Phoenix King

by Miranda Martin

  Ashur looked over my shoulder as I heard a door open behind me. Jacob's door.

  Oh no he didn't.

  I turned to glare at Jacob, but he wasn't exactly quaking in his boots as he just stared back at me.

  "Did you call him?" I demanded.

  He shrugged, crossing his arms.

  "I might have," he admitted. "Something's obviously going on and you're not telling me what it is." He looked at Ashur. "I thought maybe you'd tell him."

  I turned back to Ashur. "Is this the 'business' you guys were discussing before?"

  I didn't like feeling so . . . managed.

  "I thought something more might have been going on," Ashur explained. "And I wasn't sure you were going to tell me if it was." He gave me a hard look. "And I was right."

  I threw my hands up in the air, beyond frustrated.

  "I thought you two didn't even like each other!" I exclaimed, not touching what he'd said earlier. "Now you're talking behind my back and tag teaming?"

  "Maybe if you spoke to our fronts we wouldn't have to go behind your back," Ashur returned with a raised brow. "And no, I'm not sorry. Not if it means I can help keep you safe."

  I muttered to myself as I swung the door open and stepped inside my apartment.

  "Well? Are you two coming in or not?" I asked, letting all the irritation I was feeling color my voice.

  They looked at each other and followed me into the apartment. Omari decided to come out right then, his pants wet from where he dried his hands off after washing them, no doubt.

  "Jacob!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

  "Omari, can you do your homework in the bedroom for a few minutes please?" I asked, turning to him.

  He stomped his foot, scowling.

  "But—"

  "How about a cookie if you give us five minutes?" Jacob interrupted, coming up with a cookie from somewhere in his cargo pants. It was almost the size of his palm and looked delicious.

  Omari's eyes went right to it, widening as he took in the treat. I could see the internal struggle. Take the bribe and capitulate? Or stand his ground and then end up having to go into the room anyway? He was a logical, reasonable kid. He took the cookie.

  "Okay," he said, holding his hand out. "I'll go inside. For five minutes only!" He looked over at me. "Then I'm coming back out, Mia."

  "Thank you," I said solemnly. "I really appreciate your patience."

  He looked at me suspiciously as he took a bite of the cookie, his round cheeks rounding out even more with the bite. I resisted the urge to smile. He would think I was laughing at him.

  "You're welcome," he said around the cookie. He marched back into the room and closed the door.

  I wished I could trade places with him. But I obviously couldn't keep this from Ashur anymore. Or Jacob.

  I strode over to the couch and sat down, but then popped back up, needing to be on my feet to get through everything. I had too much energy to stay still.

  "It started with an email," I said, bracing my hands on my hips as I turned to them.

  "An email?" Jacob asked, frowning.

  "From an anonymous source. Telling me to watch my back."

  "Vague and not very helpful," Ashur observed.

  "Yeah," I agreed, running my hands through my hair. "I dismissed it, figuring I couldn't do anything about it. It was too vague. And, truthfully, I've encountered some pretty shady characters." I shrugged. "Threats usually amount to nothing, especially if I don't engage. So I didn't get too worked up about it."

  "Didn't get too worked up about it," Ashur repeated slowly. I could tell he wasn't thrilled with that. "Right."

  I moved on. That wasn't really a question, so I didn't have to respond.

  "But then someone tried to run me over with a car."

  "How rude of them," Ashur said, his voice dangerously low. "They probably didn't realize your head is so hard they'd just dent the car."

  I gave him a wary look. This was only going to get worse.

  "And then someone followed me. The area was terrible, so nothing out of the ordinary there. Figured I'd just lose him in the crowd on the next street over. But then he had three guys waiting to ambush me in another alley when I tried to cut through. You know about that. That was when I called Jacob."

  "Yes," Jacob agreed. "But what happened today?"

  "I was going to tell you." I looked at Ashur as he gave me an unreadable look. "I was!" Probably. Maybe. "But I had to go pick Omari up."

  "What happened," Ashur asked calmly, not budging an inch.

  I sighed. I couldn't really blame him. I had deliberately kept all of this from him.

  "I went to a hotel for a standard pickup. It was a nice area of town so I figured I was safe, you know? And the meeting was supposed to happen in the lobby, nice and public. But when I got there, the receptionist gave me a room key and told me that she was instructed to have me wait there for who I was meeting."

  "And you went to the room?" Jacob demanded incredulously.

  Ashur just watched with that implacable stare that I really didn't trust. He was definitely wound tight.

  "Of course not," I snapped back. "I'm not an idiot. I took the key up and pretended I was going to the room. But I broke into the room across from it instead so I could see who showed up."

  A small silence.

  "You should have left when the terms you set out weren't met," Ashur said, his eyes narrowed. "Not gone up to another floor where your exit routes were more limited."

  "But then I wouldn't have known if this was related to everything else," I returned, just as irritably. "And I had to know."

  "But then how were you hurt? Did they find you out somehow?" Jacob asked, frowning.

  "Not exactly," I hedged.

  "What exactly," Ashur demanded.

  "Well, I called the police and told them there'd been a break-in at the hotel."

  Ashur went even more quiet. If such a thing were possible. "You called the police?" he said.

  Jacob looked over at him in confusion. "Why is that bad?" he asked, glancing between me and Ashur. "Sounds like it was a good idea given the circumstances."

  Ashur just glared at me. Jacob didn't know why I shouldn't draw attention to myself here, especially from the authorities. But Ashur did.

  "Yes, I called the police. However, I didn't use my own number—I used the room phone. And I didn't wait around for them to get there. I went out the fire escape to avoid them," I continued. It had been a good plan. Up until I ran right into the guys I'd been avoiding. "The plan went wrong when I went down to the same alley that those guys who showed up had apparently decided to take on their way out."

  Also trying to avoid the police.

  "How many were there?" Ashur asked, his hands clenched into fists at his side.

  "Two. And they were familiar. One of them was definitely the guy who followed me before."

  "Tell us what they looked like," Jacob said, his expression intent.

  I relayed their descriptions as best as I could remember them. All the times I'd seen them had been with a full adrenaline dose and while running. Not ideal circumstances to commit descriptions to memory, but I knew I had at least the one guy down right.

  "Anyway. That's everything," I said, winding down.

  "That's everything?" Ashur repeated, his face hard. "That's everything?" He shook his head. "You're coming back with me to my territory. Where it's safe."

  That tone put my back right up.

  I didn't do well with orders.

  At all.

  I was a grown woman and had been making my own decisions for quite some time, thank you.

  I crossed my arms.

  Here we go.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Omari opened the door and walked out.

  "Five minutes!" he said. "And I know I'm right—I put a timer on my watch!" he said proudly, holding it up.

  "Jacob," I said, still staring at Ashur.

  "Yeah?"

  "Can you t
ake Omari to your place for a bit please?"

  "Sure. Come on, Omari. You want to see this cool knife I got?"

  "Oooh, a knife?" he asked, excitement entering his voice, distracting him from the fact that I was trying to keep him away from another discussion. "What kind is it?"

  "The sharp kind," Jacob responded, ushering him out and shutting the door quietly behind himself. If it had been anyone else, I would have been worried that they were taking my baby brother to go look at a knife. But Jacob took weapon safety very seriously. I knew Omari would be as safe as he could be over there.

  "I can't just pick up my life and leave, Ashur," I said, trying to keep my voice level. "You're being unreasonable."

  I was calm. I would be calm, damn it.

  "Why not?" he demanded. "What's so important that you have to stay here and risk your life, Mia? I don't understand!"

  "I need to get to the bottom of what's going on, for one!" I said, my voice already rising above the level I wanted it to. Fail. "If I leave now, it might mean I'll never find out who's behind the attacks."

  Ashur growled, walking to the door and back, pacing in his frustration. I understood the urge.

  "Fine! If you don't find out who's behind this, that's fine! It's a tradeoff I can live with! At least you'll be safe!"

  "How safe will I be?" I demanded. "If I don't know who they are, what am I going to do? Watch my back the rest of my life?" I shook my head at that. "And need I remind you the last time I was in dragon territory, we were attacked by another skein of dragons! Safety isn't a guarantee anywhere."

  "That won't happen again!" he yelled back.

  "You can't guarantee that!" I said, matching his volume. Very adult.

  "Yes, I can," he growled, stepping closer to me. "Your grandmother and I have come to a truce! She won't attack!"

  "That doesn't mean someone else won't! I'm not going to forfeit the life I've worked so hard to build because of some assholes that have it out for me for God-knows-what reason!"

  Ashur shook his head, abruptly turning away from me, combing his hands through his hair. I watched his shoulders rise and fall as he took a deep breath. When he turned back around, he'd regained some of his control.

  "Look," he said in a quieter voice. "It would be better for Omari too if you left the city dome. Safer. He shouldn't be here anyway—you know how hard it was for you growing up among humans, always having to hide your true identity."

  That hit home. It was coincidence that I'd been thinking about the same thing just now, but it still hit a tender spot.

  "It isn't like dragons love phoenixes, either," I pointed out. "He'll hear stuff there that isn't exactly ideal."

  "Maybe," Ashur relented. "But at least he'll be safer."

  I shook my head.

  "I can't leave, Ashur," I said quietly, my heart hurting. "I just can't."

  Was this the end of us? Would he be able to handle this?

  I held myself, hoping we could get through this together.

  He sighed, his face softening, then reached out and tugged me against him, wrapping me in a warm hug.

  I was stiff at first, not expecting the contact after the argument, but then I slowly relaxed into the embrace, his scent and the familiarity of his body sinking in.

  "Fine," he murmured, kissing my hair and laying his cheek against my head. "Fine." I relaxed even more, wrapping my arms around his waist. "But I'm staying."

  I tensed again. "You can't stay," I said. "You have too many responsibilities as Dragon Lord, king of all he surveys and general badass."

  He chuckled. "I think I like my full title." He squeezed me. "They can handle some time without me," he said confidently. "I have good people. People I trust. It isn't ideal, but we'll make it work."

  That was so . . . sweet.

  But I knew he was downplaying how hard it would be to not be at his stronghold, right there where his skein was accustomed to having him. I didn't want to be responsible for anything going wrong while he was gone. He'd be devastated.

  "Ashur . . ."

  "This is non-negotiable," he said, a thread of steel entering his voice. "I'll just camp outside your door if you won't let me in. Think about how embarrassing that would be for all of us."

  I laughed, shaking my head against his chest. How did he manage to sneak under my defenses so effectively?

  "Fine," I sighed. Grudgingly. I liked my independence. But I was learning to compromise for Ashur.

  Chapter Fourteen

  We stood there and held each other for a while, the silence not tense but relieved. We'd worked out a solution we could both live with. I had to admit, I was happy to have Ashur there. This was really nice, especially when I hadn't been expecting to see him so soon. I just wished it wasn't under such terrible circumstances.

  "I better go get Omari," I said, stepping back.

  "Okay."

  "I'll be right back." I left the apartment and went over to Jacob's. He opened the door almost before I could knock.

  "You all right?" he asked, concern clear in his expression. "I was about to go over there and knock. Make sure he didn't just tie you up and carry you out caveman style."

  "Almost," I said ruefully. "And it's your fault," I accused. "Tattletale."

  I wasn't really angry about it anymore. I knew he'd done it because he was worried about me. He cracked a smile, but it faded as he looked at me.

  "I care more about your well-being than I do if you like me," he said quietly. "Though I hope you still do," he tacked on.

  It was too hard to stay mad at him. Especially when he was my best supplier of sweet things.

  "I still like you," I said, rolling my eyes. "But it was a close call. I might need some bribes in the form of baked goods."

  "Hmm. Well, I'm glad I came out on top in the end. And you can have as many brownies as you want."

  "Mia!" Omari cried out from behind Jacob. "Do you want to see the knife Jacob was showing me?"

  "Why not?" I said.

  He'd been such a good kid. Jacob invited me in with a sweep of his arm. I walked in and Omari grabbed my hand, leading me over to the display to the side of the living room. This was where Jacob kept his more ornamental collection on display.

  "Look, Mia!" Omari urged, pointing at the pretty blade set on a small holder, careful not to touch it.

  Good. Jacob must have given him the speech about safety. The hilt was actually encrusted with small pearls, the sheath a pretty ivory color. Very pretty. When Jacob picked it up and took it out of the scabbard, I could also see that it was sharp and well made.

  "Very nice," I said, taking it when he held it out, testing its weight, careful not to touch that razor-sharp edge.

  "Got it from a vendor that was passing through," he remarked. "Caught my eye."

  "Well, let me know when that vendor comes through again," I said. "That's good quality."

  "I will."

  I handed it back to him, smiling. Omari and I headed out of Jacob's place after that. It was easier than it would have been to get him out if Ashur hadn't been waiting back in our apartment. Omari almost skipped over there.

  "Thanks Jacob," I said quietly as I stepped out into the hall. "You're a good friend."

  "Any time," he murmured. "Just call if you need me."

  "Same goes for you," I tossed over my shoulder as I stepped away.

  "I know," he said with a slight smile. Though it had an edge of almost . . . sadness? Wistfulness? That couldn't be right. Before I could ask him if everything was all right, he shut the door. Feeling a little unsettled, I walked back over to our door.

  Ashur was waiting in the doorway, his eyes on Jacob's closed door, his expression still. His eyes turned back to me as I walked up. He stepped back into the apartment.

  "Do you want dinner duty or homework duty?" I asked as we both walked in.

  "Homework duty," he replied immediately. "I think I can handle a six-year-old's workload."

  That's what he thought.

 
I went into the kitchen and started dinner as Ashur learned how hard it was to get a six year old bursting with energy to sit down and focus for five minutes. At least I was entertained while I cooked. And it was sweet to see how patient he was with Omari, though I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. There were a lot of children in Ashur's skein and he had a lot of interaction with his people.

  When Omari finished his work, I gave him a snack to tide him over until dinner and then sat down next to the two of them on the couch to watch an animated movie.

  This was nice, but dangerous. I could almost imagine us all sitting like this every day, and I really didn't want to. It would hurt all the more if everything went to shit. And there was a chance of that happening, no matter how certain Ashur seemed to be that things between us were going to work out.

  It was just that everything was so . . . complicated. I tried to shove my worries to the side and stay in the moment. The future would take care of itself whether or not I was worrying about it.

  After the movie, we ate dinner, and then it was time for Omari to start his bedtime routine. Ashur went in again to read him a book while I cleaned up quickly.

  I took a moment to check my email again. Still no reply to the email I sent. I closed it down as Ashur came back out, not wanting to bring everything up again.

  He settled next to me and wrapped his arm around me, pulling me close to his side. I snuggled in, sighing, enjoying the closeness and the comforting feel of him against me.

  "I don't want to think about anything right now," I murmured. "Want to watch something stupid and veg out?"

  He kissed my temple and settled in.

  "Bring on the stupid," he said easily. "It's right in my comfort zone."

  "Good. If you only liked period pieces or documentaries, this might not have worked out."

  He looked over at me, a wicked glint in his eye.

  "I'm sure I would have managed to work around that severe flaw," he said.

  I rolled my eyes. He was probably right though. Didn't mean I'd give him the satsifaction. He'd just hold it over my head.

  I turned on an old slapstick comedy I didn't have to pay much attention to and shut off my brain. We laughed and made comments and cuddled. It was just what I needed, but I was exhausted. I don't know when I fell asleep.