Chapter 4.5 Part 1: Amalie

The city of Jinsen, a day before the rescue.

Amalie prowled the alleys of Jinsen, the city owned by the Jinshari Clan. The dark presences made her skin crawl: so many lost souls in one city. Beyond this city lay greater dangers for people who loved the Silver Flame. She had pushed her men to the proverbial edge to get here. Amalie’s reason was simple. The last time anyone from the School of the Chosen went this far north east, was nearly a generation ago. The Silver Flame did not distinguish between nationality, family or creed. It was their duty to go the farthest reaches of the earth to find the Chosen. Her hand kept on her artifact, praying to have a reaction from the sacred object. It’s decorated handle shaped into a simple wand. If she channeled prayer into it, it would awaken and become like a whip, binding criminals and striking her enemies.

A child’s cry paused her steps. Hearing the mother comfort the child, she moved on, searching for clues.

Finally, something made her pause. It was a hurried whisper, sharing something dangerous.

“The young master has burns? And so does his bride to be?” Amalie waited in the shadows, turning her white robes black with a simple rune.

“Hey, keep your voice down. You never know where the Jinshari are.”

Amalie craned her neck to see the men. A young man talked with an older gentleman. The old man chuckled.

“Relax, lad, they won’t be here. There’s no value in following around an old man like me.”

“Still. The Matriarch is temperamental.”

Amalie stilled. She had heard the rumors. The Matriarch was not a descendant of the Jinshari. She and her sister had married into the family, and if rumors were true, she killed her husband, the head of the Jinshari, and her sister’s family to cement her power.

“Still, the poor boy. It unfortunate his mother died. He has no one to protect him from that-“ the words died down with the insult. Amalie stilled, waiting for more.

“Do you think he really is her nephew?”

“Hard to say, since she keeps him locked up. Supposedly he has supporters that are keeping him there for his protection. But who knows what is truth or not. Such a secretive bunch.”

Amalie shifted away. She didn’t want or need to hear more. It didn’t take a genius to understand the child’s plight. Somehow, against the odds, he had survived under an oppressive hunt. She needed more information, more evidence from more sources to verify the rumor.

She worked and found the rumor well and alive but fragmented, like it was deliberately slipped out, but in parts to different people. The clues seemed like a cry for help. Amalie began to wonder who had done this? No one should know that they were in the city.

As she reunited with her team, she asked what they had learned. Many things were shared. A few children had been saved from the slums, their burns hidden under rags. They were fed by the proctors before being handed the sacred embers to test their faith. She watched many red lights blaze from the embers. Low faith, but it was there. Not one child had the dreaded black—a sign that they were hostile to the Flames. After confirming the kids and acquiring carriages Amalie was approached by the Captain.

“You wanted to speak with us?”

“I heard rumor that the Jinshari are keeping two chosen in their possession.”

The captain bowed and signaled to the silent corp. They quickly moved, verifying what she could not.

The boy was related to the Matriarch, the girl was not. This surprised the company. The Matriarch’s reputation was well known, she despised men who were born into her family, and even the branch families. The fact that there was a boy that was related to her through her fallen sister was an anomaly, and then that he had burns and so did his bride to be.

Amalie digested the information. The Jinshari were powerful. It was entirely possible they knew they were here and were already watching them. She didn’t want to endanger the kids, but she also didn’t believe the Matriarch had good intentions with keeping them around.

“What are your orders?” The Captain asked. Amalie paused and put her hand to her hip, summoning the sentience within the artifact.

‘Greetings, Amalie, my shining flame, my-‘

‘That’s enough, Arnold.’

The Sentience, Arnold quit his praises. ‘Can you sense the children in the Jinshari Estate?’

Her eyes wandered the streets below towards a large palace-like structure.

‘How far? And what direction?’ Arnold asked.

Amalie gave her estimate and felt the artifact grow hot. She began to pray, fueling Arnold’s search.

‘Amalie! My beloved shining-‘

‘Arnold,’ Amalie stunted the adulations.

‘But I bear exciting news! I sensed two artifacts in that direction.’

Amalie’s expression darkened. Were the Jinshari stealing artifacts and preparing to go against the Silver Flame and the School of the Chosen? Arnold paused and then chuckled.

‘You jump to conclusions my lady. The artifacts did not respond to my greetings.’

Amalie jerked out the artifact, eyes glued.

‘They didn’t just ignore you did they?’ she asked.

‘NO. My Darling, they have no soul. Not yet. You know how persistent I am.’

Oh she knew. She looked back at the estate, her heart swelling, eyes ablaze.

A soulless artifact only meant one thing, the bearers had seen the Silver Flame. They were Alinta, beings she could have only imagined about.

Then a firm frown fixed to her features. Those Alinta were in the hands of the Jinshari. If the Matriarch knew their significance, she would never let them leave. Well, Amalie wouldn’t let that wench use the kids like tools.

“Gather the proctors and knights. We are heading to the Jinshari Estate,” Amalie ordered. Some moans were heard, but her stern gaze silenced the weak protest. “The rest of you, prepare to depart immediately. As soon as we have those kids, we are leaving.”