Kara desperately wanted to sit on the floor and stay there the instant they entered the carrier, but a cheery young man in uniform gave her a fist bump and told her he admired her resolve before showing her a cluster of rooms with bunks where they could rest. She'd never been more grateful to be recognized as Kain Highwind's daughter.

Wyn caught up easily, resting a hand on her back. "Having a hard time deciding where to go?"

"Yeah." Kara glanced down the dark hall at the three other doors. "I don't want to bother anyone."

"Just go in this one with me," Wyn shrugged, heading into the first room she'd been shown. "You were born to bother me."

"I guess."

Kara could hardly stop herself from throwing herself into one of the two bottom bunks. Slowly, she pried off her shoes and shed her layers until she was in her tank top and dingy uniform pants. She didn't care enough to keep the muck of battle out of her sheets, though, and she laid down with a relieved sigh. Rest had never felt so good. Slowly, like hot water poured over her head and flowed down her back, her muscles relaxed one by one, started in her neck and trickling down her toes.

Wyn chuckled to himself and shook his head, but he didn't comment. Instead, he asked what was on everyone's minds. "Did you see Mairi before we got in the trenches?"

Kara squeezed her eyes shut and shrugged. She hadn't really spoken to Mairi since the incident with Leo. Mairi had certainly sought her out several times merely to scream at her for causing the death of their friend, but Kara had never answered. She didn't have the heart to break such a long friendship so roughly. If Mairi wanted to go, she should've just gone without digging her claws into Kara's heart, but that's what Mairi did. She was a bull in a china shop with bitterness and heartbreak lacing every steaming breath.

"No, I wasn't looking for her."

"Weren't you guys close?"

"We were."

Wyn watched her for a moment before leaning against the opposite bunk with a sigh. "You understand we couldn't wait for her, right?"

"What makes you think I care where she is?" Kara asked coldly, opening her eyes to scowl at her brother. "I'm as numb as can be when it comes to that bitch."

"Doesn't seem like it," he muttered. But he let the subject go. Unfortunately, another caught his eye when Ravus started to enter the room and immediately retreated when he saw Kara lying in the bed. "Uh, no." Wyn grabbed Ravus's arm and jerked him back into the doorway. "In here. Now."

"Wyn." Ravus tugged his arm free with a scowl. "What the hell—"

"I'm done sitting here and pretending something isn't wrong." Wyn crossed his arms and shrugged. "I was going to let problems be problems, but apparently you guys can't handle issues like adults. It's everyone's problem once it starts to affect our performance."

"Handle what fucking issues?" Kara demanded, sitting upright. She was doing a poor job controlling her tongue, but she was tired, sore, and angry. Everything was wrong and everyone was either dead or they hated her. "He's the one that's been shady since Leo died."

"It has nothing to do with Leo and you know it," Ravus snapped.

"Then what is it about?" Wyn asked curtly. Kara had never seen her brother so openly irritated at the two of them. "And don't give me shit about how it's not my business, Ravus, because that means you weren't listening to anything I just said."

Ravus shot an angry glance toward his friend. "I was listening, but it's none of your—"

"Don't you start," Wyn interrupted, rolling his eyes. "You guys are friends. I'm not sitting around and watching you ignore each other to death."

"He's the one ignoring me," Kara muttered, crossing her arms. "Ask him."

"You're being kind of a bitch, Kara," her brother retorted. "And you know I don't like to use that word." When Kara didn't answer, staring hard at her crossed legs, he turned back to Ravus. "Fine. Why'd you cut her off?"

Ravus clenched his jaw and stared at the door. For a moment, Kara thought they'd have to sit there all day while Wyn pressed them for answers. "It's easier this way."

"Easier?" Wyn frowned, clearly confused.

"Easier for who?!" Kara shouted, exasperated with his excuse. "Ravus, everyone I care about is missing, dead, or despises me! You're not making anything easier!"

"For me." Ravus's eyes were cold when he looked at her. "Free from distraction and to do what I like without criticism."

"Oh, come on," Wyn scoffed, letting his head flop back. "Kara's never criticized you any more than I have."

"Not her."

"Then who? Since when do you care?"

Kara looked back down and rubbed at the dried bloodstain on her knee. To save himself from being questioned about me? She stopped herself from grinding her teeth to powder and shook her head. But no one was there and—

"Ravus, nothing happened," she insisted, utterly confused by his reaction to the whole ordeal. "What do you mean by 'criticism?' No one was there and it's not like we were—"

"It doesn't matter." Everything about Ravus was defensive. His arms were crossed, he refused to maintain eye contact, and his feet kept shifting around. He knew he was in the wrong. Or, at the very least, he was uncomfortable with his decision. "I can't let it happen again, and since you can't control yourself—"

"What the—!" Kara got to her feet, empowered by her new anger. "You were the one that kissed me, and you were that one that shoved me to the ground after like I had the fucking plague!"

"Don't act like you weren't going to do it anyway," Ravus snapped back loudly.

Kara threw an accusing finger into Ravus's face. "And you don't act like I wasn't drunk off my ass!"

"Whoa." Wyn held up his hands defensively and shook his head. "Listen, guys, I wasn't really expecting that, but you still can't stand here and scream at each other."

"Don't tell me what to do," Kara said with a scowl. "I'm angry and, frankly, hurt by how immaturely the situation was handled."

"Well tell that to Ravus, not to me."

"He heard me." With a defeated scoff, she fell back into her seat on the bed and shook her head. "Shoved me to the fucking ground and left me to find my way home alone even though I could hardly see straight. And for what?" Rolling her eyes, she looked back up at Ravus. "So that you could blame me and pretend I don't exist? Why? Because you're embarrassed you popped a boner over little old me? Get over yourself, asshole."

Wyn raised his eyebrows. "Wow, okay. I didn't need to know that. I didn't realize you—"

"It has nothing to do with embarrassment," Ravus replied, ignoring Wyn's comments. "I don't need another thing on my plate."

"Another thing?" Kara snorted. "Okay. Maybe I'm not understanding, but to me, it was one goddamn kiss. It's not worth all this bullshit that you're adding in."

"It carries implications."

"Of what?"

Ravus shook his head and tugged the door open sharply. "You're not willing to listen and I'm don't want to talk about it with him here."

"Him," Wyn repeating in a mocking tone. When Ravus left the room in a huff, Wyn shot Kara a look. "I'm gonna go talk to him. I think I know what's going on."

"That makes one of us," Kara mumbled, falling backward and bouncing with the mattress. "Good luck."

"I'll be back," he promised.

With that, the door shut and so did Kara's eyes. She desperately wanted to sleep until they got back to Tenebrae, but Ravus's words were repeating over and over in her head. Distraction? Implications? What implications? Kara sighed and turned onto her side, squeezing her eyes shut harder. That I like him? I suppose he's attractive and all but… One kiss doesn't mean we're getting married. She took a deep breath. Right. He's overthinking as per usual. That's all it is.

Wyn never came back and Kara never fell asleep. He stayed far away and she stayed still with her eyes closed until the magitek engine creaked and the world tugged on her insides. That's how she knew they'd stopped. For a moment, she lay there breathing slowly in hopes that if anyone came into the room to retrieve her, they'd see her sleeping and be careful. No one came.

Kara sat up and her heart stung. That's because Mairi was the only one who ever thought to check. She took a deep breath and stood, but she already felt winded. Losing Aloc, Leo, and Mairi in such quick succession was suffocating her. She'd been pushing it down and she didn't plan on letting anything out. Letting things dissolve away with time had always worked. Numbness felt wrong on her, and the more she buried, the colder she had to become to freeze everything in place. If the ice melted, it would all spill over and she wasn't ready for that. She never would be.

Running her fingers along the cool walls as she walked, Kara wondered if she'd ever take charge of one of the brigades as Glauca had mentioned. It would be a good escape from everything—drifted through the skies and killing those who had taken away the people she loved. Her heart skipped a beat and she tried to forget that the Empire had taken all her friends, not Lucis. To get away from reminders of better times and from Ravus's disappointed scowl… Perhaps then Wyn would be able to focus on unleashing his full potential.

But once Glauca stepped out to meet them, she knew that her chances had run out. The commander's sharp eyes laid on her and he crossed his burly arms, ready for confrontation. She hesitated, glancing up at Wyn uncertainly. He didn't look back. Clearing her throat awkwardly, Kara stepped onto the landing and stood beside Kylinn. She felt like she'd been run over by a herd of wild chocobos, and it only made standing straight under Glauca's stare harder.

"Welcome back," Glauca said curtly. Kara fought her urge to cringe. They'd succeeded, but at what cost? "How are we feeling?"

Wyn didn't miss a beat, planting his hands on his hips and letting his frown show his displeasure. "Rough. Why were those carriers dropping bombs on us? I was under the impression they'd be more along the lines of stones and such. Something disrupting."

"Are bombs not disruptive enough for you?" Commander Xander argued, stepping up to stand beside Glauca. "They were sent to kill Lucian soldiers, not to let them get off with warning."

"Well, they almost killed us."

Xander sniffed, eyeing the line of soldiers that had grown significantly shorter. "Perhaps they should have. You're little use to us as a group of six."

Wyn stammered, taken aback. They all looked to Glauca out of habit, waiting for him to come to their defense as he always had. This time, though, he looked like he agreed. Kara's heart sank.

"I must say…" Glauca cocked his head to the side, eyes narrowed. "You did as you were ordered, and yet, this all feels like a colossal failure when we've lost such numbers." Ky swallowed hard enough that Kara heard and shot her a glance. Both of their faces were going red, one with shame and the other with anger. "We lost several good soldiers to idiotic mistakes that could have easily been avoided. I will be speaking with each of you individually."

Ravus hadn't said a word; he hadn't looked at Glauca. He stared straight ahead, jaw clenched and eyes fixated on the ornate marble border to the ship landing. Kara's stomach twisted when Ravus's name was called first and he flinched. Commander Nox Fleuret. Sounded so much better spoken in praise rather than in anger.

They all waited on the long, cushioned benches outside Glauca's private office, silent and reeking of nervous energy. Kara's knee bounced rapidly up and down, her hands clasped together and rubbing back and forth to create any sort of warmth for her numb fingers.

One by one, they were swallowed by the heavy door and spat back out with red faces or eye rolls. Ravus had gone with a sharp turn to the left, refusing to look at anyone. Left—the way to his bedroom. Ky had looked pissed, throwing a middle finger in the direction of Glauca as she stormed out of the office. Wyn had offered a sad smile to Lisa, who sat with her leg propped up on the empty seats beside her, before wandering away, shoulders slumped.

The exception was Loqi, who stepped out with an enormous smile. Kara frowned, confused by his joy. Lis, one of the two left, raised an eyebrow.

"What're you so happy about?"

"I just—" He stopped in his tracks, noticing Kara at the other end of the bench. "We'll talk a little later. Wouldn't want to spoil anything."

"Okay…?"

Glauca stepped into his doorway and shot Kara a look. She stood sharply, ready to go, but he shook his head. "Not you. Help Lisa into a seat."

"Yes, sir," Kara murmured, keeping her head low and hauling Lis to her feet with a wince. A sharp pain shot down her spine and her eyes watered, but she tried her best to keep a straight face. The door slammed behind her back when she stepped out. She cringed with a shudder. Why am I last?

She sat sweating and shaking and shivering until the door creaked back open. She sprang to her feet and hauled Lis back out, setting her on the bench. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she turned to face Glauca. He jerked his head toward his desk and turned away.

Kara followed obediently, closing the door behind her and stepping toward the seat she'd set Lis. Glauca held up a hand sharply, knowing she was about to sit.

"Stay standing, soldier. I didn't tell you to sit."

"Sorry," Kara whispered, straightening abruptly.

Glauca paced toward the window on the west side of the large, ornate office. He drew the heavy golden curtain to the side before clasping his hands behind his back. For a long time, he stared outside in silence as Kara shifted her weight back and forth nervously. Finally, he spoke.

"I saved you for last because I thought it would give me time to gather what I'd like to say. Clearly, I still don't know how to say this graciously."

Kara bit down on the inside of her lip, struggling to breathe. Is he going to remove me from the army? Have me shot? Burned? Hanged?

"So I'll say it the way it comes to me." He turned to face her finally, his face deeply set into a scowl. "I am incredibly disappointed in how this went on your end. Maybe I should have known you'd struggle in the field. You didn't do well on written exams, but I thought your excelling in hands-on training would be enough." This is about Leo…

"Sir, I did everything I knew to do," she replied. Her voice shook no matter how hard she tried to keep it even. "I constantly checked the device for any signs of live mines, and when they suddenly turned on, I warned—"

"I don't want to hear your excuses, Highwind. There are recorded signals from your area that show the mines were activated while Fortis was among them."

"But I didn't—"

"Highwind." Kara's mouth snapped shut and Glauca's glare eased off. He took a deep breath, grinding his teeth together. "Don't argue with me. I already dislike your foolish choices—don't say more to convince me you did this to get him out of your way."

Kara's gut twisted and it felt as if he'd flattened her lungs. Before she could regather herself, tears began to swell in her eyes. He thinks I got Leo killed on purpose? For a moment, she thought she was about to double over and vomit again. Glauca wasn't moved, cocking his head to the side.

"I also understand you thought it was smart to sneak alcohol onto the lines and become belligerently drunk after what you say was a freak accident." Kara couldn't speak, so she turned her eyes to the ground and shook her head ever so slightly. Two tears spilled over. It was all wrong. Ravus would have had to tell him that. "Your commanders tell me you have already received your due punishment for that matter, though, so I suppose I'll ease off that one."

Frowning, Kara glanced up at him. I have? Ravus had to be the person that reported her. Had he also lied about disciplining her? Or had Wyn? Commanders… He'd said commanders.

Glauca took a deep breath and straightened. "Due to both of those events, the mysterious disappearance of Fidelum that soon followed Fortis's death is now being blamed on you as well by the other members of your ranks, few though they may be." Kara shuddered. Everything was crumbling apart around her and all she could do was watch. "Unfortunately, this means I no longer feel safe putting you in a significant place of leadership—at least, not for a long time. I've revoked my recommendation for you as brigadier general and recommended Loqi in your stead. I hope refraining from offering major responsibility provides you the chance to master your areas of study in time to change my mind."

Kara's heart stopped and her head felt heavy. That's when she should have cried. She'd lost the one thing she'd been looking forward to after losing everything else. Her escape was gone. But she couldn't cry. She turned off her emotions instead, forcing herself to meet his eye and nod. She had, after all, done all the things he said she had. She didn't deserve to lead anyone. She wasn't good enough, and clearly, she wasn't smart enough to realize she didn't deserve the position beforehand. It was better that Loqi had it.

"Yes sir. I'll do my best."

"Good. Go rest now so you'll be ready to train tomorrow."

Kara nodded again and stepped out of the room. Training tomorrow. I wonder if he told anyone else to. She shuddered, closing the door behind her and ignoring Lisa's questioning stare. That was it, then. She'd closed the casket on her life. She was doomed to be yet another low-level commander, barking orders at inadequate young boys and girls.

And what a fate that was. The daughter of Kain Highwind, just another face in the crowd. Just another commander. Just another Graves.