Page 149 of Phoenix's Fire

"Even when they won't see it coming," Ayla assured him. "He's coming back, Jerlis. We're going to get him out, and then you can meet him."

"And he's a good man?" Jerlis asked, clearly needing to hear it again.

Ayla smiled softly. "I never realized it, but I wasn't scared of him. I was terrified of all the men - but him. Tobias is almost as tall as Zasen, and stronger than any other man in the entire compound, but he wasalwayskind and gentle with me. He wasn't just a good man. I think he was my favorite."

"Then when you see him again, tell him his uncle is damned proud of him." Then Jerlis pushed to his feet. "And I need to make sure the town knows our fight isn't done yet."

I made sure he was steady, then offered Ayla a hand up. Jerlis didn't wait for that, though. Clearly, he was now a man on a mission, but as he made his way back around to the crowd, I smoothed Ayla's hair back, checking to see how she was handling all of this.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

She made a gesture at the blood staining her clothes. "This isn't mine."

"I mean mentally," I explained. "Emotionally, Ayla. You're one step closer to getting Callah out now."

"And Tobias," she said. "We need to save him too."

But I palmed the side of her face and made her look up at me. "And some of us are worried about you."

Her eyes jumped from one of mine to the other. "Kanik, I can fight. Not have to. Not am forced to. I know how to now, and you let me. I'm strong and safe. Meri's able to see a doctor. The men who tortured all of us? They'redying." Slowly, her lips began to curl. "Okay isn't the right word. I'm not happy because people died today, but this?" She simultaneously shook her head and shrugged. "I don't know the name for it, but I can feel it."

"Progress," I told her.

"No. This is different," she insisted. "This feels like..." She lookeddown, creasing her brow as she thought. Suddenly, she sucked in a breath and looked back up at me. "I know the word."

"What?" I begged.

Ayla pulled in a breath and stood a little taller. "Confidence."

And in that moment, the woman before me looked exactly like the warrior she truly was.

Forty-Six

Rymar

Ayla and Kanik left, so I hurried to find Ermial's family. Not surprisingly, Zasen had already informed them about his death. I still offered my condolences and made sure they knew the city would take care of them. They were too upset to care about any of this today, so I promised to meet with them the day after tomorrow to make all the arrangements.

His wife thanked me for that. His mother simply sobbed. Sadly, that was all I could do. But once I was done, I made a beeline for my next task. I'd asked Lansin to wait. He and Irrik would be leaving in the next day or so, and I had to talk to him before they headed back.

"Hey, Rymar?" a woman asked, grabbing my arm to get my attention.

"Hi," I said, unable to remember her name. "Have you seen the two Reaper men?"

"Um..." She pointed. "I think they're over there with the medics."

"Thank you," I said. "Sorry, I need to speak with them." And I left before she could delay me any longer.

Luckily, she was right. Tayle and some of the city's first responders were crowded around Irrik and Lansin. As I got closer, I realized Jeera was in the middle of that mess as well, hanging against her boyfriend's side.

"Lansin?" I called, making the man look up.

"Yeah?" he replied, heading towards me. Like shadows, his two dogs followed silently. "Hey, whatcha need?"

"At the cookout, you said the dog was for sale?" I asked.

The look he gave me made me want to assure him I hadn't been drinking. "Yeah? Is someone interested? She's not cheap."

"I don't care what she costs," I said. "That dog saved Ayla and Zasen, right? She killed the Mole who was about to shoot them?"