Page 123 of Phoenix's Fire

"You're tailless, so you're short." Then he grinned.

I rolled my eyes at him, making a production of it. Just like I'd hoped, he laughed, but a brown shadow slipped in to stand on my other side. I flinched, turning to find Kanik.

"Sorry," he said. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"Do you have to go back to school when this is done?" I asked.

"Nope. That's one of the benefits of being in the militia," he assured me, but his eyes jumped up.

For a second, Kanik's brow creased, but then a smile began to grow on his mouth. Stepping back, he made a production of looking me over.

"Leathers, huh?" Then he laughed. "And your own krael?"

"Look," I said, grabbing the handle of one. "They fit my little hands!"

"Cutting and stabbing." He nodded in approval. "Nice."

"Thank you for them. I would hug you, but I don't know if I'm supposed to do that with so many people around."

"Do it," Zasen encouraged.

So I grabbed Kanik around the chest and squeezed as hard as I could. "I really, really like my weapons, Kanik. They make me feel like a real Dragon, and it's even better because all three of you got them for me."

"Ayla..." he said, easing me back. "I - "

"He didn't know I'd picked them up," Zasen broke in. "But Kanik's the one who suggested the spike on both sides."

"And now you get to show me how to use them," I told him.

"Use what?" Meri asked, proving their group had finally made it over to us.

"I have weapons!" I said, turning so she could see them hanging off my hips. "The guys bought them for me so I can have my own."

"Weapons?" Meri asked, looking at Jeera. "Does everyone have weapons?"

"Only the people who want to fight," Jeera said. "Doesn't matter if they're men or women."

"Rymar doesn't have any," I explained. "He does politics. Brielle does healing. Jeera does both fighting and healing."

"Just like Ayla," Brielle added. "That's what we meant when we said people can do more than one thing. Some do, some don't, but you'reallowedto pick what you want."

"Move!" a woman roared before Meri could answer. All of us looked up in time to see Lessa waving her arms to force people out of her way. "There's a child here. I'll sting whoever steps on him."

"Me too!" Tamin said as he trailed after her.

The boy was holding Lessa's tail instead of her hand, but only because his mother had the other one. The baby was on her hip, but Brielle moved in to steal the child away as soon as Saveah was close enough. That was when Zasen crouched down.

"Shoulders?" he asked the boy.

Tamin nodded as big as he could, so Zasen scooped the kid up and settled Tamin behind his neck. When Zasen stood back up, the child squealed in delight.

"What is this?" Meri asked, her words in English.

"It's a town meeting," I explained, changing to her language. "In Lorsa, everyone comes and gets to hear what's decided."

"We also get to give input," Jeera said. "Rymar is actually the second-in-charge of town."

Meri gave me a confused look. "An Elder?"

---