Merit sat in the dark, but he was not alone. Amity went to bed a few minutes ago, but his visitor remained hidden.
“You can come out now,” he said.
“I wasn’t eavesdropping,” Kal said, stepping onto the patio. She wore a thin robe over her nightdress. He caught a glimpse of her bare calf as she sat on the bench next to him.
“I came down to fetch a glass of water, and I heard voices,” she said.
“You listened.” He did not blame her. One should always gather information. “There is no shame in acquiring information.”
“It’s considered rude to listen in on another’s conversation in my culture.”
Human conventions did not stop her curiosity, though. He approved. “What did you learn?”
She plucked at the sleeve of her robe. “Amity and I had a disagreement earlier. I didn’t mean to run her off.
