"I know he's dead."

Maria's short words interrupted Flynn. It had been days since her arrest, and this was the first time he could make it down to the jail in Commandant regalia, a new sword on his hip. She didn't look at him, her face set in an unimpressed stony mask as she studied her nails. "You don't seem surprised."

"You're not the first person to tell me." She dropped her hand, not yet looking at him. "So. What are you going to do now? Gloat? You won, you worthless abomination. Jonah's dead, Liam's stupid and down the row from me, and everyone knows we set the fires. So what do you want now?"

"Why did you confess?" Flynn watched her stiffen, then whip her head towards him. Her gaze swept over his burnt hair for a moment before she spoke, her voice clipped.

"Why? Your little enforcer came to me and said Jonah told you everything." Her eyes narrowed as she stood, pacing. "She told me she knew about who I was, that he said I set the fires... And everything would go better if I didn't lie, that I wouldn't be as badly hurt." Maria spat at his feet. "She likes keeping your hands clean, doesn't she?"

The implication made Flynn's blood chill. Sodia had done more than he realized to help him, he knew, but how far she went was something he could never get her to say. He never thought she would have used violence on a suspect, even someone like Maria. "You had planned on killing the Commandant."

Once the words left his mouth, Maria started laughing without humor. "Liam wanted to kill you," she corrected. "Jonah and I just wanted to see you kicked out of the position without dignity. The bitch wouldn't be too hard to do the same given the shit she does. But killing you?" Another laugh as she shook her head. "Pretty obvious we'd be caught, huh?" Her eyes narrowed as she sat back down, carefully holding her midsection. "How the hell did you even get anyone to follow you, you useless abomination?"

"I'm not the only one," he reminded her, his mind going to Yuri. To the fact no one knew yet, and he could be referencing his father, a familial line of controlling fire. How many of them were out there? How many of them even knew what they could do? If it was passed down through the families, would Yuri's parents have the abilities to manipulate ice as well? They could never figure out the woman who had left Yuri so long ago, and if his father was still alive. Could he have siblings, the parent that could cause ice to crackle around their fingers having another child? "The trial will be soon. We have to try you under your full name, and we've already received word your father will be traveling to Zaphias.

Maria didn't move. Everything about her went still, almost unnaturally so. Finally, her lips tightened every so slightly and she glanced over at him. "You can't even get that right," she hissed.

There was no reason to defend himself against that statement. Instead, Flynn turned, leaving Maria to seethe in solitude. What she had said, everything that had happened- his abilities could be a boon for the Empire. They could protect the people, and eventually be seen as invaluable instead of a mutation. But if it came out what his people did, and it could be linked to the idea that it was on his orders... Sodia stood patiently by the door, ready to take her place beside him with paperwork he needed to look at. To continue on as if nothing had happened and it was another day, processing his usual duties, and looking over the upcoming trial of his own Knights. Her gloves didn't show any blood, but would it ever? How many times did she have to do that, and why had he been so blind as to what exactly she had to do? Flynn was certain his face showed what he knew, and he could see her eyes flinch slightly. "Sir," Sodia said quietly, going along with the idea of a normal day instead as she held out a few papers to him. "This is for the cost of rebuilding the building. We need you to sign off-"

"Why, Sodia?"

There wasn't anything else he could be talking about. She lifted her head, looking at a point above their heads. "Maria and Liam started saying you had blown something else up and ran," she told him, her voice falling into military cadences. "Then Liam's story started not matching with Maria's, saying it was Lady Estellise and Lowell, that you had killed them. Liam couldn't be found once I heard it, so all that was left was Maria. And the only witness was the dog." Her face set in resolve. "Your name wasn't going to be tarnished, Sir, no matter what I had to do. So I did what was done to get the truth, and to show who actually should shoulder the blame."

"It can be seen that any time something like this happens, anything you do is on my order," he reminded her as she took a deep breath. "And you shouldn't have to do this. Sodia, we can do this without stooping to this level. You could have gotten the truth without having to do that."

"My hands are already dirty." She started walking again on those confusing words, looking through the papers. "Lady Estellise does want to see you and-" Her nose flared. "Lowell wishes to speak to you. Sir-"

"What do you mean your hands are already dirty?" Flynn watched her face close off, trying to pry it back open. "Sodia, what have you done?" If she had killed someone, just for his sake... he didn't know what he would do. Watching her stand trial for it, knowing she had done it for his sake, knowing someone had died because of him...

Her eyes slid over to him, a look deep in them he wasn't quite sure he wanted to decipher. "Nothing that will come back on you," came the stern answer. "If you want to make it to see Lowell, you should leave now."

If she didn't have a point, Flynn would have pressed the issue. And he did have something to talk about with Yuri. He fixed her with her own stern look. "When I get back, you do owe me an explanation."

The echo of her own words wasn't lost on her as a short snort burst from her nose. "Much like your own explaination of your abilities, there's a lot I can't tell you. But if you want one-" Her eyes locked with his, then away. "Then you can wait until after you see what Lowell and Lady Estellise want."

Repede's injuries seemed mostly healed by now. It was lucky how he had been given Gels as soon as he was found, and Lady Estellise had started healing him once she saw him. As nice to see was Yuri laughing, his sword spinning as he sparred effortlessly with his partner. Silver arched through the air as they moved, then Yuri took a step back, frowning ever so slightly. Repede took the advantage, and he had to break off his concentration, the ice lightly prickling around his fingers melting unnoticed by others to the ground. A laugh bubbled out of Yuri's chest as Repede took a step back, keeping his eye on him as the sword's point dipped down. "Pretty good!"

"Harder than it looks, isn't it," Flynn commented as Yuri absently saluted him. "Especially if you insist on learning by fighting."

"Eh, you know having a formal teacher isn't really my thing." Without warning, Repede slashed at his face, causing a wild grin to burst onto Yuri's face as he blocked. He let out a breath as his hand shifted on the hilt, water dripping from his fingers as ice tried to form on his sword again. "Anyway, this isn't what I wanted to talk to you about." He twisted, tossing his blade to his other hand to slash at Flynn. Their swords met as Yuri nodded at him. "So, is this what are you going to do?"

Flynn grunted, lifting an eyebrow at the impromptu sparring match. "What do you mean?"

Yuri grinned at him. "This. Make it public what's going on, see if there's anyone else out there like us and wants to come out. Try not to blow anything else up." His arm twisted, and Flynn had to move quickly to block the blow. Yuri had gotten much better than he could have imagined, and if he wanted to win this- The next swing came faster than he expected, barely backstepping fast enough to avoid it. Then the next one, at his off hand- Blood sang through his ears as he realized he wouldn't be able to dodge it, fire-wreathed gauntlet coming up to meet the swing. "Ow! Damn, that's rude," Yuri chuckled, taking a step back. "And I can barely make a puddle."

A wry smile crossed Flynn's face as he raised his sword again. "Pure emotion won't substitute for training." He watched Yuri's wrist, as he held the sword, then pressed his attack. Yuri easily blocked it, nodding at him. "There are people like us who have something happen to them, and have no idea what it was. Or have been hiding it through their family line and are tired of having to tell their kids to keep it a secret."

Yuri looked at him for a moment, sword still holding Flynn's at bay, then took a step back and lowered his blade. "And if they don't trust coming to someone of the Empire?"

"The offer is still there. I can't- let the possibility that they feel they can't come to someone about it continue." Flynn slowly lowered his own weapon as Yuri nodded, retrieving his sheath.

"Yeah. I know what you mean." He let out a breath, running a hand through his sweat damp hair as Flynn sheathed his own sword. "Got to watch out for each other, right? Just- you sure you want to make this public? You can still do this quietly."

Flynn thought about it, his hand dropping as Repede pressed into his side and presented his head for petting. It had made him a target, and it would do the same for anyone else. "I have to make the effort," he said finally, fingers moving against Repede's ear. "And maybe, that'll make it easier for us to find each other, so if they don't want to be public about this, they can still find support."

Yuri nodded, moving his fingers. Ice crackled along the glove, crystals spreading in breathtaking fractals. Then it melted as quickly as it formed, and Yuri flexed his hand. "Yeah. That's probably a good idea. Look-" He hesitated, trying to find the right words. "Just... be careful, okay?"

"You too."

Repede snorted as Yuri grinned. "Sure thing."

Flynn sighed, moving his hand from Repede's fur. "Why don't I believe you?"

"You've known me for most of my life."

"That might be why," Flynn muttered, hand to his head. The hand moved slightly as he looked at Yuri, then smiled. Both of them raised an arm, fists meeting before opening their hands, palms slapping together with a resounding clap. "I'll see you later."

Yuri nodded, moving his fingers again as he tried to cover them with ice. "Next time job brings our paths together." The hand lifted, dripping water as he waved, the gesture returned as Flynn turned to leave.

It wasn't a bad idea to practice like Yuri was. Like he said, emotion wasn't a substitute for practice. Flynn lifted his hand as he walked, remembering how fire cradled him, how natural it felt to be encased in it. It would feel natural to be encased in that again... A flame appeared on his fingers at that thought, playfully nipping at his nails before disappearing in a puff.

Flynn smiled, and continued walking towards Lady Estellise's room, mind working towards his new plans and his ideas for how they would practice. There was still so much to be done.

The End

A/N: Whew! I want to thank everyone that has read this, favorited it, and followed. I want to thank Nightfoot for the idea, and her and Daffy for supporting me through this entire endeavor. Thank you all so much!