City of Ash by Jasper Alden & D.K. Holmberg

Author:Jasper Alden & D.K. Holmberg [Alden, Jasper & Holmberg, D.K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ASH Publishing
Published: 2025-08-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

A week had passed since Jareth's lesson with the Valadarin, and while his progress with the birthing pattern continued, the pace was frustratingly slow. He could now maintain the foundation frame for nearly an hour and achieve brief moments of stability with the adaptation layer, but the integration frame remained largely beyond his reach. More troubling was the growing sense that crucial information was still being withheld from him.

Reva had grown increasingly restless during their extended stay in Thalavir. While Jareth spent his days in deep training sessions with Nayaviel, she had been left to her own devices, exploring the city and learning what she could from Kith about Vatharin culture. But exploration could only satisfy her curiosity for so long.

"There's something they're not telling us," she said one evening as they sat in their crystal chambers, watching the city's lights pulse with their nightly rhythm. "Every time I ask Kith about what lies beyond the boundaries, or what happened during the last vessel attempt, he changes the subject." Reva stood and moved to the transparent wall, staring out at the boundary stones that ringed the valley. Even from this distance, their protective glyphs were visible as faint pulses of light against the mountain slopes. "When was the last time you were outside those barriers? Really outside, not just traveling through the maze to get here?"

Jareth considered the question. "Not since we arrived. Why?"

"Because I'm starting to feel like a prisoner in a very beautiful cage. And prisoners rarely get the whole truth from their captors, no matter how benevolent they claim to be."

The next morning, Reva approached Kith with a request that seemed innocent enough on the surface. She had been studying the plants in Thalavir's crystal gardens and wanted to compare them with the flora that grew in the outer forests. Surely there were rare herbs beyond the boundaries that would be valuable for someone with her Derant heritage to examine?

Kith's eyes lit up with enthusiasm at the suggestion, though Jareth noticed a flicker of uncertainty as well. "There are indeed remarkable plants in the outer forests," the young Vatharin said. "Some that exist nowhere else, having adapted to the unique energies around our valley."

"Could you show us?" Reva asked with just the right amount of academic curiosity. "I'd love to document them, maybe even bring samples back for study."

Kith's tail swished as he considered the request. Jareth could see the internal struggle playing out—the young Vatharin's obvious fondness for Reva warring with his responsibilities and the warnings he'd undoubtedly received about taking them beyond the city's protection.

"It would be educational," Kith said slowly. "And there are protocols for brief excursions. I suppose if we stayed close to the boundaries and returned quickly..."

"That would be perfect," Reva said, though Jareth caught the satisfied gleam in her eyes. She had known exactly which buttons to push.

An hour later, they were walking through Thalavir's outer districts toward the boundary stones. "The barriers can be temporarily disabled," he explained as they approached the massive stones.

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