Chapter Thirty-Two

The sunlight filtered through the large, arched windows of the home in Eden's First Ring, casting a warm glow over the polished stone floors. The house was spacious, modern, and elegantly furnished—far from the cramped slave quarters the parents had once known. The father, Jareth, sat at the kitchen table, nursing a cup of tea as he stared out at the immaculate garden beyond the glass. It still amazed him sometimes, the life they had here. He'd never imagined, back when he was a slave in Qarth, that he would live in such a place, in such comfort and safety. His wife, Mara, moved quietly around the kitchen, preparing breakfast. She, too, had been liberated by Eden's forces, and for years, they had lived in the shadow of that freedom, grateful beyond measure to the Supreme Leader and the Lantrun family.

But lately, Jareth felt a tension growing in the household. He glanced toward the hallway where their two children were still upstairs. His daughter, Kyra, worked for Lantrun Tech, the largest and most prestigious technology company in Eden, and her salary had bought them this home, allowing them to live in the coveted First Ring, close to the center of the city. She was brilliant, focused, and entirely devoted to her work, spending long hours developing software that drove Eden's technological dominance. Her intellect had propelled her far beyond anything Jareth could have ever dreamed of for his children.

Then there was their son, Levan. Unlike Kyra, Levan wasn't driven by academic success or career ambition. He thrived in the social circles of the city's elite, moving with ease among the wealthiest and most powerful. Levan had a natural charm, the kind of effortless charisma that made people gravitate toward him. He was dating an older man, a high-ranking official in Eden's administration. The relationship was widely known, and though Levan seemed happy, it made Jareth uncomfortable. Not because of the wealth or power disparity, but because Jareth still wasn't sure how to reconcile his son's orientation with his own deeply ingrained beliefs.

Mara sat down across from him, handing him a plate of toast. She gave him a knowing look, her soft features lined with the years of shared struggle and resilience.

"Still worrying?" she asked, her voice quiet but firm.

Jareth sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. "I'm just trying to understand. I want to be supportive, Mara, I do. But it's hard. We grew up in a different world. And Levan... he's living a life I don't recognize."

"He's happy," Mara said simply. "That's what matters. We didn't fight our way to freedom just to impose old chains on our children."

"I know, I know," Jareth replied, his voice dropping to a whisper. "But sometimes it feels like they live in a different Eden than we do. We were given a second chance here, and we've never forgotten that. But Kyra and Levan... they don't know what it's like to fight for survival. They were born into this. They take it for granted."

Mara tilted her head, her eyes softening. "Maybe that's a good thing. Isn't this the life we wanted for them? A life where they don't have to struggle like we did?"

Before Jareth could answer, Kyra walked into the kitchen, dressed in the sleek, professional attire she always wore to work. Her hair was neatly tied back, and her eyes gleamed with the sharp focus that had made her one of Lantrun Tech's rising stars.

"Morning," she said, grabbing a cup of coffee without breaking stride. "I have a meeting with the execs today. Big project launch coming up. Won't be home until late."

Jareth watched her for a moment, feeling a mix of pride and distance. Kyra was everything a parent could hope for—successful, intelligent, hardworking. But sometimes, she felt like a stranger to him. The technology she worked with, the world she operated in, was beyond his understanding. He'd spent his life doing clerical work in the lower ranks of the Commercial Bureaucracy, grateful for the opportunity Eden had given him, but it was a far cry from the cutting-edge world Kyra inhabited.

"Good luck, sweetheart," Mara said with a smile. "We're proud of you."

Kyra gave a nod, already half out the door. "Thanks, Mom. I'll see you both later."

As Kyra left, Levan appeared at the top of the stairs, his casual, stylish clothes a sharp contrast to his sister's business attire. He walked with an easy confidence, his phone in hand, texting as he descended the steps.

"Morning," Levan said with a grin, sliding into a chair and helping himself to breakfast. "I'm meeting Davan later. He wants to take me to some gallery opening."

Jareth's stomach tightened at the mention of Davan. He tried to suppress the unease that rose within him every time his son mentioned the man. Davan was wealthy, powerful, and respected within the administration—but he was also much older than Levan, and their relationship had always felt strange to Jareth. He wasn't sure how to voice his concerns without sounding judgmental, something he desperately wanted to avoid.

"That's nice," Mara said, ever the supportive mother. "I hear it's a big event."

"Yeah," Levan said, taking a bite of toast. "A lot of the city's elite are going to be there. Should be fun."

Jareth watched his son, the carefree way he moved through life, so different from the way Jareth had been at his age. Levan's world was one of luxury and privilege, far removed from the hardship his parents had endured. Jareth wasn't sure how to bridge the gap between them, how to connect with a son whose life seemed so alien to him.

After breakfast, Jareth retreated to his office, a small room filled with paperwork from his job in the Bureaucracy. The work was mundane but steady, and it allowed him to contribute to the city that had given him so much. But as he sat down at his desk, his thoughts kept returning to his children, to the divide that seemed to grow wider with each passing day.

Kyra was so focused on her career, on building her future within Lantrun Tech, that she rarely had time for family. Levan, on the other hand, seemed to glide through life, his connections and charm opening doors that Jareth could never have imagined. And yet, despite their differences, they both shared a sense of entitlement that Jareth and Mara could never shake. Eden had given them everything, and yet Jareth sometimes wondered if his children truly understood the sacrifices that had been made to build this life.

Mara entered the room quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're thinking too much again," she said with a gentle smile.

Jareth chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. "I just... I want to understand them better. But maybe I'm too old for this world."

"You're not old, Jareth," Mara said. "You've just seen more of the world than they have. They've grown up in Eden, a place of safety and prosperity. We can't expect them to understand what we went through. But that's a good thing. We fought so they wouldn't have to."

"I know," Jareth said, sighing. "I just hope they appreciate it."