by Nina Walker
The man’s normally thin lips twitched up on one side. “Good girl.”
Well, okay then…
I was getting stronger every day. As much as I hated to acknowledge it, I knew there might come a time I would have to fight for my life.
That afternoon, I followed Jasmine toward a new classroom. It was all work these days, training morning until night. She was happy with my fighting progress, and I would continue to work out in the gym every morning. But I needed to grow my abilities in all the colors—especially since there was no telling when Faulk and her lackeys would be calling on me to complete another test. I couldn’t afford to fail again. Purple, orange, and green remained. I wasn’t nervous about green—luckily it was one of the easiest colors to manipulate.
All I knew about orange was that it was used to enhance emotion. That’s why the alchemists used it to replace alcohol—they could get a similar experience without the hangover. Made sense, and I didn’t allow myself to get too worked up about the orange test.
I was too worried about purple.
Purple was something I could pull out, but what it did was still so elusive. I needed a lot of practice with that one. Jasmine assured me that if I could handle yellow then orange would be a cakewalk. So it was purple that needed my attention. I trusted her to be right about that.
It was one of the hardest colors. Very few alchemists used it. No one expected me to pass, because people rarely did. That was why I only had to pass three of the five tests. But I wanted to kick butt in every color! The few times I’d gotten purple out, the tricky color had split into primary colors—blue and red. That was another ability of mine that was apparently unique to me. I could separate the colors, but I couldn’t do anything with them. And it made me way more exhausted than regular alchemy.
I rubbed my temples as I followed Jasmine. She knocked on a nondescript door.
A woman, not much older than me, flitted out of the room, her blond hair so light it was almost white. It was her defining feature, like it had a life of its own. It bounced around her shoulders in waves as if it was a translucent ocean. She was waifish, tall, with a way about her that didn’t feel entirely grounded. Like she was half in this world and half somewhere else. Somewhere veiled in mystery. She had a carefree go-with-the-flow energy. Flightiness. Like trying to hold sand between your fingers.
“Jessa, I’d like you to meet Lily Mason. If anyone can help you with purple alchemy, it’s her.”
I stood awkwardly as Lily Mason glided over to me, her eyes calculating. They were such a disarming shade of light blue that I couldn’t look away. I’d never seen this woman before in my life. She was a teacher here? Was she old enough for that?
“You’re trying to guess my age, aren’t you?” she asked in an apathetic tone, like she had zero attachment to my answer.
I nodded. It was true. So far all of the teachers I’d met were at least middle-aged. Sure, Lucas and Reed had assisted in my early training, and talent came in all ages. But the actual teachers who taught the alchemists weren’t young. They were the most experienced, with years of training in the field before coming back to pass on their knowledge to the younger generation.
“I’m twenty-three.”
“And she’s been teaching for six years,” Jasmine said. “Unheard of and impressive, I know. She knows. But there aren’t that many people who are good with purple alchemy. And Lily isn’t just good, she’s renowned.”
“It’s my gift. And this way the king has better access to that gift.” Again, she said things with no conviction. No emotion. It was as if she didn’t care either way. They just were.
“Access to do what, exactly?” I asked.
Her eyes, which had been drifting, snapped back to meet mine. A chill ran up my spine. “What do you know about purple alchemy?”
“Umm… I can pull it out of things, but I can’t use it. I’ve been told it can help people find their life purpose. Connected to intuition, something like that. I don’t really understand what any of that means…”
She smiled then. It lit up her entire face. “Come.” She opened the door wide and strolled into her classroom, which wasn’t like the others. It was smaller. And there wasn’t a glass wall on the side of the hallway. There also weren’t any desks or even any tables. There were a lot of comfortable-looking couches and pillows large enough to sit on strewn across the floor, with a worn oriental rug underneath. It was dimly lit, with purple practically everywhere. There were amethyst rocks placed around the space, some taller than me. And smaller ones were neatly tucked everywhere. A few plants with purple flowers grew precariously in ornate pots.
She sat on one of the pillows, crossing her legs. Feeling awkward standing above her, I sat on a pillow as well.
“You know it would be better if you left,” she said to Jasmine without breaking our eye contact. It seemed that she didn’t care either way what happened. The woman was unattached.
“I know. Jessa, there is nothing to worry about. You can trust Ms. Mason. The kind of magic she’s going to show you works best one-on-one.”
And with that grain of knowledge, we were alone.
“So, purple, huh? What is it that you do? Does it do multiple things like blue or just one like yellow and orange?” I couldn’t help the questions from forming. When I was uncomfortable, I tended to do that.
Lily cocked her head at me, unfazed. “The purple wheel of energy is strong in you. The chakra is open. It’s the third eye. Intuition. You know so little, and yet you are so powerful. It’s a dangerous combination.”
“So I’ve been told.”
She continued, “Do you want to know your future? I already know the answer. It’s yes. They always want to know. But they shouldn’t always know. And it isn’t guaranteed. Prophecy is better. It has surer lines. It’s rare. I can’t choose it. It just comes when it comes. Fortunes, I can do those anytime, for anyone. But those lines move easily. They blur. Best not to plan your life around something so fluid.” She said everything with a breathy voice, like she was talking to herself.
“You’re a fortuneteller?” I asked. I’d heard about those people in old stories, but didn’t know they still existed. A wave of excitement rolled over me.
“I’m an alchemist who can see fortunes…and misfortunes.” She reached to one of the amethysts on the floor and held it in her palm. As expected the color leached out, dancing ribbons of purple magic. Then it split between us. I saw some of it flow into her and felt the color seep into me, calming my nerves instantly. The prickly sensation of trust swept through me. The magic was connecting us.
I met her eyes again, but this time she was wholly in the other world. A glazed, unseeing expression descended upon her.
Please let this be good news.
“You have dark magic,” she hissed. “It will be used against you.” She paused, nodding, as if listening to someone who wasn’t there. “You’re on a dangerous path, Jessa. There is heartache. Betrayal. So much suffering.”
Lovely.
“So how do I change it?” I hated the fear in my voice. Did I really believe this? But it was magic, I saw the purple, felt it…
“Do not trust him.”
“Who? Who’s him? Reed? Lucas? The King?”
The door burst open. Light flashed across Lily’s face. Her eyes filled with recognition and she was lost from her trancelike state almost instantly.
“Who shouldn’t I trust?” I pressed.
“You know the rules.” Faulk snapped as she interrupted, moving headlong into the small space. As always, she was surrounded by her hordes of officers. They filled all available space quickly, bringing a claustrophobic cloud in with them. I wasn’t happy about the interruption, obviously. Lily, however, didn’t seem to care one way or the other. Her impassive expression never seemed to fade, no matter the circumstances.
“You teach purple alchemy. You do not use it on anyone unless specifically asked to by the king or myself.”
“Yes, I am a
ware. I sat down to teach Jessa about this magic. I picked up a stone, and it just happened. I’m sorry,” she added, her expression serene. Uncaring.
She’s lying. She’d wanted to give me my future, had asked me. If she’d broken rules to do it, what did that make her? Part of the Resistance?
“And what did your future hold?” Faulk turned on me.
There was no use in lying.
“She said I had dark magic. And it would be used against me. But you interrupted before she had a chance to explain.” I tried to keep the venom from my voice. But it was no use. I hated her. The feeling was mutual.
Faulk glanced between us, suspecting. What was she going to do about it?
“One short lesson and you already got your fortune told. I think that’s enough for the two of you,” Faulk said. “Jessa, come with me, please. Ms. Mason, you can stay, I think you’ve done enough.”
“Where are we going?” I stood. I knew better than to ask Faulk anything, but I always seemed to do it anyway. I caught Lily’s ethereal eyes again, but they were impassive. Nothing could be discerned from them. Creepy.
Faulk didn’t bother to answer as she stomped from the room. As I followed her out and down the modern GC corridor, I thought about what Lily had said. I’d memorized every word. Heartache. Betrayal. Don’t trust him.
The king kept Lily in the palace under the pretense of training alchemists in purple. But really, purple was so elusive that few alchemists ever figured it out. So that meant she was really here to be his personal psychic. She’d said that the future wasn’t set in stone. Things can change. But still, she had to be useful to someone as bloodthirsty as Richard.
That didn’t bode well for the Resistance.
“If we can’t have you around Lily without her spontaneously reading your future, and who knows what else, then it seems to me that we might as well get your failure behind us.”
She walked so quickly I had to run to catch up with her. “Umm, excuse me? What are you talking about?”
“Your purple test. Let’s do it this afternoon, shall we?”
“Um, no, we shall not,” I shot back. She couldn’t be serious! “That’s not fair,” I continued. “I haven’t had a chance to study purple at all. You’re setting me up to fail.”
“It’s the king who wants you to take your tests before you’re ready. He’s already growing impatient. If anyone is setting you up to fail, it’s him. If you’ve got a problem with it, you can take it up with him. My suggestion, however, is to keep your pretty little mouth closed and do as you’re told.”
This was ridiculous. Where was Jasmine? She’d stick up for me, wouldn’t she? But then again, Jasmine was only tasked with training me. Anything more might look suspicious. I stomped my foot, annoyed as ever! I knew Lucas would help if he could, but he was supposed to stay away from me. His father wouldn’t take kindly to anything Lucas had to say about me. Faulk could practically get away with anything where I was concerned.
There was no point. She always had the upper hand.
“Okay, so what exactly is this test? Am I supposed to read someone’s fortune or something?”
Maybe I should just get this failure over with. There was only a small chance I’d miraculously know how to manipulate purple. I still would have green, which I knew was a sure thing. That left orange, and it was another easily accessed color. I would figure it out. I had to. There was no other choice but to pass at least three of these tests and be initiated into the Guardians of Color. Then I would get to work directly with the king and find a way to stop him.
“There’s more to purple alchemy than looking for futures,” she responded.
“What do you mean?”
Faulk stopped abruptly and gave me a hard stare. I was asking for her help, knowing full well how unlikely it was I’d actually get it.
“If you’re lucky you’ll be able to see the future. But there are more practical uses for the magic of intuition. You may be able to hear people’s thoughts, telepathy even.”
Umm…wow!
I stepped back and nodded. “Thank you.” Now I was really curious. Mind reading? Telepathy? I hoped I would be able to do those things one day. Purple sounded amazing, but at the moment I was overwhelmed by it all.
She laughed. “Silly girl, don’t count on it. Even you aren’t that good.”
Challenge accepted.
She turned on her heels, and I followed her out the ornate front doors of the palace. The cool air swept over me as I took in the sprawling, manicured yard. Where were we going? She stomped to the single black car waiting in the drive and motioned for me to get in. I didn’t want to. I didn’t trust her. But what choice did I have?
“The royal family won’t be joining you on this one. With the recent attack, it’s not safe for them to leave the palace grounds. So sorry your friend Lucas won’t be there to cover for you.” I had to force myself from rolling my eyes.
“Umm…okay.” I smiled politely, sliding into the cool leather seat.
She threw a black blindfold at me. “Put this on.”
There was a price to pay for everything, including magic. One of the most common prices of alchemy was energy. It made the user tired, especially if they’d been using a lot of magic. The day had been filled with alchemy already, and it was weighing on me. I might have fallen asleep in that car, had I not been so worried. With my next test looming, and the fact that I had no idea where we were going or what to expect, I wasn’t sleepy. How long had we been driving? An hour? Two? Long enough that fat beads of sweat rolled down my cheeks.
“Hey, anybody up there? I know there has to be a driver in here. How much longer do we have?” No answer. I’d quickly figured out I was alone in the backseat. I didn’t have anyone else to ask.
The smooth ride of the car changed as we drove onto some kind of gravel. That had to be a good sign, but the bumping vehicle only ignited my nerves. A few minutes later, the vehicle stopped.
I did a mental happy-dance, trying to hype myself up. I was probably going to fail, but I would try my best. I’d already decided that. The look on Faulk’s face if I passed would be worth it. The car door swung open, and I took that as my cue to pull the blindfold from my face and get out.
I blinked as I adjusted to the filtered light.
There was no one there. Actually, there was no one visibly there. But I knew I was being watched as I stepped from the car and into a shady forest. The leaves were a hodgepodge of color. Some still held onto their green, but many were alight with the fire of fall. Brilliant orange, red, yellow, and pink surrounded me on all sides, interspersed with pine trees that gave off a comforting scent. I did allow myself to relax. I spotted a piece of white paper tacked to one of the trees. It contrasted so sharply from the rest of the scene that it stood out like water in the desert. I strode over, pulled it down, and read.
She’s lost. You have one hour to find her. Take the amethyst at your feet and venture into the unknown forest. If you fail, she will stay lost.
The moment I finished reading the cryptic instructions, the car’s engine turned on, and the vehicle backed out of the alcove and sped away. I peered around, and a chill prickled up my spine. Maybe I really am alone. I reached down to palm the crystal. The second it touched my fingers I heard it. A girl screamed.
I dropped the stone.
Frantically, I looked side to side. Nothing. My heart kicked up a notch as I picked up the stone again. Another scream pierced my ears. That’s when I realized what was happening to me. The purple alchemy is working. That girl wasn’t anywhere near, but I’d either heard her telepathically or glimpsed the future. I studied the stone in my hand, willing it to work again.
Nothing happened. Seriously? Don’t do this to me now!
I stared hard at multiple hiking trails that led into the forest, wondering which to take. I squeeze the stone again. It was about the size of my fist, deep purple at the base and light purple at the tips, a jagged stone I could only describe as beautifu
l. Amethyst. The same stone Lily Mason used. I took a deep breath and pulled a wisp of color from it. It danced in the air for moment. I willed the color to enter my body. But it only poured back into the stone. Frustrated with little time, I picked the least worn of the three hiking paths and followed it.
I passed the stone back and forth between my hands and charged my way along the trail. Rocks jutted from the dirt floor. Weeds and tree branches brushed me on all sides. It was slow moving. I wondered if I should’ve chosen an easier one. This one seemed fruitless. I began to doubt I would find the person, the girl who needed my help, without the purple alchemy. I couldn’t get it to work again. But what else was I supposed to do besides keep going? It wasn’t like I was going to sit this one out. I had to try.
After a few minutes, I stopped to catch my breath and stared at the crystal again. I cleared my mind and relaxed as best I could. I tried not to imagine wild animals stalking me or what could be making all the cracking noises that came with the territory of a forest terrain. I allowed the sound of trickling water nearby to calm me. I focused on that and slowed my breathing. After a few moments of peace, I imagined the purple color of the stone seeping into my hands without opening my eyes.
An image flashed through my mind.
She was young, definitely close to Lacey’s age. Her blond hair hung across her knees as she sat on the ground. Her face was buried against those knees, and she rocked with sobs. She sat against a tree trunk. There was nothing distinctive about her surroundings, other than that she was in this same forest. The image began to blur before fading to black.
I opened my eyes, trying to hold the image.
Who was she? A tiny voice of doubt rang through my mind. Lacey? But it couldn’t be. Lacey was safe. She was with Mom and Dad, up north. New Colony had no clue as to her whereabouts. King Richard was only pretending to have them in his custody. He didn’t know what I knew.