I questioned everything at the time as Baghra didn't take me to her training hut but instead sent me off to bed. I could feel it through the shadows within the darling lingering for some kind of sun, I knew there was nothing I could offer him right now. I put my back to the wall and closed my eyes looking at my room. All the design was a tidemaker room but I chose to put my hands together and have the sun in my hands. It calmed me down with this almost happening but I knew the truth. I had his attention now.
Now that he has seen me again, how much longer will I be able to hide the sun from him? I thought
Focusing on the light in my hands as I smiled looking at it feeling it's warmth, it was what kept me calm. I wanted to just come out and tell but that was the thing I had to keep hidden, I was in there for a few hours. I heard a knock on my door as I closed my hand and opened it seeing Nadia and Marie.
"You ok Amira?" Marie asked
"I've been through worse." I said "I was followed today."
"What?" They said together as I let them in and closed the door "General Kirigan followed me to the secret training area."
"Did he see the light?" Nadia asked and I shook my head no "He does know who I am and he has seen my face now."
Marie and Nadia looked at each other knowing they were the only two besides Baghra who knew my secret. A secret I had hidden for a long time from them until I had opened up and it was starting to get harder to hide it. I knew that one day I was going to be found out but how was I going to be found out by everyone else? That question lingered with me every day as I tried to get my thoughts together.
"You said you are possibly eternal, so why don't you date?" Nadia asked
"yeah, my power keeps growing. I heard there is one who is eternal somewhere here." I said without saying who
"Then date them!" Marie said
I laughed a bit at her eagerness but I wanted to tell them what I knew but that would be bad. I was aware of a squaller who was already going to the one who is eternal. It didn't really bother me because he wasn't anything to me but I was not wanting a fight.
"I can't." I said "I think he is seeing someone else besides he doesn't even know I am."
"Who is this eternal one?" Nadia asked
I shook my head knowing Baghra said never to tell anyone about the darklings' true age. I knew better and I knew friends trusted each other but I had to be careful. I just tried to change the subject so they would stop bringing it up to me for now.
"It doesn't matter, as long as we do what we need to." I said
"Hey, you think when you know that your Kefta will still be blue like ours with your unique design they'll have to make it?" Marie asked
This question caught me off guard cause I wasn't expecting it from Marie. I laughed a bit at her question finding it so funny she was worried about the main color of the Kefta with the future design. I wanted to just laugh all this off like it was funny but neither of them were laughing.
"What? You're serious? Why would it not be blue like this one with the new design?" I asked her shocked
"Well, you never know. General Kirigan could decide you deserve to stand out and put you in black like him." Marie said
"Why? He's the only one who wears black. Everyone else wears Blue, Red, Purple, or white." I said
"Well you said you were told he could be a good match, so why not?" Nadia asked
"I don't really think he's going to take that much interest." I said
They didn't seem to think otherwise but I had to admit it was something to consider. my design was I to be found out or decide to let people know would be the sun summoner gold with tidemaker blue. The more I thought about that it would really stand out on a Black kefta..the eternal ones black.
"Let's make a promise." Marie said snapping me out of my thoughts
"What kind of promise?" I asked
"If anything were to happen between you and General Kirigan, you have to let us know." Marie said
"Yeah, we want all the gossip straight from you. First kiss and anything you might want to share." Nadia said
First kiss? I thought
The idea of having a sort of forbidden romance with the general while being part of the 2nd army was in my mind now. I blushed slightly at the thought and covered my eyes. I was thinking about it and knew it wasn't right even with everything I knew. I wanted to do more than this but I had to keep it hidden.
"O-Ok." I said, "I promise."
They soon left as I went to bed not long after knowing that I couldn't avoid it. I didn't mean to act so innocently around them but it couldn't be helped. We teased each other all the time and it was the normal thing to do in these crazy situations.
Next morning I got up and prepared for the day starting with a bath then heading to breakfast after getting dressed with my Kefta on. I didn't mind the breakfast but I was growing tired of the same meals. I thought he could have chosen a bit better for the 2nd army but I never complained once as I ate.
When we got released for training I decided to work with Marie as tidemakers sometimes backed down from fire. If the occasion arose I didn't want to be one of them to back down. Marie put me through a hard time but I was glad that I was able to manage. I noticed Marie looked over at something but I was staying focused as a tidemaker should. When we were done I went and got some water to drink as Marie got up by me.
"General Kirigan is out here again." Marie said
"So?" I asked
Before Marie could answer me I heard Botkin call all tidemakers over and I looked at her wondering what was going on. Knowing she was an inferni she didn't have the answer but I walked over with the other tidemakers. Nadia looked at me and I looked at her. The curiosity was there for both of us on what was going on.
"A fire has broken out in the forest near farms that we get resources from. General Kirigan has asked for a few tidemakers to assist with the problem so when your name is called, get anything you may need and head to the front of the little palace." Botkin said
There are many tidemakers. Probably impossible my name would get called. I thought
Botkin started naming those that were going as I listened, knowing most tidemakers I did know. I was glad that it seemed less and less likely I would be part of it up until the last name called was mine. Nadia seemed happy that I was going to be with her in taking care of the fire and I wondered if there was something more to this as we went to prepare.
"I overheard General Kirigan ask for you specifically." Nadia said
"Me? I'm a struggling tidemaker." I said with a little smile to Badia knowing she knew the truth that I held back.
Once at the front of the little palace were horses and healers that were ready to assist us when we needed. I knew there was risk no matter where we went but I had to go without refusing. I knew this was going to be hard for me but I couldn't hold back now when there was a fire.
other people come first before myself. I thought
Getting on a horse we rode to where the forest was and like all the tidemakers I was ready to fight. The other tidemakers started as Nadia and I looked at each other before we put our hands together to use our own tidemaker abilities and used it to try to extinguish the fire. We kept up with our tidemaker powers as the others started to fold back one by one. I was holding my ground and I was sure that it was going to take a lot more than we had when suddenly I felt this surge of power go through me. As I focused on the tidemaker abilities I saw the fire getting extinguished and when we were done Nadia noticed I was breathing a bit heavy.
"Amira." Nadia said
I looked to see what was going on when I noticed black and started realizing that someone's hand was on my shoulder. I carefully turned around and came face to face with General Kirigan. My surprise had to be present cause he looked down at me and seemed to be looking at my eyes. I felt his fingers graze my cheek where I flinched, realizing I was burned by the fire and yet I couldn't look away from him. He seemed to be looking for something but I was scared he would sense the sun within me. Still he removed his hand from my cheek.
"We must get you to a healer." General Kirigan said
Realizing I was staring I looked over at Nadia who only smiled once the general turned his back to us. I blushed a bit knowing that I could feel his shadows within looking for the light, the sun. The starless saint was what the darkling was called so when we walked over the healers looked over people. Most of them didn't have burns cause they backed down before it was out but a healer approached the two of us.
"You girls will need to wait to be healed back at the little palace, your bravery is acknowledged." The healer said
I merely shrugged a bit knowing there wasn't much I could do with being hurt. Still, we went back to the little palace, got all cleaned up then I went to a healer to see Nadia walking out. I sat there while they took care of the burns. I knew that power was a mix of mine and an amplifier so that was a taste of what an amplifier could do for me.
maybe I shouldn't get one right away. I thought
"All done Amira, head to the dining hall. All tidemakers are getting special meals." The healer said
"right, thank you." I said
Going to the dining hall I walked till I found my seat and sat between Marie and Nadia. I was glad that this wasn't going to change but watched as they were bringing out food for everyone. I saw the tidemakers get chicken meals which were very kind but when it came to mine I saw I got a chicken meal and a salad. I was in surprise but then so was Marie and Nadia as they compared it to Nadia's meal.
"Well, it seems you have the general's attention, Amira." Nadia teased.
"Not funny." I said
I ate with everyone but I could feel envious stares at me from the table and I tried to ignore them. I begged that this was some kind of mistake that someone would come out and say they gave me the wrong meal. Scold me for eating this but no one ever did as we all ate in silence and I just didn't know what more to expect at this moment.
