Chapter 6.5: Colors

Amalie kept her mouth shut. Her glares extended to the staff. If she had known that Jun was like this, she wouldn’t have suggested him healing the sick. His actions were tender, but that alone wouldn’t have made her reconsider. It was his hair. Since many of the children hadn’t learned of it, and it wasn’t talked about in most circles of society, he wasn’t getting attention for it, but she knew, and so did the staff and former students. She forced herself to stay, even forgoing her other responsibilities to make sure that the two remained safe. After allowing them to change into clean clothes, Amalie ordered the staff to remain silent even forcing the captain and his men to swear under the silver flame to prevent any rumors.

She found Jun and barged in, determined to reveal what she had observed and redirect their plan. She knew her reputation of not choosing any new students, but she would make an exception this time. However, she wouldn’t reveal it to them, yet.

She sat on the bottom bunk, forcing Jun and Mei to take her seriously as they sat across from her.

“Amalie? Do you know about this?” Jun asked, circulating his prayer and making the changes apparent. Amalie gritted her teeth. He didn’t know, but he had observed it already.

“Yes. This changes things.” She let the words hang—arms folding over her chest. Then she fidgeted and grabbed Arnold, summoning him. Mei’s eyes widened as she heard his voice.

“Make a Silver Ember, Arnold. Quickly.” She ordered, cutting his adulations off. Arnold went silent and Mei and Jun watched with wide eyes at something.

“Amalie? Do you not see-“ Jun nudged Mei and shook his head.

“See what?” Amalie asked.

“I see…” Mei shrunk back. Amalie’s brow raised. They saw something, but what? A silver ember appeared next to the wand and Arnold complained about it, but Amalie quickly shifted to kneel in front of Jun, holding out the ember. Jun’s hand extended and she placed it in the center. His fingers began to close but then stopped—his head tilting.

His burns began to glow white and Amalie rubbed her brows and eyes. She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to keep control of the tumult of emotions within her. Jun remained quiet, his bangs a beautiful blue and neck hairs a stark white.

Mei was the first to break the silence.

“Your hair… is it different?” she asked. Her hand moved to his bangs, and then explored his ponytail.

“Even you can see it huh?” Jun asked.

“The color is… weird.”

“Weird isn’t the word I would use,” Amalie sighed, sitting back and letting Jun hold onto the ember. This was impossible. His identity as an Alinta could not be kept hidden unless he learned to control his level of prayer.

“Jun, you are aware that you and Mei are what some call, Alinta.”

He nodded, Mei however looked on curious.

“Most Alinta do not get revealed until they reach white flame when their hair and other parts undergo a change, a refinement,” Amalie began to explain. She tried to recall the legends, wondering how to keep it simple. Jun however seemed to grasp the implication quickly and stopped circulating his prayer. His hair returned to its brown state.

“For now, do not leave the room unless absolutely necessary. And stay away from the boy, Christopher. I’ll give him a stern warning to help.”

“Is there a reason?” Jun asked.

“For now, you need to learn how to control your prayer so you don’t reveal your status as an Alinta. If you enter the school and create a name for yourself and then show your status, it will be safer than if you show up like that.”

“Why?” Mei was the one to question the reason.

“Because if word gets out, it will give the Jinshari clan more sway… that their methods and doctrine can foster an Alinta.” Amalie shook her head helplessly. “Who knows what she would use that power and rumors for.” Jun and Mei became still, looking to one another in understanding.

“Did anyone else see this?” Mei asked, oblivious.

“Everyone who watched me heal those kids, likely saw it.”

Amalie smirked. The fact they were calling their peers ‘kids’ was cute.

“It started after you picked up the child and rocked it,” she clarified. Jun stiffened at that and then lowered his head, looking to the side. He had acted older then, like the new parents she had observed. Having forgone marriage, she sometimes watched young couples as they raised their kids. In a way, Jun’s actions reminded her of them.

“As for the next few weeks till we reach the island, I’ll be overseeing your training so that we find out where to have you stop with your prayers. You’ll need to limit yourself.”

Amalie’s stern tone was all she left them that day. The next few weeks, she found them complying with every demand. She also checked Mei and found her growth was still at yellow, stuck at the threshold of blue. As they trained, she capped Jun to a low blue. If he went even a bit warmer, then his hair started to change.

Amalie stared off into the stars with Jun, marveling at his diligence. The rumors of his healing abilities had grown like she had wanted, but she wondered how long it would last before they would be forced to reveal that he was an Alinta. At best, perhaps a year? She could only prayer for that.