Page 112 of Phoenix's Fire

"Good, because they just had a harvest," he said. "Gatherers won't go out for a few more days, so that's going to be a bit low."

Together, we made our way through the line to get our meals. Normally, I waited until the early rush had passed, but this way people would see us together. As we reached the food options, Tobias asked for fungus for me and mash for him. The girl behind the counter paused, glancing between us.

"For you, sir?" she asked.

"Yep," he said.

Her eyes flicked to me, and she smiled. "Yes, sir."

When she handed him the plates, Tobias took both, then turned us towards the main room, but I noticed someone walking in. The woman from the facilities waswith her husband. Neither was someone I would've noticed before the encounter in the facilities, but women were often isolated once we were married.

"Do you know the man with the brown shirt?" I asked. "His wife has the braided bun."

"Mr. Hinton?" Tobias asked. "Yeah, why?"

"Just curious," I said. "What does he do?"

"Hinton removes waste," he explained. "They separate burnables and compostables. Those go down to the fungus farms." He chose a spot on an empty table, then set down our plates. "Why, Callah?"

"I met his wife today."

He grunted at that, then waited for me to sit before claiming the spot beside me. "Did she help with your dress?"

"Her friend did, Mrs. Porter."

"Reloading," he said. "Well, or fungus. There's one of each. The older Porter does fungus. The younger, who's about forty, I think? He does reloading."

"Bullets?" I asked.

"Mhm," he agreed. "And I know that because I met him today." He paused to shove the food around on his plate. "Callah, I won't be able to walk with you after today."

"What?" I asked, my head snapping to him. "Why?"

"Well, um... Not until I get back. We go to hunt soon, and because there are so many new hunters, I'll be in training daily. Our mealtimes might not even be the same. And in a week, we leave. I've been warned that happens early. Before the lights come on."

I nodded quickly, but inside, my guts were twisting. This was it. Time was moving too fast. He might not come back, and then what would I do? Oddly, I didn't like that idea at all. Not just because I wouldn't find out anything about Ayla, but also because I was getting comfortable with seeing Tobias nearly every day.

"If you see her, yell my name," I whispered. "Please, Tobias. Tell her you have a message from me. If she asks what, tell her I put it in the library like she asked, but now she can have it back. It was her mother's and there's no longer a need to keep it hidden here since I know she's okay - and will want it."

"Callah, I can't," he breathed.

"Yes," I insisted, "you can. She won't hurt you if you tell her that. She'll give you a chance!"

"But..." He pushed a silly smile to his face and looked up. "You're cute."

I sat up, surprised at his change in tone. "Excuse me?"

"Don't be too forward, Toby," a man said as he moved in to slap Tobias on the shoulder. "So, is this the Miss Atwood I've heard about?"

"This is her," Tobias said, reverting to his slow and dull mannerisms much too easily. "Callah, this is Malcus, my partner."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr..." I lifted a brow, hoping he'd supply his last name.

"Curtis," he replied. "And if I wasn't a married man myself, I think I'd be jealous of my friend here." He slapped Tobias on the shoulder again. "Let me know if you need some cover to steal a kiss, hm?"

I gasped. "I would never!"

And Tobias surged to his feet. "Miss Atwood is a lady!" he growled, tensing up each and every one of his many muscles. "You apologize to her right now, Malcus!"

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