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“I’m pretty sure if the other frats could see this, they wouldn’t know what to do.”
Late afternoon light filters through the high windows of the dance studio, casting long golden beams across the mirrors and polished floor. A soft meditative music wafts through the speakers.
Timothy stands in the center of the room, barefoot, wearing a simple black tank top and loose pants. He moves with slow, deliberate grace through the Chi Gong sequence, guiding me to follow. His movements are fluid, almost meditative–arms sweeping in wide circles, weight shifting smoothly from one leg to the other, breath deep and controlled.
He cuts his gaze to me and replies, “Why?”
He holds the position, his arms raised in a wide, graceful arc as if gathering something from the earth, then slowly presses them forward and outward like he’s pushing energy through his body. He’s been teaching me the methodology of the practice, how parts of the body are built around energy and also colors.
“Because you’re the big, bad Baron King everyone is so afraid of, but in here, you’re gentle and secure. The opposite of all the pretentiousness the rest of Forsyth sees.”
“It keeps me balanced. I won’t justify my ways.”
Our eyes meet, and there’s a shared emotion building through us. It grows bigger and bigger every day. I continue to mimic him, but my mind is only half on the motions. Something about the way he describes the energy flow tugs at a memory.
“What about purple?” I ask, still moving my arms in slow, sweeping circles. “Or lavender?”
Periwinkle.
Timothy flows into the next sequence, his hands rising gracefully before pressing downward in a gentle, controlled motion. He exhales slowly, guiding me to do the same. When he speaks again, his voice is calm and thoughtful. “In many energetic practices that overlap with Chi Gong, shades of purple and lavender are connected to the Crown Chakra–the energy center at the very top of the head. It’s considered the gateway to spiritual awareness, higher consciousness, and a sense of universal connection. Visualizing that soft violet or periwinkle light coming down through the crown can bring deep inner peace and clarity when your mind feels scattered.”
He continues the slow, deliberate movement, arms flowing like water. “Because it sits between blue and violet, periwinkle also carries the calming properties of the Water element–linked to the kidneys and the nervous system. It helps soothe anxiety, quiet racing thoughts, and support mental clarity. It’s a very yin color. Cooling. When you visualize it, you’re inviting relaxation and balance, allowing your Chi to flow freely without stagnation or blockage.”
I follow his lead, imagining that soft periwinkle light pouring gently down through the top of my head, spreading calm through my body. The movement feels different now–lighter, more open. I know that Whitaker Ashby helped me through my panic attacks at Mayfield by guiding me to focus on something calming. That he was also there the nights we were forced to perform. I just don’t know why.
Timothy glances over at me, a faint, approving smile touching his lips. “You’re picking this up faster than I expected.”
I smile back, enjoying that we have something to do together.
“Now we move to the gallbladder and liver.”
“Do those have a color?”
“Green,” he says. “The eyes are also connected to the liver. That’s why looking at green grass, trees, or surrounding yourself with plants helps nourish and soothe that energy. During this movement, you imagine drawing in that green light, letting it transform anger into patience and kindness.”
I follow his lead, arms sweeping up and pressing forward, trying to feel the intention behind the motion. The sweeping of the arms feels cleansing, like I’m literally pushing old weight away from my body.
Timothy watches me adjust, giving a small nod of approval. “Good. Keep breathing with it. Let the green light move through you.”
“All this green,” I murmur.
“What’s that?” he asks, taking my wrists and helping me into the right position.
“Oh, it’s just something Remy said when you were in the hospital. He said something about ‘all this green,’ before leaving.” I continue to go through the cycle. “I didn’t understand what he was talking about, but Lavinia said it was something about how they’ve been working hard to manage his energy.” I shrug my shoulders. “I didn’t think much of it at the time, but this kind of reminds me of what she said.”
“I doubt there’s any correlation,” he says gruffly. The mood in the room suddenly shifts.
“Hey,” I say, moving closer. “I didn’t mean to upset you. The thought just popped into my head. I should’ve stayed focused.”
He reaches for my face, hands cupping my cheeks. “You did nothing wrong. Remy and I just have a difficult relationship.”
“I know. I’m sorry about that.” I glance around the room–this place Hunter built for me, that I’m now able to share with Timothy, too. “Did he ever practice Chi Gong with you?”
“Remington always had an excess of energy,” he says, voice low. “Even as a child. I tried to channel it into physical activity. I put him in team sports, like soccer and football–but he struggled with the collaborative nature. So we moved into martial arts. He hated the discipline of it. Too impatient. The one thing he truly loved was boxing. Sparring in the ring. That’s when he and Simon became thick as thieves.”
“And I guess what made him decide to be a Duke,” I say softly.
Timothy nods. “He was out all day and night. He had this new friend, Tate. I didn’t know her. I blamed her, Sy, and Nick for his behavioral problems. The late nights out partying. The excessive drinking and drugs. It was easier to place the blame on a group of reckless teenagers than face the truth–that I was a distracted single parent, more focused on my work and the secret life I’d built as King of BRN.”
