Chapter Eight

"Oh Merle…" a voice calls in an annoying sing-song.

"Go away," she replies churlishly, staring up at the ceiling of her room.

"Is anything the matter?" Dillon asks innocently

"Just that I hate you, Dillon."

He considers. "Oh. Okay. Nothing new."

"Not at all. What are you doing here?"

"Just giving you company."

"I don't need your company." Merle replies, still not looking at him.

"Funny, Ethan said you said the same thing."

"Why'd he come, anyway?" She wondered aloud. "Shouldn't he hate me? One of ours killed his father—almost—, his sister, and that girl, Rochelle."

"I don't know," Dillon shrugs. "Said something about owing it to Rochelle, 'cause she defected but never felt trusted."

"Whatever," Merle declares, though inside she is wondering at that. It's so…nice. What happened to the evil Guard Lathenia warned her against?

"Arkarian said you also turned him away, Queen Brystianne, and Neriah."

"Stupid people. Can't they see I'm antisocial?"

"The Merle I remember wasn't."

"Well, I've changed since then, Dillon."

"I've noticed," he says simply, leaning on the doorframe to her room. He suddenly grins wickedly. "Like your hair?"

"Hair?" she asks, not catching on.

"You don't remember?" He acts hurt. "Not those lovely, light golden locks of yours I used to love?"

"Argh! I hated my hair! And my name! Hell, Dillon, isn't there somewhere you should be? Like, away from here?"

He shrugs. "Not really. School's already over, and the Order hasn't made any moves yet."

"No? I would've thought they'd already replaced me."

"Guess not."

Little does Dillon or any Guardian of Time know, Merle had already made arrangements for an emergency. Lonan should have taken over and started preparing for a mission. As soon as Merle is let out back to the present, she can alert him to the Guard's next mission, and—voila!—the Named can be exterminated and she freed. Of course, no one knows of this, and Merle has kept her thoughts away from those plans, just in case.

"So…how'd your debriefing go?"

"Fine," she replies dully. "There wasn't much to tell after all the information you and Rochelle gave. Just questions about Order activities—not that there've been any."

"Right."

"Hey, Dillon?" she asks suddenly, turning on her side to face him. "What day is it? How much time has passed since—you know—you guys captured me?"

"Um…" he thinks. "Around…a month? Almost two."

"Two months? Are you serious?"

He grins. "What, too long for you?"

"But—how—?" she splutters. Obviously, time isn't measured in Athens, but still!

"Anyway, I was sent to tell you something."

"Being?"

"The Tribunal has decided to let you go back to the present."

She sits up. "Really? When?"

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Finally! Yes!" She jumps up off of her bed and hugs Dillon. "Wow! Thanks!"

"Um…Merle?"

She opens her eyes suddenly. Oh, hell. "Ew!" She pushes him off quickly, closing the door behind him.

What was that?

Sorry for the probably sucky, very unbetaed chapter. Very dialogue-heavy, just developing Merle and her relationship with Dillon a bit more. BUT! Soon, very soon, you'll get to see blonde Primrose...

And only Merle belongs to me.