Hierarchy (Book Four of the Torrent Skies Saga)

Chapter Fourteen: Bonds of Choice, Bonds of Blood

Katerin paced in her office.

Waiting to hear a response was the worst type of waiting, and it seemed that was all she had accomplished this morning. Graiden had already left for Rastridge, and so she had taken over quite a lot of work in the interim. She expected the knock at her door to be Zino, but was surprised to see Kieneltra standing in the doorway.

"Do you have a minute?" Kieneltra asked, sounding polite, but not looking sheepish in any sense. Her shoulders and chin were straight, and she had a serious look in her eyes.

"Too many," Katerin said. She sat at her desk, after ushering Kieneltra in, while gesturing to the opposite chair. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. It's not me I'm worried about." Kieneltra huffed. "You said you would get me home. Get rid of Kryrial. Yet, you wear that sling and you..."

"Do a lot of waiting," Katerin said, her tone downcast.

"But if any of my family lives, I don't think they can stand your waiting." Kieneltra raised her chin, but her eyes held worry.

"I don't know if Colin and Web are still alive," Katerin began, her words as soft as she could make them.

"If they are, why haven't you gotten them back? You brought me here. Why can't you bring my brothers, as well? The armies are killing people across the world. I've heard the stories." Kieneltra's eyes were blazing, and though she was two heads shorter than Katerin, she looked determined.

"It isn't that simple." Katerin's brow scrunched as she looked at the princess.

"Well, it should be! They are my brothers! I—" Kieneltra's cut herself off, her words choked. "I do not understand. Everyone around you acts as if you are some heroine. You've slain a dragon, already, or so they say. And yet, my family wastes away next to a tyrant and you do nothing!"

Katerin gripped the side of her desk. "Your family is caught up in the middle of the largest war the world has seen in eons! Your father is at the head of it. Am I supposed to waltz in and take your brothers back?" Katerin took a breath, and her shoulders straightened to match Kieneltra's. "I have not forgotten them, nor you, nor the people of Luminya. But this is no simple task. If I make one more mistake, I... I may not help anyone, again. It's more than your brothers, Kieneltra, more than the Tower, and more than the war."

"The Tower... how did that happen?" Kieneltra's tone turned haughty. "You said you let them take the fall for the barrier... did you consider that Kryrial blamed you? He destroyed it, because of you! There's no other explanation. You keep saying you're going to fix all of this, but I don't think you can. You're only making more of a problem." She huffed again, her hair swishing. "How do you sleep at night?"

Kieneltra did not strike Katerin, but the words she voiced felt as though she had. Katerin shuddered as the princess voiced her opinions of the Tower, and Katerin had to bite her tongue, to refrain from yelling a response. It was not because of her. Not only. Kryrial had other reasons. He had to have other reasons. Katerin took a deep breath and sat down, ignoring the rigidity of Kieneltra's shoulders. "I am doing every thing I can." She said it so softly it was barely more than a whisper. "I don't know everything. I am not whatever kind of hero you heard about, Kieneltra. I'm just trying to keep the world together. Kryrial wants you. I know that he had a hatred for someone who was once dear to me. And I know he—"

"Who?" Kieneltra asked, eyes still blazing.

"Mordai, was his name." Katerin could hardly say it, without seeing the image of a dagger in his eye.

"The usurper?" Kieneltra balked. "You are friends with the man who started all of this?"

Katerin held back her sigh, wishing she had not been so forward. "I was, before he died." She held up a hand before Kieneltra could release the tirade of words she held in her eyes. "Look, if you want to distrust me, I won't hold it against you. I am not keeping you here, and I will not try to. But I am not lying when I say I am doing all I can. For you, your brothers, Luminya, Rastridge, O'siaris, Sahn-Raidar... I'm doing all I can to hold this together. Barging in to yell at me, while it may help me see my many, and they are many,  weaknesses, does nothing to fix this. And if you think it is taking too long, then all I can do is suggest you help."