Orla imagined it as she wanted it to become as the energy filled the spell cage she held, blinding and furious. She held onto the temple she saw in her head, and she spoke a single word: “Cuimhnich!” Remember!
The spell cage shattered and the energy surged out, wrapping itself around the Great Temple in swirling colors so bright that it hurt the eyes to see it. The temple seemed to shiver and melt in the glow, then the light pulsed, flashed, and was gone. Orla blinked away the blinding afterimages. What stood there when she could see again was no longer the Great Temple but the Temple of Elia that had been in her mind, now solid and real, with a new blackstone ring dominating the plaza, the stones a good three men high.
Finished, Orla sighed, opening her arms to send away the Moonshadow and the draoi in her anamacha. The sudden release caused her knees to buckle, her muscles giving way to exhaustion. She stared at the structure she’d just made.
She heard people applauding and shouting around her.
A hand touched her shoulder, and she smelled a woman’s perfume on the breeze. She turned her head to see Sorcha behind her with her two children, Erdem and Esra, at her side. Azru was with them with her own children: Bakir’s children, Orla’s stepchildren.
“Ceanndraoi, a ship is coming into the harbor flying the imperial banner,” Sorcha said. She pointed to the east. Beyond the plaza and out past where the Avenue of the Ceanndraoi met the harbor in the Bay of Iska, a single ship was visible, entering on the tide.
Orla smiled—she knew that ship, having visited it more than once before its arrival, using the Moonshadow to appear in a cabin there.
* * *
“Altan?” she said, staring down at the man in the bed. She’d expected to see Tolga in his arms, but instead there was a woman with dark hair next to him, and sprawled on beds across the room were three children: two girls and a boy. She could see a blend of Altan’s features and the woman’s in their sleeping faces.
She saw Altan’s eyes flicker open, squinting as he stared at her in the swaying moonlight coming through the small open shutters of the vessel.
“Ceanndraoi,” he said, throwing aside the covers and standing on the rolling planks. “It’s good to see you again. I was afraid that might never happen.”
“I told the emperor that I needed him to send back my Great-Voice alive and unharmed,” Orla told him. She glanced back at the beds; Altan gave her a tight-lipped smile that seemed touched with melancholy.
“My wife and my children,” he said in explanation. “I couldn’t leave them behind. Yes, you gave Pashtuk your ultimatum, but he was none too eager to comply. He named me the Great-Voice of Albann because he felt he had no choice, but I’m permanently exiled from Rumeli. The emperor told me that if I ever dare to set foot there again, he’ll have me flayed and dismembered alive, after which he’ll use my tanned skin for a bedsheet. ‘And that will happen no matter what this Orla Moonshadow says she can do. Tell her that,’ was his summation.” Altan shrugged. “I was afraid of what Pashtuk might do if I left my family behind—though my wife wasn’t at all enthused about going to live in Albann. So it seems Albann is now my permanent home and will be theirs as well. I’m to be just a simple bureaucrat.”
Orla nodded. “And Tolga?”
“He’s in the next cabin.” Altan glanced at his sleeping wife. “I’ll see him later. He and I . . . we’ll have to be careful. I suspect my wife wouldn’t entirely understand or approve of our relationship.”
Orla grinned at that.
* * *
Orla started to stand, groaning with the effort, though she nodded in satisfaction as she looked toward the harbor and the approaching ship, then back to the new temple before her. The gaggle of children—Sorcha’s as well as Azru’s—ran across the plaza to her, taking her arms as she slowly stood. “Here, let us help you, Piuthar-màthar . . .”
On her feet, her arms around the children, Orla smiled at Sorcha and Azru before returning her gaze to the ship. “Welcome home, Altan,” she said toward the vessel and its fluttering banners, then gestured to Magaidh and Comhnall. “Let’s find Ceannàrd Eideard, and we’ll go meet our new Great-Voice and his family. We have a lot of work he needs to get started on.”
Appendix
CHARACTERS (in order of appearance)
OPENING AND PART ONE:
Pashtuk (PASH-took)
Emperor of the Mundoa
Orla Paorach (OAR-lah POO-rahk)
The daughter of Voada, the Mad Draoi. Protagonist of the novel.
Sorcha (SOHR-eh-kah)
Friend of Orla
Azru (AZZ-roo)
Bakir’s first wife and mother of his two children
Erdem
Son of Sorcha
Esra
Son of Sorcha
Bakir (Bah-KEER)
Orla’s husband, a Mundoan army officer
Alim (Ah-LEEM)
Sorcha’s husband, a Mundoan soldier
Voada Paorach (Voh-AH-dah POO-rahk)
Orla’s mother. As ceanndraoi of the Cateni, she had led the unsuccessful rebellion in Year 22 of Pashtuk’s reign. Sometimes referred to as “The Mad Draoi.”
Altan Savas (ALL-tan SAH-vahs)
Mundoan commander in charge of the war against the northern tribes
Greum (GRAY-umm)
The ceanndraoi, or head mage, of Onglse. Known as “the Red-Hand.”
Leagsaidh (LEGK-see) Moonshadow
A long-dead draoi famous in Cateni history. The First Draoi and reputedly the most powerful.
Maol Iosa (MAHL EE-sah)
Ceannàrd (leader) of the Cateni rebel army, killed with Ceanndraoi Voada in the Battle of Siran
Utka (OOT-kah)
Great-Voice of Albann Deas
Vadim III (Vah-DEEM)
The previous Great-Voice, killed by Ceanndraoi Voada in the sack of Trusa
Tolga (TOLL-gah)
Driver for Altan Savas
Ceiteag (Kay-tig)
Draoi and menach on Onglse who was the first teacher of Voada Paorach
Elia (Eh-LEE-ah)
The sun goddess of the Cateni
Moire (MOY-yah)
A menach and draoi on the island of Onglse
Iomhar (EYE-oh-var)
The ceanndraoi of the Cateni at the time of the initial invasion of the Mundoa, killed in the battle of Íseal Head. Iomhar, like Voada, was chosen by the Moonshadow’s anamacha. Also called Iomhar of the Marsh.
Beris
Emperor of Mundoa when its armies conquered the Cateni tribes south of the River Meadham. He was succeeded by his son, Emperor Hayat, followed by the brief reign of Hayat’s daughter, Empress Damla, who was deposed and executed by a military coup and replaced by Emperor Pashtuk.
Lucian
Commander Savas’ previous chariot driver and lover, killed in battle on Onglse
Frangan MacCraig (FRANN-gann)
Draoi killed while attempting to assassinate Emperor Pashtuk
Comhnall Mac Tsagairt (CAHN-ull Mack TAG-gert)
Àrd (head) of Clan Mac Tsagairt
Magaidh Mac Tsagairt (MAH-ghee Mack TAG-gert)
Wife of Comhnall Mac Tsagairt and a draoi trained by Voada
Eideard Iosa (Edd-erd Ee-sah)
Àrd of Clan Iosa and cousin of Maol Iosa
PART TWO:
Musa (MOO-sah)
Sub-commander in the Mundoan army under Altan Savas
Ilkur (ILL-curr)
Sub-commander in the Mundoan army under Altan Savas
Halim (Hah-LEEM)
An engineer in Altan’s army
Hùisdean (OOS-den)
Eldest son of Comhnall Mac Tsagairt, stepson of Magaidh Mac Tsagairt, chariot driver for Ceannàrd Mac Tsagairt
Tadgh (TAHD)
Driver for
Maol Iosa, now Eideard Iosa’s driver
Niall (NIGH-all)
Male draoi
Caoimhe (KEY-vah)
Female draoi
Sabri (Sah-bree)
Chief shipwright in Muras
Demir (D’meer)
The Voice of Muras, nephew of Great-Voice Utka
Tuathal (TWO-uh-hul)
Ceannàrd of the Cateni in Leagsaidh’s time, of Clan Leask
Iseabail (Eesh-ah-bell) of Clan Buccleugh (Buh-Klew)
The first draoi to have Greum Red-Hand’s anamacha
Dòrn (Durr-ahn)
Fist; the name of the core demigod in Greum’s anamacha
PART THREE:
Colin Iosa
A warrior, cousin of Eideard Iosa
Mànas (MAH-nahs)
A young male draoi
TERMS AND PLACE NAMES (in alphabetical order)
Albann (AHL-pahn)
The large island of the Cateni, now conquered by the Mundoa
Albann Bràghad (AHL-pahn BRAWK-ahd)
The Cateni name for the region north of the River Meadham. The “r” must be rolled.
Albann Deas (AHL-pahn Deesh)
The southern portion of Albann, below the River Meadham
Anamacha (Ah-nah-MAHK-ah)
Literally a collection of souls—the manifested ghosts of dead draoi who are the channel through which the living draoi gain their power
Anail (AH-nahl)
Gust or gale
Archiater (ARK-ee-ate-err)
The title for someone who treats injuries and illness. Archiaters are often of the herbalist tradition and may or may not be effective.
Àrd (ARHD)
“Head”—the leader of a clan, group, or place among the Cateni
Bàn Cill (Bahn Keel)
The sacred temple of the Cateni on Onglse. This is where the draoi are trained and where they gather.
Barrier Sea
The channel between the island of the Cateni and the mainland
Beinn (BANE) Head
A headland on the west coast of Albann Bràghad, north of Onglse
Carnyx (KAR-nix)
A bronze trumpet often shaped like the head and elongated neck of a horse or snake, held upright and blown in battle. Creates a raucous and loud sound. Used by the Cateni.
Cateni (Kaw-TEHN-ee)
The collective name for the natives of the island, such as Voada, though there are innumerable sub-tribes or clans
Ceannàrd (KEY-ohn-ard)
Literally “high chief”—the title for a clan leader or military commander among the Cateni
Ceanndraoi (KEY-ohn-dree)
The head draoi of the tribes, usually based in Onglse, where the draoi are largely trained
Clan Mac Tsagairt (Klahn Mack TAG-gert)
One of the northern clans in Albann Bràghad
Cohort
A small subdivision of the Mundoan army, usually consisting of five hundred soldiers or fewer
Cuimhnich (Cuhn-YEEK)
Remember or recall from memory
Currach (CURR-awk)
A small fishing boat (also sometimes spelled as ‘curragh’)
Darende (DAHR-ren-dah)
A town on the southwestern coast of Albann Deas
Davul
A two-headed drum used in Mundoan music, played with a heavy stick in the right hand and a thin, light one in the left
Deigh (Jaye)
Ice
Doineann (DEN-yunn)
Hurricane
Dört yüz (Dort yooz)
Dört is Mundoan for four, and yüz means one hundred; therefore, four hundred
Draoi (Dree)
The Cateni term for those who are able to use magic
Eilean Mòr (AY-lan Mohr)
“Large Island”—an island in the Onglse Strait
Elia’s lamp
The sun
Entari (Ehn-tah-ree)
A rich brocaded cloak worn by the upper classes of the Mundoa
Faicinn fada (Fah-Kin Fahda)
Someone with excellent eyesight, someone gifted with “long sight.” A critical quality for archers and those on watch.
Fidhcheall (Fee-kyuhl)
An ancient form of chess
First Maker
The Mundoan creator god
Gediz (Geh-DIZZ)
A town on the west coast of Albann Deas
Gray Wraith
A howling, shrieking ghost in Cateni mythology that sometimes visits people to announce their impending deaths
Great North Road
The road that runs roughly north from Ìseal in the south, through the capital of Trusa, and to Muras on the River Meadham. It crosses the Meadham but ends not far into Albann Bràghad.
Great-Voice
The Voice over all Voices on the island. He lives in Trusa, the Mundoan capital city.
Hand (title)
The person responsible for collecting taxes for Mundoa in a town or city. His spouse is called the Hand-wife. Often this person is a local Cateni.
Hand (counting)
Five. The Cateni count up to four, then from there use “hand” and “double-hand.” A “hand and two” is seven; a “double hand” is ten. A “hand of hands” is twenty-five, and so on.
Horned Spirit
The gesture of the horned spirit—thumb folded over the middle two fingers with the index and little finger extended—is considered a curse and an insult
Ìseal (Eh-SEAL)
A harbor town on Ìseal Head
Ìseal Head
Location of the first battle with the Mundoa at the Barrier Sea
Ismil (ISS-meel)
A town in Albann Deas
R. Iska (ISS-Kah)
The long and wide river on the banks of which sits the capital city Trusa (Iskameath)
Kavak (Kah-VAK)
A major coastal city in Rumeli
Koruk (KOHR-uck)
A major city in Rumeli
Krug (Kroog)
The “mirror armor” of the Mundoan army officers
Lack-breath
Asthma or shortness of breath
Ladik (Lah-DEEK)
A town in Albann Deas
Léine (LANE-ah)
A long close-fitting smock worn by the northern clans
Magh-space (Mah-space)
A rather variable unit of measurement: the distance from which a cock-crow or a bell could be heard
Magh da Chèo (Mah dah KEE-oh)
The Otherworld of the anamacha—literally, Plain of Mists
Menach (MEHN-Ock)
Title for a cleric of Elia
Menhir (men-ear)
A standing stone
R. Meadham (MEER-ahn)
For pronunciation, the consonant “dh” sounds like a rolled “r” that is almost a guttural “g.” The River Meadham is the central river of the island, roughly dividing the more mountainous north (Albann Bràghad) from the more gently rolling southern landscape (Albann Deas).
Moon-time
Menstrual period. The herbs rue and shepherd’s purse are used to ease the cramping and bleeding.
Mundoa (Muhn-DOH-ah)
The Empire of the southern mainland or the people thereof
Mundoci (Muhn-DOH-kee)
The capital city of the empire
Muras (Murh-ahs)
A town on the River Meadham where the river is bridged
Neart (Nyart)
Strength
Onglse (ON-gul-see)
The island fastness of the draoi
One-God, the
The official deity of the Mundoan Empire; the emperor
is the one-god’s representative in this world
Also known as the First Maker.
Pale Ones
The minor deities who serve the One-God (and thus the emperor) and do His bidding in the world
Pamukkale
The Mundoan mythological hell
Pencraig (PENN-craygh)
The town where Voada and Meir lived
Piuthar-màthar (Pie-you-ther Mah-her)
Aunt
Pléasc (PLAY-usk)
Shatter or burst
Rumeli (Roo-MELL-ee)
The continent; the land of the Mundoa, where they have established their empire
Sarik (SAW-rik)
A turban worn by the emperor and other dignitaries in the Mundoan Empire
Savur
Capital of Albann Deas on the east coast at the mouth of the River Iska, from where the Great-Voice rules
Sea of Serpents
The sea to the east of Albann—it extends well west until it meets the main continent again.
Seanmhair (SHUNN-eh-vah )
Grandmother
Sihirki (Suh-HERE-kee)
The Mundoan term for those who are able to use magic
Siran (SEER-ehn)
A town in Albann Deas. The final battle between the Mundoan forces and those of Ceanndraoi Voada, the Mad Draoi, took place near there in Year 22 of Pashtuk’s rule.
R. Slaodach (SLAHL-dack)
A river that flows into Gediz Bay
Storm Sea
The ocean to the west of Albann—an endless ocean, as far as the Cateni or Mundoa know
Stormwind Road
The road from Gediz on the west coast to Pencraig in the east
Sun-path
The line described by the dawn of the summer solstice and the sunset of the winter solstice or the dawn of the winter solstice and the sunset of the summer solstice. It is believed that the Cateni dead must walk one of those two paths in order to ascend to the next plane of existence.
A Rising Moon Page 34