Page 113 of Phoenix's Fire

"Sorry," Malcus said, taking a step back. "I was just trying to help, Toby."

"It'sTobias," he corrected. "A proper, biblical name."

"Yeah. Okay,Tobias," Malcus sneered. "Didn't mean to offend. I'll leave you to your lady then."

Tobias grunted again, and it may have been the most terrifying sound I'd ever heard. Ayla had once told me about beasts, and all I could think was they must make noises like that: the kind which sounded like a fight was about to break out.

"Sorry," Tobias said as soon as he sat down.

I'd pulled my hands into my lap. "I didn't mean to cause problems."

"I was being the man he expected," he soothed. "They expect me to be stupidly possessive of you and aggressive over defending your honor."

I nodded. "Okay."

"Callah?" he asked, leaning a bit to make me look at him. "It's okay. He's gone."

I tried to smile, but I was sure it looked as fake as it felt. "I didn't make problems for you, did I?"

"No," he soothed. "That's the man who's supposed to shoot me if I run, and he's been calling me a coward all week. But that's my point. He's the one who's going to be right beside me the whole time. I can't yell your name at Ayla. He'd shoot me."

I licked my lips and pulled in a steadying breath. "Growing up, she always got punished. It didn't matter if that was a slap in sermon, a kick from a husband, or anything else. She pushed the rules and paid for it."

"Ayla?" he asked, keeping his voice down.

I nodded nervously. "But I couldn't do it. She got back up and walked it off like the pain didn't matter. I..." Slowly, I looked up, finding those hazel eyes of his hanging on my face. "I don't want to be punished, Tobias. Not by the largest and strongest man in the compound."

"Hey, hey, hey," he breathed, leaning in even more. "I won't do that to you."

"Now," I said. "But what happens if this doesn't work? What if..." I swallowed. "What if you don't come back? What if they catch you?"

"Then you will be smart, blame me for everything, and find a way out," he whispered. "You will get to her, and you'll be safe, Callah. That's why we're doing this."

"But..."

"What?" he begged.

"The stain on my dress was caused by a rod. It's a man's right to use it, and a girl shall be married at twenty. If you don't come back? If this doesn't work? If theyfind that drawing on you?" I shook my head. "I will be the one bleeding from the rod."

"I would never..." he tried.

"I don't want to get married!" I hissed. "I'm not ready, okay? I'm..."

"As scared as I am," he finished for me. "Callah, I'm terrified the Wyvern will kill me. What if I don't even see her? All I can hope is they'll recognize the feathers, and somehow - I don't even know how - I'll be able to convince them to take us too."

"What if that's why you don't come back?" I asked.

He reached up and smoothed back a little wisp of hair at the top of my head. "Do you think she'd let me in without you?"

That was enough to make me huff. It wasn't quite a laugh, but he had a point. "No, but what if she's not really in charge?"

"I am going to come back for you, Callah," he swore. "You are my only friend, and I will not leave you behind. I swear on the Holy Bible, every secret I've shared with you, and the name my mother gave me that I will come back. I'm just hoping if that's with an arrow in me, you'll be kind when you remove it."

I nodded. "I swear, Tobias. I can't imagine doing this alone anymore."

"Me either," he agreed. "But it'll be four or five days before I'm back. Don't worry before then, okay?"

"And if you don't come back?" I asked.

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