Fire Becomes Her by Rosiee Thor

Author:Rosiee Thor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

* * *

Ingrid was going to be late. However, when she left Ainsley Academy, sans rollers and properly dressed, she marched right on past the Meyers campaign headquarters and beat the familiar route across the capital to the little-visited prison district. She’d told Linden people like her deserved a chance, and it was time to do her part.

They’d given her a small fortune in exchange for Linden’s ring at the pawnshop across the street from the prison. It was easily the most valuable thing she owned, an heirloom, a promise, a symbol of so much more than jewels. But as Ingrid had handed it over, a weight lifted, as though the ring was made of lead instead of precious gems. With pockets full of coins, Ingrid spent her money the best way she could: to right a wrong.

Louise looked different out of her prison clothes, somehow smaller and larger all at once. Her cheeks had filled in a little since Ingrid had last seen her, and her hair had grown back—still patchy in places. Overall, she looked healthier, but mostly she just looked ridiculous.

“What are you wearing?” Ingrid asked, unable to keep the grin off her face.

Louise was dressed in what could only be described as a plum-wine ocean of a dress and a matching hat.

“My clothes burned. This is what they had left over,” Louise said, her voice even.

“Well, first order of business is we find you something else to wear.” Ingrid grimaced. “Don’t want to attract too much attention.” She headed for the door without another glance.

“First order of business,” Louise said, chasing her out to the street, “is you tell me what’s going on.”

“I’m bailing you out.” Ingrid snatched the hat off Louise’s head and stuffed it in a nearby trash bin. “Or to be more exact, I already bailed you out.”

“But why?” Louise recovered the hat and tucked it under her arm. “I’m awaiting trial for attacking you. Why would you bail me out?”

Ingrid led Louise down the street back toward the center of town. “Because you were right.”

“I’m right about a lot of things. You’ll have to be more specific.”

Ingrid spotted a store farther down the block that looked the right balance of affordable and clean, but Louise caught her by the arm before she could step inside.

“Look, if you paid my bail just to kill me, know that I can throw a punch with or without magic.”

“I’m not going to kill you.” Ingrid stopped in her tracks, suddenly very aware of the mostly deserted street in which they stood. “Are you going to kill me?”

“Are you still an elitist snob?” Louise sneered.

Ingrid exhaled through her teeth. She wanted to deny that she ever had been, but if seeing Frances again had shown her anything, it was that she could see herself one way, but there was no accounting for how anyone else did. She had the benefit of witnessing all her own moments, but the people she met only saw a snapshot.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I said no, would you?”

Louise’s lips turned up, the hint of a smile peeking through.

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