Page 122 of Phoenix's Fire

"My belt?" I asked.

Zasen murmured in response as he headed to the weapons closet and pulled it open. Reaching inside, he rummaged for a moment, then pulled out something. I caught a glint of metal before he turned, holding it out in his hand.

"You'll need a belt to hang these from."

Laying on his palm were two small krael. The handles were wrapped in brown leather. A blade curved around each one in a C shape, and two short points stuck out above and below the handle. Confused, I took the pair of weapons, surprised to find they were rather lightweight.

"These are krael?" I asked, because they were shaped a little differently from his.

"Your krael," he clarified. "The curved blade will allow you to cut when you punch, and the spikes mean you can pierce if you have to. However, I'd prefer you don't use them."

"What? Why?" I asked.

"Because you're better with a bow," he explained. "Ayla, you're much stronger than you used to be, but still not stronger than a hunter. A bow is."

"But," Rymar said, "if anyone gets too close to shoot, you can show him even tailless Dragons can sting."

Those words made my lips curl into a smile. "Yeah?" I asked, looking between both of them. "And these are really mine, or just to borrow for now?"

"Really yours," Zasen assured me.

"Thank you!" I breathed, lunging in to wrap my arms around his neck, careful to keep the sharp blades away from him. "And maybe we can put some venom on them before we go?"

"My treat," Rymar said.

Zasen leaned into my hug, but also reached up to take the blades out of my hands. "These are going in the closet for now. And Ayla? You should thank Rymar. He bought them for you."

"Wedid," Rymar corrected.

So I let go of Zasen and threw my arms around Rymar's neck. "Thank you too, Rymar! I like them so much, and I really wanted a pair."

He tensed against me for a second, and then lightly patted my back. I just squeezed a little harder, trying my best to mimic the way Jeera hugged people. Rymar made a humming noise then gave in, twining his arms around the middle of my back

"Those are from all of us," he said beside my ear. "I just told Zasen to make sure you had the right kind. So remember to thank Kanik too."

"I will," I promised as I leaned back. "And I can wear them today so I'll look like a warrior and show Meri that's allowed?"

"So you can show everyone you are," Rymar said.

***

The sunlight was bright at three in the afternoon, but my eyes had gotten used to it at some point. I still wanted to squint a bit, but no worse than anyone else in the crowd gathering before the city stage. Unfortunately, the tailed tended to be taller because of their strange feet, which made finding Meri harder.

"What if she can't see me?" I asked Zasen.

"Jeera knows where we'll be," he promised. "I told her at the last militia meeting."

I nodded, but I was still looking. Finally, I spotted Brielle. Her navy skin and orange hair were stark enough to stand out in the mass of browns and greens that were so common. Jumping in place, I tried to wave, hoping they'd see my hand.

A grey arm shot into the air. "Ayla!" Jeera called, then the group angled toward us.

"See?" Zasen said.

I huffed at that. "They were going the wrong way."

"Not that wrong," he said before bending closer. "I can also see over everyone's heads, little Phoenix. Unlike you, I'm not short."

"I'm not short either," I insisted.

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