Page 222 of Phoenix's Fire

"Never," I swore. "But why didn't he say anything?"

"It's new," she explained. "He's trying to take it slow, and introducing someone to your family is a pretty big step in a relationship. It's..." She puffed out her cheeks as she blew out a breath. "Um, up here, when people get to know someone, they start off casual, seeing how it goes. They usually don't make it official until they've spent some time together. He's still in the casual part of that."

"I don't understand," I admitted.

"That man isn't his boyfriend yet, just a guy he likes," she clarified. "Once he's a boyfriend, then Rymar would say something. Until then, it could just be a bad date."

"Right," I said, pulling my eyes away from my friend. "I thought he liked Kanik?"

"Okay, I didn't know that, but Kanik doesn't date men, so he isn't a realoption, and no one wants to be alone for the rest of their life." She shrugged. "Rymar's trying to find someone else who makes him happy and will date him back. See, Ayla, most people don't only like one person ever. They like a few, try it out, and if it works, they go from there."

"That makes sense," I agreed. "We weren't allowed to do that down there. If we were interested in someone, it meant we would marry them, and that's why this is all going to be so hard to explain to Callah."

"I can only imagine," she said before lifting a finger.

A tailless man made his way over, smiling at the pair of us. "Can I get you a meal tonight, ladies? Maybe some drinks?" He jerked his chin at Saveah. "The bar was just restocked, and you know I'm not allowed to charge you."

She laughed. "Thanks, Ulris, but no. I'm trying to actually use my brain tonight."

"Got rid of the kids and everything," he joked. "And you, Phoenix?"

The use of my sign made me sit a little straighter. "Oh. Um, I don't know."

Saveah waved me off. "Let's just stick with tea." Then she told Ulris what she wanted for a meal.

I added mine, then told him, "I also want to pay."

"Not gonna happen," he said. "I'm sorry, but Rymar would fire me."

"But I want to make sure I know how to use money!"

Which made him grin. "We'll figure something out. Now I'll be right back with your meals."

"That," Saveah said, "is Rymar's best employee. That man all but runs this place. Rymar makes the final decisions, but Ulris is his right hand here." Then she leaned closer. "Okay. Our letter. You're giving Callah the list of everyone who's been kidnapped?"

"And their descriptions," I said. "I'm hoping one of them will be her mother. My plan is for her to leave the papers in the woman's area when she leaves. The book, too. That way the girls and wives will realize there's another option. Maybe when we break in, they'll hide, or even help us?"

"It's good to hope," Saveah said, "but make sure Callah doesn't get killed because of this."

"No, not until she's ready to get out," I said. "Tobias is going to get the code for the door. Once he can do that, he'll come to us with Callah, and then we'll be able to go in and stop this once and for all."

"Good," Saveah said.

"And if the women down there realize they have family up here," I continued, "then maybe they'll feel like they can escape too. I mean, when we go in, I might be the only one who can see. It's very dark in there - "

A roar of laughter cut me off and made both of us look back to where Rymar was standing. A group of guys at the table closest to them were making a fuss. The problem was, their amusement was directed right at Rymar and his friend. The red man was dancing in front of Rymar, acting like he was trying to get Rymar to do the same.

"Drinks!" someone called out.

"C'mon," the red man said. "We're having fun, right?"

"Bring us a bottle on the house!" someone at the table called out.

Saveah grumbled, "Idiots."

"What?" I asked. "Why?"

"There is a very big difference between getting something for free and expecting it," she said. "And Qavan's friends?"

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