Why do I always think of red when I think of her?

With the others, it's always green. The green of the Orbo that protects us. It protects us from such as her and from ourselves. It contains us, holds us in. It hangs at our necks, encased in a cross, bordering on a mockery of that which we are called to uphold.

But she won't wear it; she calls it filthy. Does she sense something the rest of us don't know? Instead, she's always wearing that red pendant. That must be it. I've never asked her what it means. Hell, I never ask her anything that is not related to a case. For all I know, it could be a symbol of that damnable Craft. But it's always there, over her heart. Why does it seem more fitting?

Perhaps the flames make me connect her with red. Tonight they seem to be kissing the sky as I watch her practice. Technically, we're only supposed to let her do this in the building, in a safe room. But it's safe out here. And she needs the help, the real-world experience. She turns, a small smile on her lips. She wants to know if I approve.

All I can see are the flames reflected in her eyes. The pendant catches the moonlight. Her face falls as I find myself unable to smile back at her.