Topside reveals another surprise. Matthew’s made a few modifications, as well. He’s still broody but not dank. Point to progress.

Ryan furrows his brow. “How many?”

“Impossible to tell. I’ve done my best to steer clear of Rebel matters. It wasn’t a peaceful separation.”

“Matthew made me—” Dreyna swallows hard. “Matthew requested I stop helping them.”

“She wasn’t helping,” he interjects. “She was being poorly used…and abused.” His grease fire accompanies her frown. He regrets what he did to her and what he allowed to be done by his sisters. “Your visit put things into perspective for me.”

I scan the treehouse. There truly is good here. Even if I don’t agree my spark started it, I was part of it. I should be proud. “You were right. We dragged you to a crossroads.”

He half-smiles. “When I first saw you, I saw a lost little girl who’d been tossed into this whirlpool and was waiting for the ride to end. I didn’t believe you were capable of all you’ve done. I sorely underestimated you. I’m sorry for what I said.”

I shrug.

“I was wrong about many things,” he admits. “The biggest thing? You’re not useless. You can offer something even more powerful than reversion. You can eradicate the disease completely. Someone wise once said to me—” He clears his throat, preparing to make a speech. “You’re not a monster. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you’ll stop behaving like one. You can’t change what happened to you, but you can learn from it. You can absorb it, sponging out all the bad from the good. You help people. Helping people is a good thing.”

Is he referring to the rocks in my pockets? Can I blow Sheelin right out of the metaphorical sky? That’s not my primary plan, but I’d count it as a happy side bonus. My plan is to offer myself up to transition in trade for Mom, then let Fire Supreme take my powers. I can read between the lines. I won’t survive it. No one’s ever survived that.

No one’s ever survived that…yet.

Could I try it with Tally? It’s what she wants, for me to give her some of the humanity I won’t need anymore. Like she said, I’m getting rid of it. Shouldn’t it go to good use? My transition should mean something to those who stuck by me through disaster after disaster.

“Go get Tally.”

Ryan eyes me suspiciously. “Why?”

I clench my fists at my sides. “Apparently, there’s some good I need to do.”

We huddle on the floor in the common area. The treehouse has no walls, only five large beams holding up the roof. The center one extends all the way to the forest floor. If not for the threat of splinter overload, I’d be sliding down it like a firehouse pole. Tempted, anyway.

“What exactly are you planning to do?” he probes.

“It isn’t so much what I’m planning to do as what I’m planning to try,” I clarify.

Hard lessons have taught me that when Tally and I plan something together, it tends to boast unfavorable results. There was the first experiment where she wanted me to light the bonfire, which ended in Phelan siphoning the excess energy I produced. Then, we tried to wake my mom up the first time. Me and a wall got intimately acquainted. We decided to divide and conquer for the final wake up session. It proved effective, though the cake was half baked. Finally, there was the very same experiment we’re retrying. Tally 2.0. Or OG. Whatever. She wants to be human. It misfired the first go. It probably won’t work now, but fingers crossed, I won’t muck it up worse.

Bright side: with Barry as part of the process, there won’t be any raging bulls tearing through this treehouse. Pretty sure on that last point. Best to confirm. “How do you feel about this, Barry?”

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His pecs dance excitedly. “All good.”

Tally says nothing.

“What changed your mind?”

“Her safety. A fight’s coming, and I don’t want anything to happen to her.”

“She doesn’t have to fight. I’m not sitting here assuming a fight won’t happen. I’m not that naïve, but I don’t expect any of you to be part of it.”

“Unit stand with Little Fire,” Aella affirms.

“I thank you for it, but I want everyone here to understand they don’t have to. No one will think less of you if you don’t participate.”

“We understand,” Dreyna reassures me.

“It means one less person fighting with us,” Barry continues. “It also means one less person to protect.” Totally relatable. I sent our human friends away for that specific reason.

“Okay, how would you feel about this if we weren’t fixing to bite off more than we can chew, aside from the protection part, Barry?”

“I’d like her to see herself as I see her,” he murmurs.

“She doesn’t have any outstanding self-assurance issues,” I remark.

“That’s not true,” he argues. “She masks her insecurities using sarcasm and a false display of confidence.”

I doubt she appreciates him laying it all out in the open, but she chooses to say nothing. Weird for her. “This is really cool with you?”

“More than cool,” he claims. “It’s a preference.”

Tally remains silent.

“Maybe if you explained what happened the first failed attempt, we can help get it right this time,” Ryan suggests.

“I could see her energy, but there wasn’t a divide. With Sumairs, their energy is this giant strand of DNA. I see where their human half splits from their magic half. It’s a distinct division. With Tally, or any Solathair, there’s no dividing line. It’s an infinite loop. Nothing human is left.”

“Why do you think it’s an option now?” Declan poses.

“Tally mentioned me giving her some of my humanity.” Since I won’t be needing it. Leaving that part out is critical. I don’t want to have an entirely different conversation with my friends. “This is how I sponge out the bad.”

“How would it work?” Ryan wonders.

“No clue, but if I can share my humanity, she wouldn’t be left with nothing when I take her energy.”

“Your humanity isn’t a renewable resource, Sheyla,” he objects. “It’s not something you can rejuvenate.”

“While she might be able to, it’s a risk,” Matthew supports Ryan.

“A calculated risk I’m willing to take,” I point out. “Helping her is worth it.”

“I can help,” Akantha throws in. “Accelerate to improve odds. You thread human strand inside. Use my ability to stretch. Make enough to sustain.”

“My healing may help you regenerate,” Ryan adds.

“What are the potential side effects?” Declan presses.

“There’s no way to know,” I reason.

“Worst case scenario would be death,” Matthew rains on our parade. “Best case scenario would be cured.”

Declan whistles sharply. “She could end up in limbo…as a Sumair.”

I figure Tally will have a lot to say about becoming a Sumair. Only, she remains silent, which is beyond weird. Actually, it surprises me she still has nothing to say, in general. I mean, the whole conversation revolves around her, and the spotlight is her happy place, yet she seems content to sit in the background. She’s contemplative even.

“It might work,” Ryan declares.

“There’s a solid chance it will,” Matthew agrees.

“Teamwork making Tally’s dream work,” Kiley chirps.

“Well, let’s get on with it,” Barry pushes.

Tally finally speaks, shocking everyone with a soft pass, “No, thanks. I’m good.”

The smell of the day award goes to electrical fire for the joint confusion she causes. It reminds me of Brody, and I frown.

“Isn’t this what you wanted?” Barry takes her hands in his. “Are you scared it won’t work?”

“It will,” she states resolutely.

“Then why?”

“Yes, I put a strong focus on myself,” Tally admits. “I’m standardly okay with that. Most of you tolerate it on a regular basis. You’ve come to count on it of me, but our lives are at stake here. This isn’t a petty preference for black and white or even a party. I always get what I want, and I do want this, just not yet. I can’t do this now, not when so much is at stake. I love you all the way to the bottom of my heart, and the pool isn’t as shallow as I’ve made you believe. I don’t show it in a typical way or even in an atypical way…I love you all the same, so I’m fighting with you. I’m standing with you, and we’re beating those Rebels until they run screaming. Then we’ll chase them down to beat them some more.

“I can’t walk away from this. It’s not right. If we survive—if I survive—I have to live with my decisions. I can’t live with this decision. Not like this. It’s easy to do whatever you want when you have forever to make up for all the bad things you’ve done. If I take the easy way now, I won’t have enough time to make up for not helping you.”

I blow out a breath. “Fine.”

None of us want to fight. None of us want to see anyone hurt, but we can’t run, or we’ll spend the rest of our lives running. Well, they will. I’m already running on borrowed time.

Tally’s definitely progressed, waiting for her inversion and helping her friends instead of helping herself. Some serious wafted charcoal BBQ is filling up the space. I’m proud of her progression. We all are. She’s opened her soul and spilled out her dirtiest secret. She’s a decent would-be-human.

I hope they’ll be so accepting of my choice. More, I hope I’ll be as strong as Tally when it comes to execution.