Page 216 of Phoenix's Fire

"Ayla had this book. It's calledThe Art of War," I explained. "It was about fighting, but so much more. She left it out on the counter in the library, placed lovingly as if she'd come back to it over and over, so I read it. Then I realized she'd quoted it a lot. Just little things, but it was what she said when encouraging herself."

"Okay?" He sounded confused. "What library?"

I paused. "Um…."

"You don't have to tell me," he hurried to say.

But I'd already mentioned it. I could keep this vague. "There's a room. Ayla found it, and we're not supposed to know about it. It was blocked, but there's a way in, and it's filled with books."

"Oh," he muttered, sounding surprised. "And Ayla had a book in there?"

"Yes. One she thought was important, so I read it," I told him, making sure he was keeping up. "All of it, and some history books, and other things no one else knows exist. Stories of the world before we left it. Much of it is about war and how to win - or lose."

"And you think this is a war?" he asked.

I nodded. "It most definitely is. You men go and attack dragons, hunting them for food." My words had gotten so soft, he had to lean even closer. "They fight back, killing our hunters. The men are ambushing the women with this rule change. We're unarmed. Yes, I think this is exactly what war would be like."

"So why don't you want out?" he pressed.

"Because someone has to get the other women out," I hissed, struggling not to get too loud. "I'm the only person who can help them, Tobias. If we find a way to get out, I know I can get them help. You can arrange it with Ayla. She can find somewhere safe for them. Don't you see? She's working out there, and I'm working down here, and you're the liaison, helping us coordinate."

"To what end?" he asked. "Callah, why are you going to risk your own life for people who never did anything to help you before?"

"But they did," I countered. "Ms. Lawton tried to help Ayla. Deenah and Helah tried to help me. Everyone is trying so hard, but we're all powerless because we're alone. But what would happen, Tobias, if the women realized they aren't alone? Ifwe band together and stop letting men have everything their way without any repercussions?"

For a long, long moment he simply stared at me. Every so often, his eyes shifted, landing on another part of my face, but the furrow in his brow was growing. Then he slowly began to nod.

"Most wives can't," he said as if he'd just realized it. "Most wives would be punished by their husbands for being absent, not keeping the home well enough, gossiping, or any of a dozen reasons. He'd use the rod well enough, she would be bedridden for weeks."

"Which would scare everyone else into giving up," I said. "And without a leader, they'd fall back to saying nothing, trying to pretend it's okay, and all the same things they've been doing up until this stupid rule change shocked everyone enough to actually make themtalkabout it."

"Say that again," he dared.

Confused, my head twitched slightly. "Huh?"

"Without a leader," he repeated to me.

"No!" I gasped. "I didn't mean me."

"Why not?"

"But, I'm not even twenty!"

"So?"

"And..." I shook my head. "But I can't!"

"Why not?" he asked. "You just said it yourself. You know the girls, the wives, the widows, and even many of the matrons. Ms. Lawton seems friendly now, and Mrs. Worthington respects you in the infirmary. Healing also means you'll hear more about what happens above. It's a way to help the other women, and an excuse to see them when they need you. A cure for their sickness, or maybe stitches for a wound from being punished. It's cover, Callah, no different than what I'm trying to do to talk to Ayla."

"Oh." He had a point.

"And you can write letters to her," he said. "I'll carry them, but wrap it in something I can claim is a token from my girl. No one will even question it. There's just one problem with this whole plan."

"What's that?"

He shoved his hands across his mouth. "We've been told these grenades are small explosions. They will make an eruption about the size of six tables around us, and throw shrapnel - which is like bullets - across the length of the dining hall."

"So don't use them," I said.

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