The fight was both easier and harder than Zane would have anticipated, the thrill of each moment fighting against the ongoing weariness. Myli was amazing to fight beside. She had a pair of small curving blades, one of which she lent to him in place of his sharpened stone, and they succeeded in fully stopping the enemy group from pursuit.

It still took hours, chasing down strays and turning back the main force, but between the frenzy of their shark mounts and their inability to clearly pin down where Leor had headed, Myli and Zane were enough to hold them back.

Barely. Toward the end, the remaining mer grouped together and got their last few sharks under control, at which point the pair had to admit defeat and retreat, but at least they'd bought more than enough time for the others to get to safety.

The pursuit would be delayed at the very least, even if the survivors were able to rally more to their cause.

Myli laughed wearily as they lay huddled together beneath an overhang with a hasty concealment of silt, listening as their pursuers debated hotly whether to continue searching for the attackers or return to collect reinforcements.

"I haven't had that much fun for years," Myli murmured softly. "You really are something else."

"Thank you." Zane wanted to say he had no idea what he was doing half the time, acting on instinct more than anything, but somehow admitting any fault to this mermaid would have made him feel diminished, so he instead accepted the compliment without arguing. "You're not bad yourself."

"I have trained to be Leor's companion since I was hatched, to accompany a prince is not something without responsibilities. You, though, only arrived here today. It is impressive, even for a Called."

"What is normal for a Called?"

Myli scoffed, then quieted as the commotion overhead ceased. "I think they're gone. But we should wait to be certain." She was silent a moment, then answered, "There is no normal, but what they all have in common is a single expertise. None is incapable, but you... you seem more..." she shook her head as though unable to find the word. "Just more."

For a time there was silence, Zane unable to think of anything to say to that.

Then, Myli asked, "Do you have to stay with the prince?"

Zane tilted his head. "How do you mean? Isn't that my job, as Called?"

Myli shifted closer to him, staring up into his eyes, one hand rising to run down the side of his face. "If I asked you to run away with me, would you do it? Leave this war, let Duon handle Leor. Just you and me, traveling the seas, nothing tying us down?"

Zane's heart skipped a beat. The most beautiful mermaid in the seas, wanting to run away and explore with him? It seemed too good to be true. But... "What about your duty? Mine?"

"It's a losing battle anyway, we all know that. Everyone we've called has been killed, one after another, whittling down our own forces in the process. There's no winning. The usurper is too powerful, his reach too great. We could leave it all behind. Go somewhere beyond his reach."

It took all Zane's strength not to simply agree, but though he'd only known Leor for a few hours he still felt the weight of duty. He'd been called here for a purpose, not simply to escape his old problems and do whatever he wanted.

"I'm sorry. I think we have to go on."

Myli sighed, drifting so the distance between them opened again, but she didn't seem disappointed. More... conflicted. As though even in asking it she hadn't fully believed it to be right herself. "Then we should get going. I'm sure we have a lot of ground to cover."

"But if the offer's still open once the rightful king is restored to his throne," Zane hastened to add, "I would love to have you travel with me."

Myli smiled, and this time there was no conflict in it. "I would like that very much."