The Path of Giants by B.T. Narro (year 7 reading list .TXT) 📗

is weak and ripe to be overthrown. And when Nykal accused me of using a call ring to signal our enemies, it hurt his relationship with my father even more.”

“I thought all the nobles are helping the king win this war by offering their support however they can.”

“Of course they are. We must win this, and they know that. But if we do somehow manage to defeat Rohaer, instead of just hold them off for a time, then I believe it will be the Yorns, my brother, and the Chespars who are going to come after Nykal. The problem is that if I tell him this, he might become distracted. Or he might decide to let Rohaer remain a threat when he has the chance to really weaken them.”

She tossed up her arms. “And I could even be wrong about all of this! I could single-handedly lose the war for us by filling the king with doubt in his own nobles. I need someone else’s opinion. You know the king better than the rest of us, and you know at least a little about my father. What do you think I should do?”

My head was spinning. It did seem obvious that there had to be someone waiting for the war to end to take a shot at the king. He was just too weak for it not to be true. He had spent all of his family’s riches and had to offer many promises just to win the battle against the late king, Oquin Calloum. Now he depended on these nobles, many of them probably waiting to stab him in the back.

“I think he must already know someone is going to betray him,” I figured. “He just doesn’t know who is the most likely. He could have already figured it was going to be your father and the Chespars.”

“So he might be plotting against my brother right now.”

It sounded a little absurd when I first heard the phrase from Kataleya’s mouth, but the more I thought about it, the likelier it seemed.

I asked, “What is your brother doing right now?”

“Financing and training an army. The Chespars are doing the same. At some point, Failina will no longer be able to block Rohaer from coming for us. Their armies should be ready by then to at least stand against our enemies in a shield wall formation. That is the main purpose of their training right now.”

I knew little to nothing about warfare strategy. As a boy from Bhode, I also knew so little about the noble families and their contribution or lack thereof. I wished there was someone else besides me Kataleya could go to for this.

“What about Barrett?” I asked. “You could tell him and see what he thinks.”

“Barrett? No. His job isn’t to keep certain things from the king but to inform the king of everything and discuss strategy. Telling him would be the same as telling Nykal.”

“I don’t know, Kataleya. What do you want to do?”

“I want to tell him everything, but…it’s my mother and brother, Jon. Don’t you understand? I could be starting a strife that would end with the death of either the king or my family. It might even cause us to lose the war, like I said.”

I sighed as I realized the answer. “It sounds like you need to speak with your brother.” I hated for Kataleya to leave, but that seemed like the right thing to do.

Her whole body tensed up. “I have never been close with my brother. He could easily lie to me.”

“Oh,” I said.

She nodded. “And the trip to see him would take me away from all of this for many days. I suppose I could speak with my mother, but she might not even know the answers I need. I don’t want to leave Koluk right now. Endell is close, with an army from Rohaer.” She pointed into Curdith Forest, the edge of the trees not far from where we stood. “Valinox is probably with them. I’m needed here.”

We hung our heads in silence for a while. She had come to me for my opinion about Whitley, and I still hadn’t really given it. It was time I did.

“I strongly believe your father was capable of treason,” I said. “But the thought hadn’t entered my head until now.”

She took some time, then slowly began to nod. “I can see now that I have been manipulated by my father. I wanted to be a good daughter for my family more than anything in the world. But now I can’t believe some of the choices I made for my family—no, for my father. I feel like I’m going crazy. I feel like my world has collapsed, and it’s all my fault.”

I put my arms around her as she started to cry. For a while she just put her head on my shoulder and wept. Eventually she pulled herself together and stepped away from me.

“I couldn’t have ever loved Trevor if the intention of his family was to help my father kill Nykal. I’ve made mistakes. I know I have caused you pain. I just want you to know that I regret not choosing you. I’m not asking for us to be together, Jon. I…just want you to know I regret not choosing you.”

I was too stunned to speak. Kataleya had always been bold when speaking her mind. It reminded me of when she had confessed that she had an attraction toward me. I had been too shocked to express myself at first, but I had in the end, and it had led to us hastily removing each other’s clothes and an afternoon of passion.

I cared for Kataleya. Perhaps one day I could allow myself to feel the same about her that I once did, but I had taken great efforts to get over her.

I felt like my heart was made of strings, and I kept them tied up into a tight little bow. This was what had to be done for