"Where's Ayla?" Kanik asked.
"Bathroom." Zasen's answer came out rough because he'd just woken up.
"Where was she last night?" Kanik pressed.
"My room." Zasen laughed once. "No. She slept. I'm good with it. Do not make her feel bad, because she was worried about whether you and Rymar would think it's okay. She's also worried about Callah."
"Gotcha," Kanik said. "And either let that dog out or stir this."
"Dog," Zasen said.
So I finished up, then headed upstairs for clothes. Today was supposed to be a big day. I didn't know how these ceremonies went, although Rymar had assured me there were no vows. Just bragging, he'd said, but I wasn't good at that either, so I decided to worry more about looking good.
Oddly, I didn't want to lookproper.I wanted to be beautiful, but the sort Dragons liked, not the type I'd been taught. That meant no dresses. Instead, I picked a pair of loose pants, a white shirt, and the pair of boots Saveah had convinced me to buy a while back with the last of my bear-hunting money. I didn't know if this counted as nice enough, but I had a feeling one of the guys would tell me.
I stepped out just as Rymar left his room. A little smile played across his face as he looked me over. "Nice," he said. "You might want to put your hair up, though. Tamin's coming, and you know he'll want to shoot his bow."
"But is this nice enough?" I asked.
He closed the distance between us, catching me by the waist. "Ayla, it's a cookout, just like the last one. Nothing formal. No expectations except that we're going to point at your neck a lot- to show off the signs you're wearing. All of our families will be here. People will all want to talk to you, and Saveah is going to make sure you're not overwhelmed."
"Not you?" I asked.
"Oh, all of us too," he promised. "But your family is more sane than ours." And he looked me over again. "Ayla? Can you clench your stomach for me?"
"Okay?" I asked, but I did it.
Rymar smiled, tugging at the stretchy waist of my shirt to expose the section of skin by my belly button. "I do believe you have abs now." And he hummed in appreciation. "Now, let's get moving."
Together, we made our way downstairs. I was sent out to put a cloth on the table, along with the dishes we'd need. Zasen adjusted the targets, making sure they were in the right place again. Kanik cooked, making something that smelled amazing, and Rymar handled everything else.
It was fun, too! I'd always thought of these things as chores, but when we all did them together, it no longer felt like an obligation. And when Zasen leaned in to kiss my shoulder? It was like permission for the other two.
Kanik slid his hand along my back when he moved around me. Rymar pressed in close when he reached around me. Zasen slipped in a hug, and once, Kanik stole one of those quick kisses. This was better than I'd expected, so by the time the first person knocked at the door, I couldn't stop smiling.
Rymar answered it only to have Tamin rush in. "Aunt Ayla, where's Holly!"
The dog heard her name and came running. With a squeal, Tamin wrapped his arms around her neck, and I swore my dog would've smiled if she could've. Saveah? She passed me my niece, then pressed between Zasen and Kanik to help withsomething they were making. I was handed a dish and told to take it outside, and Rymar stole the baby so I could.
"Tamin, come help me!" I called. "Bring Holly with you."
"Okay!"
But someone else was already rapping at the front door. One after the other, groups arrived. Naomi, Jeera, Brielle, and the baby were after Saveah. Then came Rymar's family - which included his three fathers and two mothers. They arrived in two groups, but one right after the other.
I was outside, stringing Tamin's bow so he could shoot at the targets when Kanik led a pair of tailed people into the backyard.
"Ayla?" Kanik called.
"One second," I replied, making sure the string wouldn't slip off and hurt the boy. "Do not shoot at anything but the targets," I told Tamin, "or I will ground you from the bow for a month!"
"Ayla!" he whined.
"And aim," I reminded him as I turned for Kanik.
He was smiling so big it could only be called beaming. Beside him was a green, brown, and tan-striped woman. Her colors were soft and muted, but her pattern was striking for a woman. The man? He was clearly Kanik's father. The deep brown scales with black dots proved it, but where Kanik's chest was lavender, this man's was closer to sky blue. The marks on the back of his neck were dark too, but I couldn't quite make out the exact color because of his black, brown, and grey hair.
"Ayla," Kanik said, gesturing to them, "This is my mother, Pashain. That's my dad, Gill - short for Gillor. Mom, Dad? This is Ayla, my partner."
