He’d just emerged from the castle’s entrance when he ran into Bianca, hurrying up the broad staircase.
“Heath!” She pulled up. “Where did you go just now? What’s going on?”
“Are the dragons gone?” Heath asked her, grabbing her arm urgently. “What happened?”
“Yes, they’re gone,” she said grimly. “As for what’s happened, no one seems to have any clue! King Matlock said his piece about the restrictions, then the burgundy dragon accused him of hypocrisy.”
“He…what?” Heath hadn’t expected that.
She nodded, looking anxious. “He said that the dragons wanted nothing to do with a kingdom which reviled natural magic, while at the same time harboring the vilest type of magic.”
“What?” Heath could only stare. It made no sense. “He thinks the king is harboring magic?”
Bianca shrugged. “Don’t ask me to explain. I was hoping you could.”
Heath raised his hands helplessly, his thoughts spiraling. The dragons had definitely been looking at him and Merletta when they got angry. Could they sense her mermaid form hiding inside her—was that what they considered the vilest type of magic? And if so, why? What about her could possibly be so offensive?
He was fervently grateful no one else had his unnatural sight—he didn’t see how anyone would connect the dragons’ offense to Merletta and August, and he had no intention of sharing the information.
“There’s more,” Bianca said grimly, and Heath’s eyes flew to hers in alarm. “The dragon said there would be a reckoning. And then they all took off together, without re-lighting the flame.”
“A reckoning?” Heath repeated, his lips numb.
What did that mean? He reached out with his farsight, searching for Reka. The dragon was in flight, his surroundings a nearly invisible blur. It was hard to tell with dragons, but Heath thought he saw a hint of panic in his friend’s eyes.
Terror gripped Heath. He had no idea what any of it meant, but it couldn’t be good. He’d been foolish to take Reka’s disapproval of Merletta as lightly as he had. He’d let Reka’s tolerance for Merletta—however stiff—make him complacent. He should never have exposed Merletta to other dragons without knowing what was behind Reka’s change in attitude.
“But they’re gone?” he asked Bianca abruptly. “They’re definitely all gone?”
“For now,” she said doubtfully. “Heath, why did you leave? And who was that with you?”
Heath hesitated, and a new voice interrupted them.
“Heath?”
He turned to see Merletta in the doorway to the castle. She looked determined, her face more like its usual self even while her gown-clad form still looked so unfamiliar.
“Heath, I don’t want to hide away like a—”
Heath shifted to the side, and Merletta broke off as Bianca came into view.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said. She hesitated, but Heath waved her forward.
“Merletta, this is Bianca, my cousin,” he said. “Bianca, Merletta is a good friend of mine. She’s a guest of my family.”
Bianca greeted Merletta politely, surreptitiously taking in her coloring. Heath assumed that she would decide, as most others had, that Merletta must be from one of the South Lands kingdoms.
But he should have given his cousin more credit. As Heath, still rattled by the day’s events, put a protective arm around Merletta’s shoulders, Bianca’s eyes passed suddenly to him. Understanding lit her face, and she drew in a breath.
“You’re Heath’s mystery girl,” she breathed. “From the island.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Merletta swallowed, not sure what it was safe to say. She glanced at Heath, and was encouraged that he didn’t look alarmed.
“Yes, this is her,” he said. There was even a hint of excitement to his voice. “I’m glad you two can meet, actually.” He turned to Merletta with a smile. “Remember when I came to the island by ship, and I told you my cousins were on board? Well, Bianca was one of them.”
Merletta looked at the other young woman with increasing interest, encouraged to see Bianca smiling at her. She returned the gesture.