Page 162 of Phoenix's Fire

"Tamin!" Saveah snapped. "You have to be invited in first."

"But it's Aunt Ayla's house," Tamin pouted. Then he mumbled, "And I wanna see the puppy."

I just pulled the door wider and invited my sister inside too. "It's okay. Come in?"

"Tamin wanted to give your dog a toy," she explained as she followed her son into the house. "He said it's so he can play with her."

"A... toy?" I asked right as someone tromped down the stairs.

"Tamin!" Kanik said before he even rounded the corner. "Okay, Holly. Good girl."

Immediately, the dog was up and wagging her tail. Her eyes were locked on the toy Tamin was holding. It was the same look she got when chasing a stick, so I made a quick decision and waved towards the kitchen.

"How about we go to the backyard so you can play with her, huh?" I asked.

"I got it," Kanik promised. "You worry about Saveah." Then he patted his leg and called my dog. "C'mon, Tamin. Ayla said we can play with Holly!"

Saveah giggled, shifting closer to me so she could lower her voice. "I don't know if either one of those boys realizes that's supposed to beyourdog."

I just shrugged. "I don't mind sharing. Besides, Holly likes the attention and she's supposed to use her commands as often as possible." I tipped my head at the chairs. "Did you want to sit?"

"I want to see the dog too," she admitted, passing me her daughter. "Let's go watch the kids play. Tamin picked out one of his used toys for Holly, and he's hoping she'll like it."

So I led her outside. Kanik and Tamin were already over by the cliff, and Tamin was squealing gleefully. Saveah and I moved to the table just as Tamin threw his toy as hard as he could - which didn't make it go very far at all. Not that Holly cared. She still chased after it.

"Fetch!" Tamin squealed.

"She's going to tear that up," I warned.

Saveah waved me down. "He knows, and it's already filthy. I was trying to get him to throw it away, but he said Holly needed it - and here we are." She tilted her head, looking me over. "So how are you doing with all of this?"

"This?" I asked.

"Meri, the dog, the big fight..." She gestured around us. "The guys? All of it, Ayla."

"I like it," I promised.

But she huffed like that wasn't the right answer. "Ayla..."

"What?"

"You have been through so much in such a short time. Now your friend is here, and you've been doing twice as much. So, I'm not asking to be polite. I'm honestly trying to check up on my little sister."

And those words made me smile stupidly. My eyes jumped to the ground, and I couldn't make my cheeks stop. "We didn't do that, you know. Being related was only important when it came to marriage. Otherwise, it didn't matter at all. I barely even know my brothers and sister."

"That's sad," Saveah told me. "I guess it was the same for Meri?"

"Mostly," I admitted. "She was older when she moved into the girls' hall, so she knew her siblings a little more, but they separate us from our parents by the time we turn ten."

Which made my sister blow out a heavy breath. "It's hard to imagine."

I nodded in agreement. "I feel the same way about how things are up here."

Then Kanik yelled, "Run, Tamin. She's gonna get you!"

Saveah and I looked over to see Tamin holding the soft toy and running as hard as he could. Holly was chasing him, but not catching. I knew she could've. The dog wasfast, but she was merely staying by his side.

Then Tamin dropped the toy. "Deliver!" he ordered.