Hierarchy (Book Four of the Torrent Skies Saga)

Chapter Thirty-Five: Misery Loves its Chaos

The platform stopped its upward rise abruptly, tossing everyone's balance askew. Fykes caught Katerin's arm, but she did not stumble, standing straight, her chin raised. "Katerin?" His tone was a mixture of panic and demanding anger. "Why won't you look at me?"

Katerin's gaze snapped to him, sharp and insightful. Her finger's—dripping blood—caressed his face. "Not now." Her tone was almost mournful, soft and seductive. "Too much to do." She stepped around him as the cage sank into the platform with a soft whir.

Before him the platform stretched, and beyond it now were stairs. Looking out, he saw a strange resemblance of ribs, and above the interior of the Reclaimer narrowed.

Katerin, in her altered state, did not hesitate. She sauntered for the stairs as if nothing would stop her and disappeared into the depths of their darkness. Her steps made not a sound.

As he rushed to follow her, fighting a feeling of deepest cold, Arjiah's voice halted him. "Wait! Your wounds!" He looked back, torn, watching Arjiah prepare her spells.

He gritted his teeth, hand clutching a wound on his side. It was not bad enough to stop him. "Just catch up when you can." With that, he ascended the steps, leaving his companions to chase after Katerin.

The stairs seemed never ending, and the movement around him was indistinguishable now. The Reclaimer was awake, and it was pulling itself upright. There was sound all around, and he would have thought Katerin to have disappeared, if she had not left a trail of her own blood to follow. Was it a curse? Had Kryrial... no. He was not that powerful. That smile, the laughter. Curses still left some semblance of the person behind. Katerin was not present within herself. It was bigger than Kryrial... but... who was stronger than he?

He faltered, almost tripping on his own feet, as the answer came to him. Lodyne. Lodyne had taken her.

Gods. He had told Katerin to continue, when all she wanted was to escape. He had pushed her, tried to kiss her worries away, when she knew better. Gods strike him, he was an idiot. He ran after her, leaving his own blood to mix with hers. His leg hurt like no other wound could, where it had been pierced by the guardian's leg, but all he could think of was Katerin.

Finally, the stairs ended. A short hall opened into a round room, with two windows shaped distinctly like eyes. The world moved, and he moved with it, though the motion was steadier now. Katerin sat cross-legged on a raised dais before a console. The mark of the storm barer was still black and purple, and Katerin's movements were dainty in a way that told him this was not someone he knew. Before her was a gleaming glass tube, bigger around than his arm, and pulsing with an opaque blue energy.

Lodyne tsked, but did not turn to look at him. "Joining me for the best part? She does believe in the depths of your loyalty." The corners of her mouth twisted into a smile that was as far from Katerin's expression as it could be. There was a twisted sweetness in it.

"Leave her," Fykes demanded, Ahlindrion's tip leveled at her throat.

Lodyne giggled. "You wouldn't," she taunted. "And, you're speaking so rudely, I think I'll stay if only to torture you." She winked, turning a striking gaze onto him. It felt as though she was looking through him, seeing and every failure and flaw.

Fykes gritted his teeth. "Get away from her! You've done nothing but plague her. She's going to bleed to death, if—" he bit his tongue. His hand was unsteady on his sword grip, for what he felt must have been the first time in his life. He wanted nothing but to banish Lodyne from her. But a sword... a sword would only cut Katerin.

"She can't bleed to death with me, here." Lodyne shook Katerin's head, still smiling. "Besides, it feels nicer than you think. She's learning to like it."