath took her hand without hesitation. Neither of them had to articulate their destination—they made for the lagoon in silence. As soon as they reached the water’s edge, well out of sight of the beach, Merletta dropped Heath’s hand.
“I’m sorry about that,” she said, avoiding his eye.