Page 49 of Phoenix's Fire

"Not believe me," I mumbled. "She thought maybe you'd all been lying to me when I told her my mother had been a Dragon."

"Then tell her anyway," Zasen said. "Because the Moleswillreturn. They will come with guns, and they will kill Dragons. She won't see it, but I'll make sure Jeera brings her to the city meetings."

"No, but - " I tried.

Zasen lifted a hand. "It's going to happen, Ayla. You cannot shield her from all the horrors in the world. You can try to protect her, but sometimes a warning is the best protection you can give. Sometimes, it's the only option you have. You have to remember that she might know how to get back in, and that's the only way we'll be able to get your other friend out."

"Okay," I said softly, because he was right. "I'll tell her, but what if she hates me?"

"What if she's proud of you?" Kanik countered. "Ayla, you found a way out. Now she's out. What if Meri realizes you're doing the right thing - have you ever considered that?"

I looked over at him to find those dark purple eyes waiting. "But what if I've changed too much and she no longer wants to be my friend? What if she thinks Dragons should be eaten? What if - "

"Then she does," Kanik told me. "But what if she doesn't? What if, Ayla, Meri respects you and that's why she made sure she got kicked out? The same woman you told me was always trying to do things others wanted just broke all the rules. Why would she do that?"

"Because I survived?" I guessed.

"Because youinspired her," he corrected. "So trust your friend. She risked her life because she believed in you. The least you can do is believe in her back."

Fifteen

Rymar

Ibided my time until Ayla went to sleep, but the talk I'd had with her on our way to Jeera's had stuck with me. It also wasn't something I wanted to get her involved in. When she'd told me about Zasen kissing her, she'd hurried to make sure he wouldn't get in trouble.

Too bad for him, he was.

So when the house started to quiet and the lights were mostly out, I made my way back downstairs. Not surprisingly, Zasen was sitting in his chair with a book open on his lap. I slipped around him, then sank onto the couch in the spot closest to him. This wasn't something I wanted to do at the top of our lungs.

"Why didn't you tell me you kissed her?" I asked.

His response was a sigh. "You had to be there to understand."

I simply leaned back and crossed my arms over my chest. By my feet, my tail flicked, my turquoise stinger partly visible as proof of my annoyance. I didn't try to retract it either.

"She made it clear she isn't interested," I reminded him.

With a snap, he closed his book, then leaned forward to place it on the coffee table. As he leaned back, Zasen turned to face me better. "Is she upset about it?"

"Confused," I corrected.

"Did she mention the part where I made it clear she belongs to herself and only herself?"

I slapped my hand down on the arm of the couch, biting back the snarl that wanted out. "I don't give a shit about that."

"Well, she does," he insisted.

"She doesn't understand consent," I shot back. "That woman believes that what a man wants, a man gets - and her only option is to make it hurt her the least amount possible. That means shecan'tconsent, because it doesn't count unless sheknowsshe can say no! But you? Oh, she looked damned good in those leather pants, right? Seeing her running around, swinging a dagger, or shooting a bow, or whatever she did?"

"A gun," he said softly.

I pulled in a hard breath, refusing to allow him to derail this. "I don't care how fucking sexy she looked, Zasen. I don't care how badly your dick tingles when she's around. Ayla said no, and it doesn't matter how long we've been friends. No means no."

He lifted his hands and patted the air. "I didn't just kiss her."

"Oh, you asked if she minded, she agreed, and then you put your mouth on her?" I asked snidely.

He dropped his head to his chest and sighed in defeat. "No. I..."

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