Page 86 of Phoenix's Fire

"What?" she asked, glancing at me in confusion.

"Dragons and wild men speak gibberish," I explained. "Callah, I'm going on the next hunt, and I have no clue how to find her - or how to keep them from killing me before I do."

"You have her arrow," she pointed out. "I mean, I have the fletching, if that will help?"

"Might," I admitted. "I mean, I don't think the tip will. They might see it as a threat."

"Oh." She pressed her lips together, thinking hard. "Can't you just call her name?"

I shook my head. "Nope. Malcus is my partner, and he's decent enough, but he hates them. Says they look like demons, and he'll prove he's righteous by killing as many as he can."

She gave her head a little, confused shake. "Okay?"

"And he'll be beside me," I explained. "So if I'm screaming for Ayla, he'll shoot me. Probably fatally."

She turned to face me, and those green eyes of hers scanned my features. "How often does that happen?"

"Not too often," I admitted. "I mean, it sounds like the Dragons have beenkilling us first. But yeah, on the last trip, two men were shot for running in fear. They lived, but fleeing is very different from trying to talk to them."

"Yeah," she breathed, ducking her head. "Maybe try finding the Wyvern? They said she controls him, or was with him, or that he obeys her. I've heard so many variations now, but if you say you want to be the one to kill the Wyvern, then no one would think it's odd for you to run toward him, right?"

"Except it would mean running toward him," I pointed out. "Callah, he's killed so many of us."

She simply licked her lips, her eyes focused on nothing but her thoughts. "But Ayla talks to him, and Ayla talks to us. So maybe he'd understand? Or she'll be there?" Then she leaned her head back and groaned.

It was such a cute, delicate little sound, yet I could see the frustration taking over her body. All of this was impossible. Somehow, we had to find and meet Ayla, have a discussion with her, and manage to not get caught by our own people. Like that, it sounded so nice and simple, but in reality, this was impossible.

"What if..." Callah muttered, then stopped to think a little more. "So, what if you became a little arrogant?"

"I'm not."

"And you're not stupid either," she countered. "But you do play your part well. So what if you pretend to be arrogant? Say that since you're the biggest of the hunters, you'll show them you're the strongest? And to do that, you'll kill the Phoenix?" She grimaced. "Is that even a thing?"

"I could make it a thing," I decided, liking where she was going with this.

"And brag it up around them?" she suggested. "Convince them to let you know if anyone sees her so you can, um..."

When she stayed quiet too long, I offered, "Maybe make sure she can't corrupt my girl like she did Meri?"

Callah's body tensed, and slowly she looked up at me. "Your girl?"

"Well, I mean I'm officially courting you, so yeah. They all think you're going to be mine."

"I don't really know how it works for a man," she admitted.

"Mostly, we find a pretty girl, try to impress her, and if she seems interested, we make sure our friends keep anyone else from courting her. I don't exactly have friends, but I did make a scene so they'd let me court you."

"What kind of scene?" she asked.

I cleared my throat, fighting the urge to say it was nothing. No, she'd already made it clear she wouldn't risk this all unless I offered a few things up. But that? It was so embarrassing.

"I told them you're pretty and don't think I'm dumb," I mumbled.

"When?" she demanded.

"Um, at the last men's meeting. That's how I got them to put me on your list. I made it clear I'd prove myself."

"Why?" she asked next.

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