Page 30 of Phoenix's Fire

"Does put a whole new light on it," Rymar said. "She also has a good point." He looked at Kanik, then over to Zasen. "We need a house fund."

"I'll get a canister for the living room," Zasen decided. "House money goes in there. Food, clothing, and necessities. Deal? We all put in what we can, and if we need to use it, it's there for anyone."

"Sounds good to me," Rymar said. "Also means Ayla will have access to it if she wants to get Meri some things. And when you earn money, Ayla, you keep some for yourself and only share the extra, okay? Same for all of us."

"Okay," I agreed. "Because we all have highs at different times. That means we can carry our friends during their lows, right? I mean, that's how Meri, Callah, and I did it when we were growing up."

"And I think you girls had a great idea," Rymar assured me.

Kanik reached over and gently touched my arm. "So what do you want to do with the rest of your life? What do you want to specialize in, Ayla?"

I glanced at Zasen, then back to Kanik. "I want to stop the Moles."

"And?" he pressed.

I blinked, unable to come up with anything else. "I don't know."

"Do you want to make clothes?" Zasen offered. "Or learn to dance?Sing? Cook for others like Rymar's cafe does? Own a store or a stall like Jeera? Study to be a doctor?"

I shook my head at all of those. "I think what you do sounds the most interesting."

"Hunting?" Zasen asked, surprised.

I nodded. "Every time I go out, I learn more about the world. I can practice the bow while I do it, and because I don't have venom, I don't bring back meat tainted with it. Well, with normal arrows. That means I could help Jeera and Meri, right?"

"True," Zasen said. "And I do have a lot of orders. We can start with that, but you can learn other things too."

"I don't know what other things I might like yet," I admitted. "Everything is so new and amazing. But in the compound, I liked exploring, and the forest is a very big place to explore. I like killing Moles, so wouldn't hunting be the same?"

"Some people find it harder," Rymar told me. "I do. Killing someone who wants to hurt you is not the same as killing an animal to eat it. I can't do it."

"Oh." I nodded because that made a sort of sense. "But I don't mind that part. Hunting means going out into the world andseeingit. It means learning to use weapons so I can protect us, and feed us, and be strong like that. It also means learning the animals, and the plants, and the insects. I used to read about them, but I've neverseenthem!"

"That's actually a good point," Zasen relented.

So I decided to press my luck. "I also want to learn how to hit like you do, Zasen. You know, for when the Moles come back. I mean, I don't have a tail to sting, but you use the krael and hold them off, and I can't do that."

"I can teach you hand-to-hand," Kanik offered.

"And he'd be better at that part than I would," Zasen added. "Kanik is smaller than me, which means he'll move more like you will. Shorter arms and legs."

"But I don't have a tail," I said again.

"You don't need one," Kanik promised. "If you want, I can give you lessons on hand-to-hand combat and defense when I get home from school."

"School?" I asked. "But…"

He wasn't at school. I knew he was a teacher, but he hadn't been at school since I'd known him. I didn't even know when school was - either the days or the time.

Kanik ducked his head and chuckled. "Um, teachers get room assignments and have to have our lesson plans finalized this week. Next week, the kids start attending."

"Oh."

"Because summer's almost over," Zasen explained. "The weather will start cooling, and the building won't be too hot for the kids to sit in all day. He'll work from about eight in the morning until just after three in the afternoon."

"Probably closer to four," Kanik corrected. "I sometimes have to stay late with children for lessons or punishment."

I twitched at that. "You punish the children?"

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