Redemption

Redemption Part 31

Figures floated down, black against the deep purple sky. I cringed back from them, but then I realized they were achingly familiar.

Violet! And Blade!

Vy swept toward me and wrapped me in a gentle embrace. She kissed my cheek, her soft hair blowing against my face and neck. Blade stood behind her, his golden eyes glowing in the dark. He looked stern as usual but there was a softness to his eyes...

"Are you okay?" said Vy, her hands on my shoulders, inspecting me.

"Well... the medpatch... I can't feel much anymore."

"How could this happen?" She turned to Aura. "Lacy might've been neutralized, but you were there."

"He's barely injured."

"We got a distress call because of his pain. That's not 'barely'." Violet's eyes burned into hers.

"When it got to that point, I intervened. Ask him."

Vy looked at me. I slowly nodded. Aura had...at the last minute.

"They shouldn't have been captured at all."

"You want him to be a spy, don't you? This is the—ultimate test of a spy."

"Perhaps, but it's too soon for something so—harrowing."

Aura shrugged. "I just thought it would be best if he was thrown in the deep end."

Vy narrowed her eyes. "I'm going to take you off of Jet's detail. In fact.... I'm going to ban you from contact with him. For a year."

"Fine with me. I just thought you'd want your baby brother to get the most out of his first mission, that's all."

"And how did he do?"

Aura raised an eyebrow. "Let's just say... he's got room for improvement." She sauntered away.

Vy shook her head. "Don't listen to her. Of course everyone has room for improvement. But from what I've seen, from objective reports from Lacy, you're doing wonderfully, for a first mission. You didn't break. You got a secret to trade, right?"

I nodded, feeling infinitely weary.

"That's the important thing."

"But I...." I stopped. Didn't want to think about it.

"You—what?" She held my shoulder with one hand supportively.

I looked at Sol, who was standing alone at the edge of the sidewalk, favoring the injured leg.

My heart turned over. "I—they were hurting them. I couldn't help. My lightning..."

Vy gathered me to her, held tight. "Jet—it's okay. We should never have let it get this far. Aura should've known better. Interrogation's not for the faint of heart. I don't care what Aura says, it should never be a part of a first mission, especially not for someone who hasn't been trained for it. Even... even those of us who have completed our training—" She looked away, her eyes taking on a faraway look, pain dulling their brightness. A pang shot through my chest. Someone had...had hurt my beautiful sister.... I couldn't take such a thought, after all that had happened, and I cried against her shoulder, and she held me as we sat on the curb in the dark.

Blade sat awkwardly beside us, his massive form blocking out some of the first stars. He sat there for a moment, the artificial light burnishing his hair, his face in shadow. Then he rested a hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. "I'm sorry," he said. "It'll be okay."

I laid my hand on his, and fresh tears streamed down my face. He turned away and I almost laughed. He wasn't the best at expressing emotions, but... to have his support was...unprecedented.