Chapter 11 Part 1: Secrets Unfolding

Jun shook his head. In spite of Mei’s suggestion to reveal their situation, and the revelation that the people of this world knew that Alinta came from other world, he wasn’t sure he could handle the shame. He had suppressed his humiliation at being betrothed to his former daughter. It was frankly out of his control on that, and he was still determined to break that off once he had enough power to take on the Matriarch. But now, his beloved wife sought his life. He had no plan to change her faulty perception. And the Silver Flame was silent, hardly offering help.

“You put me in this situation. The least you could do is help.” His heart and mind grumbled through the silent prayer. He suppressed and stored the energy that ridicule created, keeping his lips pressed in a thin line.

Mei shifted awkwardly at the growing silence. Jun sent her a withering glare, preventing her from saying anything. She scowled back. Then shifted her attention to Arnold. He jerked as she began to speak.

“Ellen is my mother and Jun...” Her pause allowed her to look his way. She shrunk back as she saw him, her lips closing temporarily before she shook her shoulders. She slid back from him her eyes growing while staring him down, daring him to stop her.

“I’ve had it dad! You crazy old man. How many times do I have to say it!” Mei evaded his efforts to silence her and he ducked his head, peeking at Amalie who had one raised brow. If only she wore her emotions on her sleeve a bit more often. This reaction was so… unreadable. Was she disappointed? Amused? Confused? Shocked. Her hands remained folded across her torso. It was Arnold who spoke up first.

‘So she really brought over a family. Don’t tell me the boy by the Saint’s side is related?’

“My son…” Jun sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“That’s better old man,” Mei chuckled. Jun gritted his teeth, growling as he shot her a withering glare.

“I taught you better than this. They don’t need to be dragged into the family drama.”

Mei shrugged, settling in her chair.

“And I’m the rebellious teen. Though with how many years it’s been? I wonder how long you’re going to keep treating me like one.”

“As long as you don’t change.” He was about to jump on his remarks towards her relation with Arvad, but she beat him.

“And don’t get me started on how much you’ve enjoyed pulling the ‘kid’ card.”

“Only to keep us safe.” He moved to fold his arms and remembered his limp hand. He tched as he pulled it in front of him. The pause brought him back to their situation. Amalie was grinning as she watched them.

“So then, Papa Jun… just how old are you?”

‘Now see here. It’s rude to ask someone their age, especially an Alinta.’ Arnold settled in between him and Amalie. She shrugged, eyes slowly closing, nonchalant about the rebuke.

“Fine, then who were you referring to earlier?”

Arnold was silent, his head tilting. ‘When?’

“When you mentioned someone brought over their family.” Arnold looked at them. Jun shrugged. Wasn’t it obvious? Mei pulled on her mask.

‘The Silver Flame, my shining star. Do keep up.’

“But you called him a ‘her’.”

The silence grew.

‘Oh darling.’ Arnold slapped his face. ‘Just what are they teaching kids these days?’

Amalie looked confused, her eyes meeting both of their gazes.

“Well, she is annoying.”

“I haven’t head anyone calling her a him.”

Mei scowled as they said their lines over one another.

“You did not just call her annoying.”

“Well she is! She put us in this mess and she keeps too many secrets. The least she could do is tell us how to reach your mother. I swear-” Amalie’s hands slammed on the side of his bed. Jun jerked back, nearly falling off.

“You can hear the Silver Flame?” Amalie’s voice lacked her usual composure. Jun leaned away as her head came near, ending up on the floor. Mei quickly gathered him up and Amalie coughed as she stood up straight.

“My apologies.”

‘Ooo. This is getting exciting! A bonafide prophet. You sure do know how to pick them my flame.’

Jun froze. The word prophet was used so loosely back on earth. It hardly seemed accurate to what he heard from the Silver Flame. On cue, his ear tickled.

‘Well, you don’t ask me. Your prayers are mostly complaints and asking about your family. Frankly it’s a bit of a waste.’

Jun felt his jaw drop as time slowed.

“Get out of my head.” His guttural growl caused the others to tense. Jun closed his eyes. He hadn’t forgiven her for the repeated let downs. His trust in the Silver Flame was shattered. He sunk onto the bed, back facing to the two women and the apparition. He rested his left hand on right arm as he gazed at the floor.

The pause didn’t last long before Arnold’s cheery face appeared in front of him. He flinched at the nearness and then swatted him away.

‘Hmmm. No wonder. Jun? You’ll need to work on your faith.’

Jun straightened a bit at those words. What did he mean? He was a white. Why did he need to work on his faith? It was only a matter of time before-

Amalie sat next to him, breaking his train of thought. In her hand was one of those silver embers. As she placed it in his palm, her words stumbled out.

“It’s a good thing you are sitting. You need to look at this.”

Jun’s eyes widened as the flame turned from the white color to an orange. Amalie’s face contorted.

“I checked on you earlier and you were still in yellow, but now…”

“What? You planning on kicking me out if my faith drops too low?” the sarcasm dripped with venom. Amalie didn’t answer immediately.

“Jun. If you keep on this track, your faith will be black, and if that happens. I will kill you.”

“What?” the question left as a whisper, but Jun was far from calm.

‘Amalie, my eternal flame! You need to have more tact.’ Arnold darted between them. Jun leaned back.

“You’re one to talk.” Amalie muttered. “Prophet or not, if you turn black, then you’ll have entered a state of hostility to the Silver Flame and as one of the White Flames I will eradicate you. If your artifact also is tainted afterwards, then I will destroy it.”

Jun couldn’t get his words to cooperate. When he finally got his mouth to work, Mei was already speaking.

“What’s this? If you’re going to kill my dad, you better believe I will stop you.”

Amalie offered a wan smile. Mei was so close, obviously trying to be near in case the White Flame did something. However, Amalie was fast and flicked Mei’s forehead. Mei jerked back and covered the spot, brows knit as she mumbled. She then stiffened.

“I hope you don’t mind if I do things like that to your kid.” Jun sunk into the bed. She was adapting to all the revelations fairly quick. He slowly shook his head. Mei protested, but stopped when Amalie threatened to flick her forehead again.

“Now then. To clarify, I have no desire or intention to kill either of you. We need all you Alinta for the coming future. That’s why I’m letting you know what’s at stake.” Amalie sighed, leaning back as her gaze flicked upward. “And what I’ve gathered is quite interesting and disturbing.” Her eyes met Jun’s. “I can see why you both act the way you do, and why you seek to annul your betrothal. I can’t imagine I would take it well to be transported to another world and find myself engaged to my son.”

‘You have no kids, darling.’

“Oh be quiet you.” Amalie hissed. “Anyway. I can somewhat fathom how troubling it would be to find your lover trying to kill you and feeling helpless to convince them otherwise.”

Jun lowered his gaze. Her words were… too on the nose, too direct.

“But I do wonder. Do you realize what a gift you have as a prophet? You’re also an Alinta.”

Jun shook his head.

Amalie huffed a sigh, her smile warm and calm. She rose from her spot and drew open the drapes, allowing light inside. She lingered there, looking for any sign of Jinshari. This allowed Jun to think. What did she mean when she said being a prophet was a gift?

Amalie traced a rune on the whip. Then moved to her chair. She slumped into it in uncharacteristic fashion. It was still graceful and controlled, but Jun noted the way the chair creaked, her sloped shoulders as she exhaled.

“Now Jun. We’ll need to work on your relation with Elain. Ellen? Was that her name?” Mei affirmed it.

Jun’s jaw clenched as she spoke. She spoke like a patronizing woman, reiterating the situation yet again. It seemed she was still processing the events, despite not showing much outward reaction.

“You don’t believe Elain’s claim?” Jun harrumphed. Amalie’s head tilted, waiting for him to explain. Jun hesitated eventually answering. “She thinks I killed her former husband and took the artifact and stole the memories so I could pose as… this.” He licked his lips, his words chosen with care.

Amalie moved her hand to ruffle his hair and then stopped.

“I should stop treating you like kids,” she laughed. “Well. I’m looking into that. From what I know of you two, you are a bit too honest to pull off a stunt like that. Right Arnold?”

‘It’s a bit preposterous. To seize the memories of a full artifact, you would have to have the host be willing to impart it.’

“So then, it couldn’t happen then.” Mei interjected, sitting next to Jun.

“Hardly. If you had become a full artifact, you wouldn’t give your memories to another who wanted to use that against your wife and family.”

“Never.” Jun felt the need to answer, even if it seemed obvious. He found the whole situation so strange.

‘A puppet.’ The Silver Flame added her two cents once more. Jun shook his head. If she was right, then some things could make sense, but that didn’t mean he had a way to persuade Ellen, Elain. He shifted. With him and Mei, it was easy to consider how he would view her, but Elain was so different from the Ellen he knew that he found it hard to believe.

“How do we know that she…” Jun paused, eyes flicking to Mei as he swallowed back the thought. What if she had called him the killer when she was the one who had done that to Ellen. It would make sense if she was the imposter. He shook his head again. The Silver Flame had already confirmed it. And as far as he could recall, she never lied.

“Silver Flame. How can I convey who I am to Ellen?” His heart burned as this thought ran through his mind. He became engrossed with this prayer that he didn’t hear the questions directed at him.

‘Talk to Amalie and learn.’ The Silver Flame tickled his ear once more and he drew himself from his musings.

“Ah, back with us? Talking with the Silver Flame.” Amalie let a deep smile grace her features. Jun nodded quietly and the change on Amalie made him wonder if it had been good to reveal his status as a ‘prophet’.