Chapter 5 Part 3: To Sea

Another carriage was procured while Amalie took them to an eatery. She requested a side room, one that would offer some privacy. Once inside, she wasted no time on grilling them.

“She is blind? And you really can’t use that arm.”

“Yes.” Jun relented.

“Then how was she seeing the flame when I was teaching you guys?” Amalie grabbed at her hair, scratching her head.

“I can see color,” Mei complained. “Amalie wears white and has yellow hair, but as for details, I have to use prayer active to use my eyes. When I awakened I could see infrared.”

“Heat,” Jun simplified. “She can see at night, because what she sees is the heat in different things. However, if things are cold on top of cold, it would vanish in her eyes.”

Amalie tried her best to understand it, but her eyes held her confusion.

Jun heaved a sigh.

“Let’s give some examples. Words on paper are invisible. But prayer and people are visible because we aren’t the same temperature as the air around us. You can’t hide your heat when you use prayer, so she would see how much you are using as if looking at a fire or looking at the sun.”

“I see…” Amalie hummed. Her hand hovered by her chin.

“So what does it look like?”

“Well, before I awakened I saw things differently…” Mei drawled. “So if memory serves me, then Jun was like looking at a campfire, and you were like looking at the sun in the sky. Though it was more white.”

“Incredible.”

“Several of the attackers also glowed. Though not as bright.”

“You could tell all that?” Mei shrugged helplessly. Amalie’s enthusiasm was growing. “Then you have a unique ability too!” Her eyes shifted to Jun then back to Mei, softening as her gaze hovered by the tears in the clothes. “Oh… my apologies. You probably want food and a change of clothes. Were you wounded?”

“I’m fine now. Jun made sure to take care of them.”

Jun tapped Mei’s foot and Amalie’s maw gaped.

“Healing?”

“I wouldn’t call it that… it’s more like assistance.” Jun grumbled. He wasn’t sure how to explain it to her. Without studying biology or medicine would she even understand? She laughed.

“Alright, you call it what you will, but it doesn’t change what it does.” He shrugged. She had a point. “If the Matriarch only knew…” Amalie laughed. “Well, you two won’t be going there so long as I’m alive. Unless you want to of course…” she self corrected. Mei stuck out her tongue, shivering in disgust. Amalie smiled and they paused while some food was served.

“You seemed surprised that Mei was blind,” Jun probed. He needed more information about this world, beyond the Matriach’s curated library.

“Of course. Sacred burns do not hinder your natural abilities. Burned eyes can still see, and burned limbs still function like normal. The exception is when families fake burns on their children. That said, no one is foolish enough to burn something vital like both eyes or an entire arm just to get attention. It’d be obvious.”

“Oh…” Jun didn’t know what to say to that. They were definitely different.

“Chances are…” Amalie seemed to hesitate, checking around them—her hand resting at her hip. “You saw the Silver Flame when you awakened.”

Jun flinched, his guard raising. How much did she know?

“Relax. Your secret is safe. If it’s true then you two will need to get strong quickly. The amount of targets on you two will grow with how many people learn of it. Even if it’s false, because of your differences, you will attract unwanted attention. So for now, try to lay low.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Mei grumbled.

“I’m sure your seclusion didn’t help you understand these things. No matter, once we are aboard the ships, I’ll teach you about them myself. However, you’ll need to trust my judgement on some things.”

“Amalie.” Jun interjected. Her brows raised in interest. “It’s not that we haven’t noticed, but aren’t you trying too hard to earn our trust?” he pointed out. Her eyes flicked wide then softened.

“I’m sure growing up in the Jinshari Clan was rough.” Voice firm with conviction. “Just know the School of the Chosen is not your enemy. If anything, I hope to grow close with you and show you this truth.”

“In other words, you want to see if you can learn the Jinshari’s secrets.” Jun folded his arms. Why was it that so many women behaved like his mother-in-law?

“Do your loyalties still remain with them?” Amalie’s brows knit, lips stuck between a pout and a frown. Her tone had changed.

“Hardly, but her influence spreads far,” Jun ventured. This was the first time she seemed more open, less secretive. Her lips curved up.

“Well, Jun. On my title as the White Flame, and as a servant of the Silver Flame, I won’t probe any secrets that will cause you harm. However, if you are to survive in this world, you will need some allies. Sometimes, the most dangerous things are life are what you don’t know. ‘You don’t know what you don’t know’.” Her grin grew in finality. Jun relented on that.

“You didn’t come up with that on your own. Did you…”

“You always pick up on the strangest things,” Amalie groaned.

‘Maybe if you stopped assuming we are kids.’ He thought. An adult would see this pretty easily. They continued to eat while Amalie explained what she knew of the Silver Flame and the religion surrounding it. Most things she said reminded him of some of the doctrines found on Earth, while also seeming to clash with them.

A knight interrupted their conversation, saying the carriages were ready. Clearing the last of their food, they wound back outside and were guided to a new style of carriage, one that reminded Jun of the orient. Inside were more cushions and less of the European seats. Mei flopped, stretching out along the ‘floor’. Her moans of delight caused him to roll his eyes.

The carriage rolled out, gliding across the streets. Jun had to admit this was far nicer than they had the last few months. ‘Too bad we’re at the end of our journey.’

While he mused over this, he watched the market turn into a street once more. They passed shops and homes, then it became a town square.

Jun’s eyes fell on a giant tree in the center of the square. Its silver branches and blue leaves were striking. As they came to the ship, Amalie greeted them and guided them aboard. Jun looked at the other students with their frowns and grumblings. Mei shrunk back, feeling the growing hostility. ‘So much for laying low.’ He walked to the ropes that went up to the sails and leaned against the balcony. The pointed stares grew till they found a source to direct it. Amalie handed them a wooden tablet with some instruction to where they would be resting on the ship.

“Half a great cabin?” he asked, looking over the script.

“That’s right.”

Seeing how the others reacted, Jun bowed his head slightly as his family had taught.

“Thank you.”

Amalie was still for a moment. “So you can show gratitude.” She huffed before placing her hand on his shoulder.

Jun shrugged and she turned to leave—emblem blazing with the symbol of the School of the Chosen, silver fire in the shape of a ball, ringed with a wreath of flames of red, yellow, blue and white.

“Wait!” a child in fine clothes raised his plaque. “This is hardly fair!”

“Why are they getting special treatment?”

More complaints raised.

“We want answers!”

“Why were we attacked earlier!”

“How is the School going to explain what happened!”

The kids who looked on were dressed in simpler clothes. Jun watched—curious how Amalie would handle this. She had promised to keep them safe, and she had mentioned that the school was fair. This was in direct contradiction to that.

She answered reasonably, but the complaints persisted. The sounds drew the ire from other ships. Objects began to be tossed from one ship to another. Jun and Mei avoided the outrage, ducking into the quiet corners.

“How foolish. Did their parents even raise them right,” a young man muttered next to them. He pushed at some type of glasses—deep brown hair and green eyes standing out against his white uniform.

“You know something?” Mei asked, playing cute.

“Just watch. It’s only a matter of time before the White Flame reins them in. By the way, I watched you two take on those attackers. Impressive. My name is Christopher, heir to the Karlston Trading Company.”

“I’m Mei, and this is Jun.”

“The heartlands of Oranalas must be your home,” Christopher surmised, a proud grin tugging at his expression.

“How did you-“ Jun stopped Mei from completing her question.

“Your dress and names are pretty big give-aways. Though we best be moving if we want to continue this conversation. It seems the rumors were true about Ernested’s patience.”

Jun saw Amalie’s two clenched fists before a kid spat in her face. Those nearby, stilled. Amalie’s fist flew, socking him in the face.

“You sniveling brats! You think you’re so high and mighty because your parents were blue flames!” Amalie’s outrage turned into a flurry of attacks as she socked every single kid who had chanted or complained. Jun touched his ear, wondering if he had to worry, but no warning came. Christopher however, pulled on them and guided them towards a door with a small circular window.

“Typical. We won’t need to listen to the sermon, so let’s find our lodging.”

Inside, it was bright. Not bright from a lightbulb or even a fire, but from hexagonal glass that spiked from the ceiling, allowing sunlight through.

“Wow,” Mei gasped.

“First time on a ship?” Christopher asked. Jun nodded. “Well, what did your plaque say?” he grasped the wood and looked it over. “And this is what riled them past the boiling point? Ridiculous.”

Christopher guided them up steep stairs to the upper deck. A few rooms branched off on either side.

“What luck, your half is next to mine, that will make things easier.”

“What easier?” Jun asked.

“To get to know you. There are hatches we can open to allow us to talk and even try our hands at some of the games aboard. With how sheltered your life must have been, you’re going to need a bit of help.”

Jun folded his arms—Mei slinking beside him.

“Why would you do that?”

“Connections. Every merchant needs them, and I seek to make as many as possible while attending school.”

His answer was straightforward and simple, his outstretched hand held no other agenda. Jun smirked, extending his left hand.

“My right hand is useless,” he hummed. Christopher quickly changed hands and shook his.

“Looking forward to this,” he replied.