Phoenix’s Fire (The Ruins Of Men #2)

Chapter 57

Fifty-Seven

Callah

T obias had started sitting with me at dinner. It was one of the few times we were both available and that wouldn't raise questions. Mr. Cassidy had even praised me in front of class earlier for being such an attentive girl, using me as an example to explain how to properly impress a potential suitor. It had been horrific, and the moment Tobias sat down, I immediately told him about it as we ate.

"And the other hunters complain about women being so desperate for attention," he grumbled. "No one tells us you've been all but ordered to act that way."

"I know!" I huffed. "We're not supposed to mingle with men, but we're supposed to make sure we're noticed by them, yet we shouldn't worry about our appearance because that would be vain, even though how we look is the only thing a man could notice!"

"It's almost like the entire system is set up to make us both resent each other," he said.

Which made me pause. "Is it?"

He gave me a confused look. "Why would they want that?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "Unless it's to prevent something like this." And I gestured between the two of us. "If we're united against our problems, then we're more likely to turn to each other instead of the matrons or elders, maybe?"

He grumbled with annoyance. "It's almost like the more I learn, the worse I realize everything is." Then he put a dollop of his vegetable mash on my plate. "This is me bribing you to tell me how things have gone with the wives lately?"

"Ms. Lawton encourages me to do my chores in the wives' area now," I admitted. "I don't always see my friends - "

"Which ones are you counting as friends?" he broke in.

"Deenah and Helah. Maybe Petra? I haven't decided, but she's at least an acquaintance. Then there's the bold woman. I don't know her name, though."

He looked around. "Is she in here?"

My eyes scanned the group. "Over there with the widows. Fifth from the end, far side."

"Ms. Baldwin?" he asked, using the title for widowed women. "I think her first name is Felicity? Her husband was one of the veteran hunters. From the sounds of it, she's willful."

"So am I," I reminded him.

Which made Tobias smile at me. "I wasn't saying it as a bad thing, Callah. I happen to like - "

The clanking of a fork against pottery made us both look up. Holding a heavy mug, Mr. White was standing at the elders' table, rapping his utensil solidly to get everyone's attention. His head swung from one side to the other as he waited for us to all look up - and he kept tapping, making that horrendous racket until the entire dining hall had fallen silent.

"We have an announcement to make!" Mr. White called out. "Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, our meals are smaller than ever. Our larders are nearly empty, and our hunters have been failing us."

Beside me, Tobias groaned. "Of course they'd phrase it like that."

"This is a sign we have grown complacent in our faith!" Mr. White bellowed, setting his cup down before him. "Something has to change, and our halls are too empty. Our hunters are too few. Our nurseries are nowhere near full! Where once our compound was teeming with people, now we have empty seats at every table because we, the Righteous, are not doing our duty by God!"

That made a swell of discussion wash across the room, but I couldn't join them. I knew what was coming. If he said it out loud, it would make it all real. I wanted to shake my head in denial, but before I could, Tobias reached over to clasp my hand, squeezing my fingers reassuringly.

Mr. White continued, "We can no longer afford the luxuries we once had. The Council of Elders has met to discuss this, and there is only one way to solve the problem. We need more Righteous children! Because of this, the age of graduation will be lowered to eighteen. Once, that was when a child was considered to be mature. It seems that time has come again."

Immediately, the entire dining hall erupted. Not in yelling, but frenzied whispers as everyone tried to check with those around them. I simply looked at Tobias, shaking my head slightly. I wasn't ready!

"Listen up!" Mr. Morgan said as he stood beside Mr. White. "This change will not be implemented immediately. Mr. Cassidy will discuss with all the young men what will be expected of them, arranging their assignments over the next week. For the young ladies, your lists have all been prepared. If you are seventeen or older, your matron will make sure your list of prospects is posted in the women's area."

"And," Mr. Saunders said, refusing to stand, "you should all consider the widows as well. Each woman who has tragically lost her husband will have her own list made available to Mrs. Worthington. The women can decide how to get those, but every widow will be given three months to mourn the loss of her husband unless she is currently carrying his child. If that is your situation, speak with Mrs. Worthington to have arrangements made."

"Men," Mr. White said as soon as Mr. Saunders stopped talking, "we will have listings of all available women in the men's meeting area."

"Forgive me," Tobias whispered, leaning closer to me while Mr. White still spoke.

I looked over at him in confusion, but I was trying to pay attention as Mr. White said, "Because this is so sudden, we will give everyone time to consider their options. Weddings will continue as normal until our next holiday, the Day of the Seven Trumpets - "

And Tobias shot to his feet. "Mr. White? When can we propose?"

"When your intended turns," he said automatically.

"No," Tobias insisted. "You said the age is lowering. What if my girl is over eighteen but under twenty? When should I propose? We're supposed to wait until she turns, but if the age is lowered and she's nineteen, then she's already turned, so when will our proposal be official?"

My face was burning. I looked down at the table, but I could still feel everyone turning to stare at us. This was why he'd asked for forgiveness. Oh, Tobias, you sweet fool!

Mr. White looked down at the elders sitting around him. Clearly, that wasn't something they'd thought about yet. It was Mr. Saunders who made a dismissive flick of his hand.

"Let them propose any time between now and the holiday," he told the others. "The women will still have to decide one week before their assigned time. It will only give the girls more time to walk with the men who fancy them."

"You hear that?" Mr. White asked, looking right at Tobias.

"So, if I propose now?" he asked, flashing a smile at me.

And I was dying inside. I wanted to crawl inside my own skin - or maybe under the table! I knew he had to do this, but I was terrified he might be serious. Too many times, Tobias had called me pretty. What if he was simply trying to lull me into submission so I would end up as his wife?

"After I finish my announcement," Mr. White told him, "you can do as you will. The young ladies will not be expected to have a final answer yet, so sit down, Mr. Warren." He waited until Tobias sat again, then let out a heavy sigh.

"As I was saying," Mr. White went on, "because there will be many weddings due to this rule change, we will be spacing them out. Women will be divided into groups based on their age or how long they have been widowed. We will have the listing for the groups up soon. Our current plan is to host weddings once a week, starting on the Day of the Seven Trumpets."

"Also," Mr. Morgan said, "we will be monitoring the men and how long it has been since their last child."

"God needs his children to be fruitful!" Mr. White said, slicing through the air with his hand. "We expect all Righteous to do their duty. Our hope is this change in the rules will make it easier for every man to find an appropriate bride, but if the birth rate does not increase, we will have to take more drastic action. The Lord demands it!" Then he nodded at Tobias. "I'm done now."

So Tobias immediately slid off his seat and dropped to a knee. "Miss Atwood?"

"Tobias!" I hissed, trying to make him get back in his chair.

He plastered a dopey smile onto his face, but those sharp hazel eyes of his locked with mine. "You're so pretty, and so nice to me, and I am hoping you'd do me the honor of considering me, Callah. I'd be the proudest man in all the Righteous if you allowed me to become your husband."

I jiggled my head in something like a nod, hoping he'd take it as a sign to finish and quit making people look at us. Instead, he lifted a brow.

"Is that a yes?"

"I..." My voice cracked. "I should consider it, but I am very flattered, Mr. Warren," I managed to say.

And at the elders' table, Mr. Saunders began to clap. It didn't take long before others joined in as well. I knew my face had to be completely crimson, because my skin was scalding! Worse, I wanted to yell at him, and yet I couldn't. Not with everyone still paying attention.

"Here," Tobias said, giving me another spoonful of his meal once he was back in his seat. "See, I can take care of you."

"Thank you," I mumbled, shoving a bite into my mouth just as another man stood and made his own proposal to another woman.

But Tobias leaned in. "I'm sorry. I don't want them to think you're refusing me and allow others to court you."

I nodded nervously, but couldn't look at him again. "I'm not ready," I breathed.

"It's just for the ceremony," he promised. "To get you out."

"But will that even work?" I hissed. "With so many marriages, we won't be the only ones. What if they give me to Mr. Saunders like they did Ayla? What if - "

He squeezed my hand. "You are my friend, Callah. My only friend. The one person I trust, and I'm not doing this because I want a child to grow up in this Hell the way we did."

I nodded. "And if it doesn't work?"

"Then we will stay friends and not have to hide in empty halls as we plan," he assured me. "Callah, we'll think of something. It's weeks away still." Then he lowered his voice a little more. "And I might not even make it back from the next hunt."

"You will!" I insisted. "Tobias, you have to!"

"And they're training us with new weapons," he warned. "We have failed too many times. They think the Dragons have learned our ways, so they have decided it's time to use the weapons our forefathers left us."

"I don't know anything about that," I admitted.

His eyes jumped between mine, scanning my face. "They're dangerous, Callah . Ayla doesn't know about them either. Nor the Wyvern, I bet. They haven't been used in many generations."

"What are they?" I asked, thinking back to our history lessons about the destruction of the world above.

"Grenades," he whispered. "Mr. Peterson says they will destroy the Dragons. If that happens..."

I pushed my plate away, no longer interested in food even if my body needed it. "The Righteous might win?"

"Yeah," he breathed.

"Then we won't be able to get out."

He nodded. "So marry me, Callah? Or try? Plan to? Because we leave twelve days before the Day of the Seven Trumpets. They want us to have a glorious harvest to celebrate the new nuptials. We'll know our fate before we're wed. We can still plan."

"No," I told him. "You, Tobias, made me a promise. You said you'd help me, so do it! Make sure Ayla survives this, because without her..."

"I know," he said. "Trust me, Callah. I know, and I'm terrified too."