Page 192 of Phoenix's Fire

"And what did she think would happen to her on the surface?" Abi asked, but her tone sounded sympathetic, not like she was judging Meri at all.

"She thought she might have a chance," I said. "Tobias told me she's not on the tree."

"What tree?" Felicity asked.

"The one they chain banished women to." I shrugged. "He says a lot when he's trying to impress me. I smile and nod, trying not to react, and he keeps saying more, but that's all I have."

"Because something ate her?" Abi offered.

"Her chains weren't there either," I told them. "He said men who are banished are eaten, and they go collect the chains, but Meri was gone. Her, the chains, and everything." Then I looked between the pair of them. "But you're missing the important part of that story."

"Which is?" Felicity asked.

"Up above, there is a tree," I said. "God and the Devil are fighting. The world is supposed to be burning, but outside of this compound, there's a tree where the banished are chained. A real, living tree. There is food to be harvested. There are people around to become wild, but there's also a tree, which means the world can't be burning."

The air rushed from both women's lungs as my words hit them, but it was Felicity who responded. "And I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to know that either."

"Exactly," I agreed.

But I did. I also knew Ayla was alive. I knew these women weren't as righteous behind closed doors as they pretended in public. Over the last week, I'd come to realize everything I'd believed growing up was a lie.

And I was the only one who realized just how big that lie was.

Sixty

Ayla

It took a bit for Rymar to get us a gun. When he did, I had to spend hours more waiting for Kanik to get home from school. I was pretty sure my excitement over finally trying out the idea had made Zasen frustrated, because he'd retreated outside. To work on more war arrows, he said.

That was why he was out there when we were finally able to try our idea for the first time. I'd done my best to explain it to the guys over dinner, but Zasen didn't think it would work. He also hadn't seen Holly knock Kanik down.

But the trick would be teaching her a new command. Lansin had told me it was possible, but I had no clue how to train a dog! I did, however, know how I'd learned things, and praise had helped the most. So, I had a collection of dried meat in a pouch to reward her, and the toy Tamin had given her for her breaks.

"Okay," Kanik said as he looked over the gun. "And you're sure this thing is safe, Ayla?"

I nodded. "You can make sure it's empty by checking the chamber," I explained. "Since there's no magazine in it, there's no bullet to shoot, so it can't hurt you. I've already checked it three times,andthe safety is on."

He nodded. "Okay. It's just..." He chuckled. "I'm not used to holding these things. Hauling, sure, but guns are typically usedagainstus."

"Just hold it across your chest like this," I said, demonstrating how the hunters tended to carry them.

Kanik moved to an open space, checked the area around him, and nodded to show he was ready. I made Holly heel, then we crossed the yard. Her eyes were on the toy I was holding, and my dog was completely focused, ready for any command I could give.

"Holly, get the gun!" I said, pointing at Kanik.

She looked where I pointed, then back. After a pause that was much too long, she wagged her tail once.

"Gun!" I said, pointing again.

"She doesn't know what that means," Kanik told me.

So I nodded. "Fetch the gun!"

Immediately, my dog tensed, looking where I pointed as if ready to obey. Kanik lifted the weapon, holding it out like he would with a stick, and she was off! Her brindle color became a brown blur as she raced towards him, leaping at the last second to catch the gun in her mouth, wrenching it out of his hands so she could bring it back to me.

"Good girl!" I praised, trading the gun for a piece of meat. "This is a gun, Holly." I tapped the thing. "Gun."

She nosed it.

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