Dawnsinger (33 page)

“Aerlic was faithful.” Guaron spoke in a hushed voice behind him.

Kai couldn’t speak around the lump in his throat. Tears blinded him, and he almost ran into Dorann, who stopped without warning before him. “What ails—“ Following Dorann’s gaze, he broke off.

A hollow tree yawned before them, open and empty. Rocks that had once made up a cairn lay strewn about.

Dorann’s eyes flashed amber fire. “Something—or someone—has desecrated Aerlic’s grave. He’s not here.”

Kai stared at the hollow tree and the piles of rocks. Who—or what—would do such a thing?

“Garns?” Dorann echoed Kai’s own suspicion.

“Perhaps not.” Emmerich said.

Dorann looked in the direction of Emmerich’s voice, and his face reflected shock.

Kai turned from the tree and went still.

Beyond the draetenns in the place where the brook widened, stood Aerlic with Emmerich beside him. His wound had vanished but his clothing still showed stains of blood, and a slash rent the side of his surcoat.

Emmerich extended a hand to Aerlic.

Aerlic stared at Emmerich, his eyes very blue against a dirty face. What he saw must have put him at ease, for he smiled and grasped the proffered hand.

Kai mustered his voice. “How fare you?”

Aerlic smiled. “I’m better now that I’ve freed myself from that tree. Tell me, how came I to wake there? I recall strange dreams, and then someone singing. I must have slept a long time, for I own to hunger. Have you any food?”

“We have food aplenty, Aerlic, and pleased we are to share it with you.” Kai smiled through a haze of tears. “Come then.”

Don’t miss the next book in the

Tales of Faeraven series

As trouble stirs between nations and rebellion threatens Faeraven, can the kingdom divided by the King’s mistakes be reunified before it’s too late?

Find out in WAYFARER, Tales of Faeraven, Book 2.

Coming soon.

Glossary

Aeleanor (A-LEE-a-nor)—Queen of Whellein

Aelfred (ALE-fred)—King of Merboth

Aelgarod (ALE-gah-rod)—Healer of Whellein Hold

Aergenwoad (AYR-gen-wode)—Healing herb

Allerstaed (ALL-er-stayd)—Place of Prayer

Alliance of Faeraven (FAYR-ay-ven)—High kingdom made up of low kingdoms united under one banner

Anden Raven (AN-den RAY-ven)—Other land from which the Kindren originally entered Elderland

Anders (AN-ders)—Elcon's manservant

Anemone (Ah-ne-moh-nee)—Low-growing flower with daisy-like petals

Argalent (AR-ja-lent)—Aerlic's silver wingabeast; Kindren for “luster”

Attarnine (ATT-er-nine)—Rodent poison

Benisch (BEN-ish)—Steward of Rivenn

Braegmet Doreinn (BRAYG-met DOR-ee-in)—Chasm of Confusion

Brael Shadd (BRAYL-shad)—DayStar of Prophecy

Brambleberry —Edible berries that grow in a thorny thicket

Brynn (BRIN)—Hedwynn's red-haired sister

Bursel (BUR-sel)—Dry measurement

Caedric (KAY-drik)—Healer within Graelinn Hold

Caerric Baest (KAYR-ric BAYST)—Cavern of Wonder

Caerric Daeft (KAYR-ric DAYFT)—Cavern of Death

Chaeldra (CHALE-dra)—Shae's maid at Torindan

Chrin (KRIN)—Liquid measurement

Circlet of Elder—Crown designating rulership of Rivenn

Coast of Bones— Elderland's northwestern coastline

Contender—Ancient enemy determined to destroy the Kindren and all Elderland

Craelin (CRAY-lin)—First Guardian of Rivenn

Crobok (CROW- bahk)—Small blue bird

Daelic (DAY-lic)—Healer within Torindan Hold

Daevin (DAY-vin)—Prince of Whellein, brother of Kai

Darksea—Coastal Elder kingdom

DawnSinger's Lament— Ancient prophetic song

Dithmar (DITH-mar)—A guardian of Rivenn

Dorann (DOR-ran)—Tracker for Torindan

Doreinn Ravein (DOR-ree-in RAH-veen)—Canyonlands southeast of Torindan

Draetenn (DRAY-ten)—Tree with spreading branches and fragrant bark

Eathnor (EETH-nor)—Tracker for Torindan

Ebain (ee-BAIN)—Plain

Eberhardt (EB-er-hart)—Whellein's king

Ederbaer (ED-er-bayr)—Red berry bushes that grow at the edges of meadows and in barren places

Elcon (EL-kon)—High prince of Faeraven; son of Timraen and Maeven

Elder (ELL-der)—Race of humans with darker hair and more rounded eyes; original inhabitants of Elderland

Eldritch (ELL-drich)—Eerie and malevolently strange

Emmerich (EM-mer-ik)—Elder youth

Enric (EN-rik)—Graelinn's king and Katera's husband

Erdrich Ceid (ER-drik SEE-id)—Mythical Ice Witch

Erinae (EAR-rin-ay)—Mother of Dorann and Eathnor

Eufemia (YOU-fee-me-uh)—Maeven's serving maid

Euryan (YOU-ry-an)—King of Westerland; an Elder kingdom

Ewaeri (ee-WAHR-ee)—Priests who distribute alms

Feiann (FY-an)—Elusive small folk

Flaemling (FLAYM-ling)—Tiny bird often kept as a pet

Flecht (FLECSHT)—Kai's white wingabeast; Kindren word for ”arrow”

Flitling (FLIT-ling)—Tiny bird

Frael (FRAYL)—Prince

Freaer (FREE-ear)—First Musician of Torindan

Garn (GAHRN)—Goblin-like giants

Gentian (GEN-ti-an)—Trumpet-shaped flower

Gilead Riann (GILL-ee-ad REE-an)—Gate of Life

Gladreinn (GLAD-re-in)—Bride of Rivenn; one of the first Kindren to enter Elderland at the Gate of Life

Gnarlwood—Giant tree with high branches

Graylet (GRAY-let)—Medium-sized bird of prey with speckled gray feathers

Guardians of Rivenn—Highly-trained knights

Guaron (GWAR-ron)—A guardian of Rivenn and keeper of the wingabeasts

Heddwyn (HEAD-win)—Mistress of White Feather Inn

House of Rivenn—Ruling family of Rivenn; also rule the alliance of Faeraven

Iewald (I-a-wald)—Talan's trusted friend; First Guardian of Pilaer

Iewald's Betrayal—Ancient historical song

Illandel (ILL-an-del)—Glaedreinn's maid

Ilse (ILSS)—Queen of Merboth, sister of Shae and Kai

Ivan (I-van)—Captain of the Sea Wanderer

Jaenell (JAY-nel)—Grandmother of Dorann and Eathnor

Kaba—Giant tree that has reddish bark with healing and preservative properties

Kaeroc (KAY-rok)—Large white bird with long tail feathers that roosts in tall trees and inhabits ruins

Kai (KI)—Guardian of Rivenn and Maeven's personal guard

Katera (Kuh-TEAR-ah)—Shae's twin sister

Keep—Innermost and strongest building or tower within a castle

Keirken (KEER-ken)—Deciduous tree with twisting trunks and spreading branches

Kindren (KIN-dren)—Race of humans with fair hair and slightly elongated eyes who came through the Gate of Life into Elderland from Anden Raven

Krei Doreinn (KRY DOR-ree-in)—Three canyons; a place where two rivers and three canyons meet

Kunrat (KOON-rat)—Descendent of Rivenn

Laesh Ebain (LAYSH e-BAYN)—Lost plains

Lanthorn (LAN-thorn)—Lantern paned with thin horn instead of glass

Last Battle of Pilaer—Battle that marked the fall of Pilaer to garn invasion

Leisht (LEESHT)—Dagger that breaks enchantments

Lenhardt (LEN-hart)—Morgorad's king

Lof Frael (LOFF FRAYL)—High prince

Lof Raelein (LOFF RAY-leen)—High queen

Lof Raena (LOFF RAY-nah)—High princess

Lof Shraen (LOFF SHRAYN—High king

Lof Yuel (LOFF YOU-el)—High One; God

Lohen Keil (LOH-hen KEEL)—Well of Light

Lute (LOOT)—Guitar-like instrument with ten strings

Lyse (LYSS)—Shae's maid at Whellein Hold

Maeg Streihcan (MAYG STRY-kan)—Broken Mountain; a lone peak rising at the eastern edge of the Plains of Rivenn

Maeg Waer (MAYG WAYR)—Forsaken Mountain; where the Cavern of Death is located

Maegrad Ceid (MAY-grad SEE-id)—Crystal Mountains; Kindren name for the Elder's Ice Mountains

Maegrad Paesad (MAY-grad PAY-sad)—Impenetrable Mountains, located in the north of Whellein

Maegran Syld (MAY-gran SILD)—Forested Hills, Kindren name for the Elder's Hills of Mist

Mael Lido (MAYL LEE-do)—Death song

Maer Ibris (MAYR EE-bris)—Western sea

Maer Lingenn (MAYR LING-gen)—Eastern sea

Maer Syldra (MAYR SIL-dra)—Southern sea

Maer Taerat (MAYR TAY-rat)—Northern sea

Maeric (MAY-rik)—Chief Cook at Whellein Hold

Maeven (MAY-vin)—High queen of Faeraven; queen of Rivenn, Elcon's mother

Meriwen (MAIR-ee-win)—Temptress who changed the Kindren's history, mother of the Contender

Muer Maeread (MYOUR MAY-ree-ad)—Coast of Bones; the northwestern shore of Elderland

Mystael (MISS-tayl)—Craelin's silver wingabeast; Kindren for “wild wind”

Norwood (NOHR-wood)—Northerly Elder kingdom

Paiad Burein (PAY-ad BYOUR-ee-in)—Field of blood; a historic battleground

Pawel (PAH-wel)—Son of Daeramor; a kingdom east of Whellein

Percken (PERK-en)—Rainbow-colored river fish

Pilaer Hold (Pil-AYR)—Ancient stronghold of the Kindren; now a ruin

Plains of Rivenn—Grassland in Rivenn

Plaintain (Plane-tane)—Broad-leaved herb growing in moist places used for drawing poison from wounds

Praectal (PRAYK-tawl)—Healer

Purr (PUHR)—Trees with thick trunks that grow in the desert oases

Pyrek (PY-rek)—Small, vicious bird of prey

Quinn (QUIN)—Master of White Feather Inn

Raegnen (RAYG-nen)—Guaron's blue wingabeast; Kindren word for “summer rain”

Raelein (RAY-leen)—Queen

Raemwold (RAYM-wold)—King of Braeth and Maeven's father

Raena (RAY-nah)—Princess

Raven (RAY-ven)—Kingdom

Reyanna (RAY-yan-na)—Queen of Braeth and Maeven's mother

Rivenn (RIV-en)—A kingdom

River voices—Imagined voices caused by the turning of stones in riverbeds

Roaem (ROW-em)—Eathnor's black wingabeast; Kindren for the sound thunder makes

Ruescht (ROOSCHT)—Shae's silver wingabeast; Kindren word for “rushing wind”

Sceptor of Faeraven—Symbolic staff of rulership over the alliance of Faeraven

Seighardt (SIG-hart)—Prince of Braeth and Maeven's brother

Serviceberry—Small tree or large bush with broad leaves and purple berries

Shae (SHAY)—Princess of Whellein

Shaelcon (SHALE-con)—Father of Timraen

Shaenalyn (SHAY-nah-lin)—Shae's full name

Shaenn Raven (SHAYN RAY-ven)—Afterworld

Sharten (SHAR-ten)—Dorann's gray wingabeast; Kindren for “deepening shadow”

Shil shael (SHIL SHAYL)—Hereditary soul touch

Shraen (SHRAYN)—King

Shraen Brael (SHRAYN BRAY-el)—King of the Dawn; DawnKing

Strongwood—Hardwood tree

Sweetberry—Edible berry which grows on brambles

Sword of Rivenn—Sword forged in the flames of virtue for Rivenn and handed down to his descendents

Syllid (SIL-lid)—Wood or forest in Kindren

Syllid Braechnen (SIL-lid BRAYK-nen)—A murky forest

Syllid Mueric (SIL-lid MYOUR-ik)—A beautiful and terrible forest

Taelerat (TAY-le-rat)—Shraen of Selfred

Tahera (Tah-HEAR-uh)—Aeleanor's maid

Talan (TAH-lin)—Early high king of Faeraven who captured and tamed the first wingabeast

Timpani (Tim-PAN-ee)—Kettledrum

Timraen (TIM-rain)—High king of Faeraven; king of Rivenn; Maeven's husband

Triboan (TRI-bone)—Southern land occupied by garns

Turret (TUR-et)—Small projecting tower

Unibeast (UN-i-beest)—Unicorn

Varaedel (Ve-RAY-del)—Glindenn's Shraen

Viadrel (VY-ah-drel)—Flames of Virtue

Waeven (WAY-ven)—Spider-like animal

Walls of Death—Enclosed passageway that could be shut off to capture attackers

Ward—Environ within a castle; also known as a bailey

Watergate—Gate leading to and from a body of water

Weild (WEELD)—River

Weild Aenar (WEELD AY-e-nar)—Wild River

Weild Rivenn (WEELD RIV-en)—Rivenn's River

Weild Whistan (WEELD WHIS-stan)—White River; Kindren name for the Elder's White Feather River

Weilo (WY-lo)—Tree with weeping branches and long leaves that grows beside a river or in damp places

Weilton (WEEL-ton)—A guardian of Rivenn

Weithein Faen (WY-then FANE)—An estuary

Welke (WELL-key)—Giant creature of prey that is a cross between a dinosaur and a bird

Westerland—Western Elder kingdom

Whirlight (WHIR-lite)—Large; ungainly white bird

Whispan (WHIS-span)—Small tree with lacy white foliage

Whyst (WHIST)—A spirit sword, defends both flesh and spirit

Wingabeast (WING-ah-beest)—Winged horses

Wingen (WING-en)—Small, colorful bird

Wreckers—Elder who lure ships to their doom

Yellowroot—Edible tuber

Acknowledgments

A work of fiction doesn’t spring into being fully-formed and well-dressed. Ultimately, many hands groom, tailor and finish a novel. Attempting to identify them all is a difficult task, so I hope anyone I’ve unintentionally omitted will forgive me. The following people lent their touch in shaping
DawnSinger
:

Nicola Martinez
, Editor-In-Chief of Pelican Book Group, for believing in Tales of Faeraven and for creating the beautiful cover of this book.

Lisa McCaskill
, my editor at Harbourlight Books, for her kind guidance, and for polishing my novel to a fine sheen.

Suzanne Hartmann
,
for understanding and respecting my vision for
DawnSinger
, and for helping me grow as an author.

Barbara Scott
, my wonderful agent at Wordserve Literary, for lending me her expertise and believing in me.

Eric Wilson
, for having the humility to encourage and endorse a new author, and for giving me his most valuable commodity: his time and attention.

Jill Williamson
,
Linda Windsor
, and
Lisa Grace
for endorsing DawnSinger and providing valuable insights.

Michael Duncan, Melissa Norris
,
K.M. Weiland, Kerry Neitz
,
Anne Greene
,
Sharon Lavy
,
Pride Mutoli, Linda Yezak
and
members of my NCWA critique groups
for contributions made during
DawnSinger’s
inception.