Lineage (Book 3 of the Torrent Skies Saga)

Chapter Six: A Word of Warning

The trees in Ky'lei'mei were as vibrant as they had ever been, despite the lingering hoarfrost that clung to the walkways. Its inhabitants cheered their arrival in the early morning. Arjiah grasped Katerin's hand to pull her the rest of the way up the ladder and immediately pulled her into a hug. Do'vak stood not far away, and even Sa'leid waited to greet them.

"Avris would like to see you while you're here," Arjiah said after greetings had passed.

"Well, I don't suppose we should keep her waiting." Katerin smiled as she hugged Do'vak for the second time and waved to Sa'leid.

"I will take you," Sa'leid offered, as he grasped her arm in greeting.

She gleaned from his tone that it was only her that Avris wished to see. Sa'leid looked youthful as ever, his slight frame still deceptively strong and limber.

"We've all been wondering when you might return, yes," Do'vak said, shaking Fykes' hand. "And I am sad to say I still see no children with you." He frowned, gesturing at Katerin with slender fingers. "And no sign of their coming."

Katerin snorted. "Well, I am sorry to disappoint." She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, as she had given up dissuading his ideals of children long ago.

"Come to my home when you are done, and we," Do'vak glanced to Arjiah with a soft smile. "Will have a grand meal for you, yes."

As she stepped away from the small group, following Sa'leid through the maze-like pathways between the trees, Katerin let out a heavy breath, all of her tension leaving, if only for a moment.

Sa'leid slowed once they were out of eyesight of their companions. "I hear you had quite an adventure, since the spring."

"We did," Katerin admitted. "How did the war treat you?"

"It treated us as war does. With strife. But we are recovering well, and The Lady Avris is no weaker for it." His smile faded to a grateful look. "The alliance with Sahn-Raidar held true and has been for the better of both... like you said."

"I had nothing to do with its prosperity."

"But without your words, it would not be, and we wish you to remember that we too remember. So I am apologizing for that I doubted you." The seriousness left Sa'leid's slight shoulders, and his smile returned. "And you returned, with a new member of the living with you. Not a child, as Do'vak had hoped, but fresh enough in the ways of life." He laughed. "Do you care to tell a curious man just how that happened?"

"It's a long story," Katerin said.

"I am sure we will have the time." Sa'leid led her to a familiar tree, with a wide archway that was not curtained off.

During their walk she explained Brazen's resurrection, and a bit of detail from their travel to the Stormlands, and he listened with interest, throughout. When Sa'leid stopped before the curtain, he thanked her, opened it, and left without another word.

Inside, Avris sat upon her throne. Where once the vines that wrapped it had bloomed with exuberance, they now sat with only thorns visible. Avris looked older. Where once her face shown no wrinkles, now there were slight crinkles at the side of her eyes. But those eyes were the same as they had always been. Golden pools of wisdom that appeared as though they could see through the deepest soul.

She stood, and Katerin bowed, remembering the gesture that was a customary sign of respect, a crossing of her hands.

Avris' right arm was tied close to her side, a bandage still visible beneath a furred cloak. "It is good to have your presence here again," she said.