| “ | You think I'm so petty that I'd attack another woman over love? | ” |
–Catriona to Violet, Iron Flame | ||
Catriona Cordella is a gryphon flier, the niece of Viscount Tecarus, and the younger sister of Syrena Cordella . She was betrothed to Xaden Riorson for 9 months. She is currently third in line to the Poromish throne.[1] She is bonded to the gryphon Kiralair.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Catriona was betrothed to Xaden Riorson, arranged by their fathers when they were young. The specific marriage clause was enlivened on her 20th birthday. They were betrothed for 9 months before he broke off their arrangement, citing incompatibility.
She became a flier cadet at Cliffsbane Flight Academy and bonded with a Gryphon before joining her older sister, Syrena's, drift.
Iron Flame[]
The first mention of Catriona is from Bodhi, who tells Violet he's "never seen Xaden like this, even with Catriona." Violet is immediately suspicious, but Bodhi asks her to forget about it.[2]
Catriona flies as part of Syrena's drift to receive a weapons drop, near an unnamed Pomorish village, delivered by Xaden and Violet Sorrengail.
After the dark wilders destroyed Cliffsbane, Catriona took up residence in her uncle's palace. She receives Brennan Sorrengail, Mira Sorrengail, Violet, and Xaden as they arrive to negotiate the terms of an agreement to procure the luminary. Showing them to their rooms to change for dinner, she makes snide comments to Violet, aimed at undermining her and Xaden's relationship.
After the agreement with Tecarus is reached, she joins the other fliers from their academy in the journey to Aretia via the Medaro Pass by scaling the cliffs of Dralor. Her drift is assigned to work together with Violet's squad. She is paired specifically with Rhiannon Matthias. When making a crossing, drift member Luella fails to make the jump, and dies. Catriona blames Violet for dropping her, and vows to kill her for it. They are interrupted by the surprise arrival of four riderless Wyvern that were then killed by Violet.
In Aretia, Catriona does not want to get along with the riders, choosing instead to worsen relationships between the two groups by posting inflammatory material, such as a list of fliers that Mira had killed.[3] She also appeared at Xaden's door wearing a see-though silk gown at dawn, although it is Violet who answers the door. After it is announced that fliers would also be subject to the Dragon Rider's Codex, and that grievances between cadets can be solved with a challenge, Catriona challenges Violet. As both were trained by Xaden, neither has the upper-hand. Catriona repeatedly taunts Violet throughout the match about her previous relationship with Xaden, and saying that Violet was just a "placeholder for him to fuck".[4]
The fliers' drifts and the riders' squads are formally merged, with Catriona's drift formally joining Violet's squad. Violet presents her with the Iron Squad patch. They attend classes, spar, run, attend Battle Brief and have their meals together. Despite this, she still hates being in the Second Squad. To improve squad unity, Rhiannon assigns fliers and riders to be study partners, with Catriona paired up with Rhiannon.
When Violet discovers how to raise the wards in Aretia, Catriona objects on behalf of the fliers, protesting that the wards would effectively stop fliers from channeling, making them powerless. The riders argue that raising the wards has long been their objective, even before the fliers arrived. Violet says that she has to tell the Assembly about her discovery, but is holding off so she can talk to the fliers first. Catriona does not appear to be moved by this.
Rhiannon assigns Violet, Sloane, Visia, and Catriona to the same group for squad exercises with the other Sections. They are tasked to find and close more runed boxes that the other squads.
Physical Description[]
As the younger sister of Syrena, she shares similar traits with her. She has a straight nose, a full mouth, and glossy black hair that she braids over her shoulder. She is of lithe build and has a fair skin tone. She keeps her hair braided over her shoulder and her eyes are slightly larger and cheekbones slightly higher than Syrena's.
According to Violet, "she was beautiful from a distance, but up close, her features are truly so flawless that she's completely...devastating".[5]
Cat by LeahCroft
She is at least five inches taller than Violet.[6]
Personality[]
Ambitious, power-hungry, and ruthless. Catriona sees her previous betrothal to Xaden as a way of securing political power and her own future. She does not back down easily, and considers Violet an opponent she can clash with despite seeing the depth of her power.
In her plan to win Xaden back, she attempts to come between Violet and Xaden's relationship. She speaks down to Violet, planting insecurities in her head about her relationship. She makes many references to her previous relationship with Xaden, including suggesting to Violet, who was wearing a black dress, that Xaden would prefer a colourful dress.[5]
She is also not above using under-hand digs or being disrespectful, calling out both Violet's mother, Lilith Sorrengail, and Mira's alleged complicity in covering up the truth about the Venin. She uses her gift of heightened emotions to further amplify the feelings of doubt and insecurity in Violet. She has appeared at Xaden's door in a see-through silk robe at dawn.
As a flier, she is loyal and collaborative with other fliers, trading runes with them. With the other riders in the Second Squad, she is making small efforts to trust them more, and be more civil with them.
Powers and Abilities[]
Powers[]
Lesser Magic[]
Every flier is capable of using Lesser magic once their gryphon begins channeling through them. With this channeling, fliers are able to; open doors without touching them, preternatural speed, manipulating mage lights, and powering ink pens.[7] Lesser magic also allows fliers to place runes.
Gryphon's Gift[]
Heightened Emotions[]
Kiralair has gifted Catriona the power of heightening the emotions of people around her. She is not able to create, warp or sway emotions within a target; she can only amplify what a victim is already feeling.[8] First seen in action as she makes Violet jealous and insecure for her behavior and remarks toward Xaden. She is noted to be exceptionally powerful.[5]
Her powers are weakened with distance and high elevations. Her abilities are negated when she enters Navarre's wards, Her gift can be blocked by a specific rune.[8]
Abilities[]
She is good at manipulating people into feeling certain things so that she can heighten those emotions with her gift; as her gift does not give her the ability to make someone feel something, meaning she only can amplify what already exsits, she has become adept at using words and actions to give root to the emotions she wants.
Relationships[]
Xaden Riorson[]
Catriona and Xaden both came from aristocratic families and were betrothed when she turned 20. They quickly realized that they were not compatible, and Xaden broke off the betrothal a year prior to the events of Iron Flame. The Rybestad Chest was gifted to Tecarus as part of the betrothal.
After The Revolution agrees to Tecarus's terms by accepting the 100 flier cadets that escaped the fall of Cliffsbane Academy, Catriona is relocated along with her drift to Riorson House in Aretia. While living there Catriona repeatedly attempts to win Xaden back, often clashing with Violet to break them up. She later admits during a sparring match against Violet that she has no interest in being with him romantically but that she needs to be with him to secure her crown. Xaden admits that while he does not care if Catriona lives or dies, she is still a necessary ally, and that they could not afford to make an enemy out of Syrena. Sloane describes their relationship as "toxic".[9]
Violet Sorrengail[]
Catriona does not like Violet because Violet is in the way of her goal, while Violet is jealous about her previous relationship with Xaden. With every comment towards Violet, she aims to discredit her relationship with Xaden. She was aware of Violet before Violet was aware of her, and uses this to get under Violet's skin. This almost succeeds, with Violet having to make a noticeable effort to control her signet power, so she does not kill her.
They are forced to work together after Catriona's drift is assigned to Violet's squad to make the climb through the Medaro Pass. She blames Violet for failing to save one of her friends, Luella, who failed to make the jump across. She vows to kill Violet for this.
Although both despise each other, they have a moment of truce each day during morning formation, when the names of those who died are read out. They understand each other's worry for their siblings, who are fighting on the frontlines.
During her challenge with Violet, she constantly taunts her about her previous relationship with Xaden, referring specifically to the times where they had sexual relations. When Violet gains the upper hand and begins to choke her out, she would rather die than tap out.
Viscount Tecarus[]
She is Tecarus' niece, and has a good relationship with him. She begs Xaden not to kill him, when one of the venin he kept in his palace escaped.
Syrena Cordella[]
Syrena is Cat's older sister.
Maren[]
Best friend and squad mate.
Quotes[]
"I'm going to war with you for a crown."
