Set Alight

Chapter 24

"We need a plan," I say to my fire. I begin to pace back and forth in this dark mindscape as I contemplate it. I stop. "Wait. Where are we? This isn't my mindscape, is it?"

"This is where justice is served," she explains.

"You're Justice?" She nods. "You didn't need to keep that from me. I learned in less than a day anyway."

"Who told you?" She asks. I glare at her and she gives a little smile. So she does have humor.

"Why can't we see through my eyes?" I ask, gesturing around in the darkness.

"Justice is blind," she replies. "We can't be swayed while making a decision, so we're transported here to discuss."

"That's where that saying comes from? Weird. And Vlad?"

She shrugs. "Your body's gone comatose."

"And that won't concern him?!"

"Of course not," she replies. "I have, of course, excused you to go to bed."

"What did he say?"

"He understood. It is hard seeing someone being torn up like that." Her tone is harsh, unforgiving, but when she sees my face, her eyes and tone softens. "There will be retribution, Emma Wildfire. I swear it on justice."

"Isn't that just on yourself?" I ask, but my humor is empty, an echo.

She smiles kindly. "I am not all of Justice, merely the embodiment of it."

"How can fire relate to justice?" I don't particularly care, but I have to get something off my mind of Danny's pain.

"Fire is give and take," she explains. She holds out her palm and fire bursts up. "For heat and warmth, it must consume fuel and oxygen. To create life, it must destroy. It cannot be cheated of this cycle, nor can it be the one that cheats. There can't be more heat for less fuel or vice versa. Fire is perfect balance between the life it gives and the life it takes. It reflects Justice, which is no more, no less.

"Your halfa status is part of the reason I was drawn to you. Balance, between life and death. Death and Justice have always walked hand in hand. Life is biased, unobjective. But one who is fully dead can't always remember the rules of the living. There has always been a fatal flaw in each of my partners." Partners. Not vessel or host. Partners. "Most often they've forgotten humanity, and the laws that apply. Some forget human ethics. The worst host I had had experienced such grief his sense of justice had twisted, and being a part of him, I was pulled into his circus tent of flawed logic."

"But me?" I ask, breathless.

"You." She smiles. "Your sense of justice is give and take, just like the fire. But you understand human error and the concept of transgression. You are uneducated in terms of punishment, but creative enough to think of solutions. Your mind is sharp, intelligent, and you can sense the deception of others. Your father--" she cuts off my unformed protest. "Doesn't apply. It is impossible to question all you've ever known, if you've never seen differently. And you're pure. Pure is all fire has ever been."

The flame she has held since she began talking flares higher, turning lighter until it appears almost white.

"You are perfect, Emma Wildfire." Her flame flickers down until disappearing into her palm.

She and I smile at each other, both replaying her words in our minds. Until I think of Danny again.

"What is his punishment?" I ask. "Death, you said?"

"Retribution is always an option," she replies. "And his crimes against Danny can be rebutted if Danny chooses to forgive."

"If he does?"

"We'll need time to gather his other crimes, as he undoubtedly has more. The people he has kept in those electric pods would have to choose forgiveness as well, or he could be imprisoned in something similar for a bit more time than the victims. And for taking you..." She pauses. "That is your decision."

"...Thanks?"

She smirks at my feigned gratitude.

"So no judgement right now," I prompt.

"No. Not until he can do no more crimes, and there can be a trial."

"Capture him and try him. Okay. But that's not a plan."

"I can't give you your plan, Emma Wildfire."

"I already have the beginning of it planned out. Can't you help?"

"That's not helping. That's doing it for you."

"Fine. I'll think of something. How long can we stay here?"

"Not much longer. Our decision has been made, so there is less justice to do."

"So I won't be able to contact you until he's caught?"

"I'm always there."

"But I don't speak fire! Maybe we can do Morse code or something."

She gives a half-smile. "Do you know Morse Code?"

"No... I know SOS. Dot dot dot, dash dash dash, dot dot dot. That'll have to do, I guess."

She glances around as if looking for something. "We're out of time. I must send you back."

"Thanks," I say, as a reflex. She flinches. "Wait. One more question." She glances at me, wary. "Why won't you accept my gratitude?"

"I don't deserve it." She looks away.

"Yeah, you've said that. What does it mean?"

"I attacked you without knowing the full extent of the situation. I passed judgement without all the facts, and it was wrong. You suffered for my brashness. That is inexcusable."

Oh... "Says who?" My voice is sharper.

"The Laws that dictate my existence. Laws of Justice and Order."

I shake my head at her disdain, finding it funny. She throws me a sharp glance, silently chastising me for my humor. "What s funny?"

"You've been punishing yourself for nothing," I reply. "Justice can't mean anything if the victim doesn't call for it."

"What do you mean?"

"I forgive you, Sovaĝa Fajro." I say it like it's the most obvious thing in the world, as it should be.

Her head snaps up, confused. "What? How?"

I shrug. "It's not hard. I probably would do the same thing, if I was locked up for almost sixteen years. It's not your fault. It's Vlad."

She's still confused. Her eyes are wide open and she's calculating my words. Then she glances around her. "You can not stay here much longer."

I ready myself for the sensation of my body, knowing the way back will be at the very least disorienting.

"And Emma Wildfire..." I turn back to her. "Thank you."

I smile and dip my head. "Your welcome. And..." I hesitate. She silently tells me to hurry up. I can see the strain of holding us here in the crease of her eyebrow and the tension in her hands and shoulders. "Call me... Call me Jem."

"As you wish, Jem Wildfire."

She waves her hand and the world dissolves into nothing.