Page 224 of Phoenix's Fire

"What about you?"

She shook her head. "Go talk to him. He needs a minute with someone he won't feel will judge him. I'll get our meals boxed to go and check on you in a moment, okay?"

That was all I needed. Sliding out from behind the table, I hurried toward my friend with the type of calm collection that would've made the elders proud. I kept my head up, my steps were light, and I refused to show my worry on my face.

"Rymar?" I asked when I was close enough to say it softly.

He turned, shock taking over his face. So I did the one thing I knew I'd want in his situation. Without asking, I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged. Immediately, he gripped me around the back, leaned in, and buried his face in my shoulder.

"That," he mumbled, "is exactly what I needed."

Seventy

Rymar

Seeing Ayla in the cafe made my blood run cold. She'd just seen all of that! Yet the moment she wrapped her arms around me, none of it felt important. I gave in, hugging her hard and not caring about anything else.

"That," I said into her shoulder, "is exactly what I needed."

"Are you okay?" she asked, pulling back to look at me.

I closed my eyes for a moment and pulled in a breath, composing myself. "Yeah," I decided. "Fuck him." Then I turned for the bar. "Ulris? Get me that bottle of..." I paused, debating my options. "I think cherry wine."

"Glass?" Ulris asked as he moved to grab that.

"Two," I told him, gesturing for Ayla to take a seat at the bar with me. "Ever had wine, Ayla?"

She shook her head in a nervous little jiggle. "Alcohol is a tool of the Devil."

"So you want some?" I asked next.

Her eyes scanned my face. "Okay."

Ulris slid me two glasses - not the wine type - and the entire bottle. Flipping the top open released the vacuum, proving this was a fresh bottle, so I poured a generous amount in one glass, then just enough to cover the bottom in the other.

"Taste it first," I told her. "Wine tends to be bitter. This is fruity stuff, so sweeter than some. Still, you might not like it."

Ayla lifted the glass and sniffed first, then took a careful sip. I watched as she thought about the taste, then tried a second time. Her third drink was almost normal-sized.

"It's different," she said.

I nodded. "Yep, but do you like it?" I paused to toss back a swallow of my own. "Because right now, I need something to take my mind off that asshole."

"Qavan?" she asked, proving she'd heard far too much.

I nodded. "Yeah. I honestly thought things were going to work out, but nope." A heavy sigh fell from my lips. "I am shit at love, Ayla."

"Me too." She tilted her glass again, swallowing the last of what I'd given her.

So I grabbed the bottle, tipping it her way in a silent offer. When she nodded, I added a bit more than I had last time before topping up my own glass. This might be sweet, but it was potent stuff.

"Careful," I told her. "If you drink too much of that or drink it too fast, you'll feel it."

"How?" She took a dainty sip.

Before I could answer, someone leaned against the bar on my other side. "You'll do stupid things, laugh too much, and might even have a good time," Saveah said, smiling when I looked over at her.

"And you're here too," I groaned.

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