Chapter 16

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TW: SWEARING, MENTIONS OF WAR AND HATRED

A short chapter, but a very necessary one >:)

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I was fast to learn that I was wrong about the springs in the Capital being the only hot springs in the country

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I was fast to learn that I was wrong about the springs in the Capital being the only hot springs in the country. There were several natural hot springs littered in hidden places in Alifero's cliffs and mountains. The springs I have been going to all my life were the only ones to have been built upon. They are also the largest and most well-known which explains why I've never heard of any others. 

My finger traces all the locations I had marked on a map I stole from Phil's office. I don't remember the last time I skipped training to study, but I had too many questions to put them off. As soon as I returned yesterday, I blurted out everything to Sneeg whilst he sat on my shoulder half-listening to me. He said it was weird but brushed it off and left to polish up some new jewels in the dollhouse. Wilbur had breakfast with me on the floor of my room since Phil and Amélie had left early again. He set his jaw and said it was curious but that he wouldn't know how to help me except for getting me a map. The rest is history. 

With a red-inked quill, I plotted dots on the map where the springs were. It took a lot of staring and a niggling feeling in my brain to realise that most of the springs weren't far from ancient reservoirs. I thought back to how my Grandmother had written in her journal about how they needed to build those reservoirs to supply water in the war. 

Back then I wondered if the reservoirs had something to do with the water we were missing. I dismissed it because reservoirs are built to collect water, not drain it. That's why the reservoirs were constructed in the mountains in the first place. It rains more up there, so the reservoirs collected mountain runoff as well as just rain. 

One thing still evaded me; If the remote hot springs are nestled into the bases of cliffs and inside caves, in areas where they are highly shaded and at low altitudes, what is keeping them warm?

I jolt as Wilbur slaps a pile of newspapers onto the desk next to me. 

"As you requested," he says completely missing the glare I shoot at him. With a sigh, I readjust myself and jot down a couple more things on my notepad for investigation before turning to today's papers. 

"Thanks," I grumble and start flicking through the first one on the stack. A paper that targeted estate-owning and wealthy elytrians as their readers. Specifically, those who are interested in politics. My father reads it often. Personally, I don't think there's a paper more boring. 

"Why do you give a shit about these, Star? You hated these until a few weeks ago," Wilbur drags his thumb up the side of the stack making the papers thud on the desk. 

"The council announces stuff to the public through the papers, Wil," I say distractedly as I skim through each page for topics of interest. "If they're lying to the public about something, we'll know immediately."

The Other Side - Tommyinnit x OCWhere stories live. Discover now