by Martha Wells
Grain—the first Arbora to speak to Moon and to order him to leave Indigo Cloud.
Shell—Grain’s clutchmate, killed in the Fell attack on the colony.
The Court of Emerald Twilight
Aeriat
Queens
Ice—reigning queen of Emerald Twilight.
Tempest—senior sister queen, Ash’s birthqueen.
Ash—youngest daughter queen.
Halcyon—another sister queen, Tempest’s clutchmate.
Consorts
Shadow—first consort to Ice.
Fade—second consort to Tempest, now dead.
Ember—consort sent to Indigo Cloud, from Tempest and Fade’s only clutch.
Warriors
Willow—a female Warrior who greets visitors at Emerald Twilight.
Torrent—female warrior, from a queen’s clutch with Tempest and Halcyon.
Beacon, Prize—female warriors of Tempest’s faction.
Dart, Streak, Gust—male warriors of Tempest’s faction.
The Court of Opal Night
Aeriat
Queens
Malachite—reigning queen of Opal Night.
Onyx—sister queen.
Celadon—daughter queen, of Malachite’s line.
Ivory—another daughter queen, of Onyx’s line.
Consorts
Dusk—first consort to Malachite, killed after the attack on the eastern colony.
Umber—first consort to Onyx.
Shade—young consort, son of Malachite’s consort Night.
Warriors
Rise—female warrior of Opal Night, of Malachite’s faction.
Saffron—female warrior, clutchmate of Ivory.
Sorrow—female warrior who took care of Moon as a fledgling, killed by Tath.
Horn, Tribute—male warriors of Ivory’s faction.
Gallant, Fleet—female warriors of Ivory’s faction.
Dare, Rime—male warriors of Celadon’s faction.
Arbora
Mentors
Lithe—female mentor, young but powerful.
Tear—older female mentor, now dead.
Reed—young female mentor
Auburn—an older male mentor.
Teachers
Feather—female teacher, survivor of the eastern colony.
Russet—female teacher, survivor of the eastern colony.
Twist, Yarrow—two male teachers killed in the eastern colony.
Luster—a male teacher.
Moss—a young male teacher.
Hunters
Fair—a female hunter killed in the eastern colony.
The Court of Veridian Sea
Amaranth—reigning queen.
Flint—her first consort.
The Court of Sunset Water
Zephyr—a sister queen, daughter of an Emerald Twilight consort, Shadow’s clutchmate, who was given to the reigning Sunset Water queen.
Appendix II
Excerpt from
Observations of the Raksura: Volume Thirty-Seven of A Natural History by scholar-preeminent Delin-Evran-lindel
The Two Breeds of the Raksura
Arbora: Arbora have no wings but are agile climbers, and their scales appear in a variety of colors. They have long tails, sharp retractable claws, and manes of flexible spines and soft “frills,” characteristics that are common to all Raksura. They are expert artisans and are dexterous and creative in the arts they pursue for the court’s greater good. In their alternate form they are shorter than Aeriat Raksura and have stocky, powerful builds. Both male and female Arbora are fertile, and sometimes may have clutches that include warrior fledglings. This is attributed to queens and consorts blending their bloodlines with Arbora over many generations.
The four castes of the Arbora are:
Teachers—They supervise the nurseries and train the young of the court. They are also the primary artisans of the court, and tend the gardens that will be seen around any Raksuran colony.
Hunters—They take primary responsibility for providing food for the court. This includes hunting for game, and gathering wild plants.
Soldiers—They “guard the ground” and protect the colony and the surrounding area.
Mentors—They are Arbora born with arcane powers, who have skill in healing and augury. They also act as historians and record-keepers for the court, and usually advise the queens.
Aeriat: The winged Raksura. Like the Arbora, they have long tails, sharp retractable claws, and manes of flexible spines and soft frills.
Warriors—They act as scouts and guardians, and defend the colony from threats from the air, such as the Fell. Warriors are sterile and cannot breed, though they appear as male and female forms. Their scales are in any number of bright colors. Female warriors are usually somewhat stronger than male warriors. In their alternate form, they are always tall and slender. They are not as long-lived generally as queens, consorts, and Arbora.
Consorts—Consorts are fertile males, and their scales are always black, though there may be a tint or “undersheen” of gold, bronze, or blood red. At maturity they are stronger than warriors, and may be the longest lived of any Raksura. They are also the fastest and most powerful flyers, and this ability increases as they grow older. There is some evidence to suggest that consorts of great age may grow as large or larger than the major kethel of the Fell.
Queens—Queens are fertile females, and are the most powerful and deadly fighters of all the Aeriat. Their scales have two brilliant colors, the second in a pattern over the first. The queens’ alternate form resembles an Arbora, with no wings, but retaining the tail, and an abbreviated mane of spines and the softer frills. Queens mate with consorts to produce royal clutches, composed of queens, consorts, and warriors.
Appendix III
Excerpt from
Additions to the List of Predatory Species by scholar-eminent-posthumous Venar-Inram-Alil.
Fell are migratory and prey on other intelligent species.
The Known Classes of Fell
Major kethel - The largest of the Fell, sometimes called harbingers, major kethel are often the first sign that a Fell flight is approaching. Their scales are black, like that of all the Fell, and they have an array of horns around their heads. They have a low level of intelligence and are believed to be always under the control of the rulers.
Minor dakti - The dakti are small, with armor plates on the back and shoulders, and webbed wings. They are somewhat cunning, but not much more intelligent than kethel, and fight in large swarms.
Rulers - Rulers are intelligent creatures that are believed to have some arcane powers of entrancement over other species. Rulers related by blood are also believed to share memories and experiences through some mental bond. They have complete control of the lesser Fell in their flights, and at times can speak through dakti and see through their eyes. (Addendum by scholar-preeminent Delin-Evran-lindel: Fell rulers in their winged form bear an unfortunate and superficial resemblance to Raksuran Consorts.)
There is believed to be a fourth class, or possibly a female variant of the Rulers, called the Progenitors.
Common lore holds that if a Fell ruler is killed, its head must be removed and stored in a cask of salt or yellow mud and buried on land in order to prevent drawing other Fell rulers to the site of its death. It is possible that only removing the head from the corpse may be enough to prevent this, but burying it is held to be the safest course.
Appendix IV
Excerpts From
Some Few Known Peoples of the Three Worlds: A Traveler’s Warning and Guide
This guide does not include known predatory species.
Cordans are believed to be all that is left of the once great empire centered at Kiaspur. They are short and stocky, with pale gray-green skin and greenish hair. Kiaspur had close attachments with a sealing kingdom in the distant past, and this is shown by the small patches of scales on Cordan skin. They are primarily farmers, and seem open to traders and travelers, but this can be dec
eptive.
Duazi are nomads who inhabit the moss forests of the far east. Not much is known about them, except that they are believed by some to be highly skilled in plant potions and simples, and are perhaps not safe to approach.
Dwei are not groundlings, yet not skylings. They are large and beetle-like in shape, with hard carapaces, and insect-like wings. They build hives on cliff sides from the secretions of their own bodies, usually in plains or desert country. They farm fungi in their hives and tunnels.
Emara are the dominant people of the old empire of Emriat-terrene. They have light blue skin and a hard bony ring around their skulls, topped by an uneven pearl-like surface. They are noted city-builders, and engage in a great deal of trade and commerce.
Freian are believed to be descended from a waterling species near the coast of Emriat-terrene, though they have lost their ability to breathe underwater. They are short in stature, and their skin is gray-green and scaled, and they have a bony vestigial head crest. They are artisans and workers among the coastal cities of the western freshwater sea.
Golden Islanders inhabit the flying islands of the Yellow Sea. They are short, slim people, with smooth white hair worn long and golden skin and golden eyes. They are traders and scholars, often deliberately seeking contact with new races and species, and are always safe to approach.
Hassi are eastern jungle dwellers who build complex cities atop the giant link-trees.
Iskanieri are nomads of the eastern jungles.
Karamed live near the coasts of the western freshwater sea, and are believed to be related to elements of the eastern Kishan Empire. They are tall in stature, usually slim, with dark brown skin and black hair, and are generally nomadic traders in the near west and city-builders in the far west.
Kinet inhabit the mountain ranges to the west of Abascene. They are tall and often strongly built, with smooth brown skin which is said to be thick and tough to protect against the cold and wind. Their hair is usually dark brown and curling and worn loose, and they have white or yellowish tusks to either side of the nose. Their principal city is Keres-gedin, also called The Turning City. They are miners, traders, and builders of tools and machines much prized by the Kish in particular.
Kek mainly live in the forests of the forbidden western reaches, but there are also said to be coastal Kek and desert Kek. They have stick-like limbs, with a fine dusting of fur, often green, and their bodies are narrow and flat. They have round eyes and a round mouth, a narrow nose, on a square-shaped head. They trade in plants and grasses, eat no meat, and are usually safe to approach, though their language is complex and difficult to learn.
Mirani frequent the deep east of the Abascene and the Crescent Coast. They are farmers and herders, with light green skin and light-colored hair. They can be insular, though are usually amiable to traders.
Riverians are travelers and explorers along the Crescent Coast, though their home land is not well known. They have white silky fur and bony head crests, and often engage in trade.
Sericans are nomadic traders who travel in large wooden caravan wagons, through both the plains and mountains of the far and near east, and throughout the lands of Imperial Kish. Their land of origin is unknown, at least to outsiders. They have dark blue skin and straight black hair, and are always safe to approach.
Sipar are the denizens of a far west empire, and are often found some distance from their land of origin. They are tall and slim, and have very pale skin tinged with gray, and black or silver-gray hair. Their heads, limbs, and torsos are long in proportion to their height, and they have high foreheads and elongated features. They are known for their trading networks, and are also builders of gadgets and machines. They are usually safe to approach as individuals or small groups, but their complex systems of government can make travelers to their cities uneasy.
Telethi are nomadic, living primarily on boats and large trading ships, and are found in coastal regions all through the southwest. They are tall and strongly built, with dark gold skin and hair.
Verineish are sealings, living only in saltwater seas. They have green scaled skin and dark green hair of a texture and thickness that resembles water plants. Their hands and feet are webbed and clawed, and they have sharply pointed fins along their arms and legs. They are insular and hard to approach, but not counted as dangerous.
Water Travelers are waterlings, and very dangerous to approach. Though they often engage in coastal trade, they are carrion eaters and are believed by some to feed on unwary groundlings, if the opportunity presents itself. The main body of a Water Traveler appears to be a groundling from the waist up. Below, a root-like mass floats on the water with tentacles and a mouth beneath the surface. Gray horn structures stand up above the water, surrounding and protecting the surface body, growing out of its arms, back, chest, and vestigial legs. Their skin is gray and studded with hard chips of horn-like growths.
About the Author
Martha Wells was born in 1964 in Fort Worth, Texas, and graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.A. in Anthropology. She is the author of fourteen SF/F novels, including The Element of Fire, City of Bones, Wheel of the Infinite, The Wizard Hunters, and the Nebula-nominated The Death of the Necromancer. Forthcoming novels include a YA fantasy, Emilie and the Hollow World, due out in April of 2013, and a second YA fantasy and a Star Wars novel due out in 2014. She has had short stories in Black Gate, Lone Star Stories, Realms of Fantasy, and the anthologies Elemental, Tales of the Emerald Serpent, and The Other Half of the Sky, and essays in the nonfiction anthologies Farscape Forever, Mapping the World of Harry Potter, and Chicks Unravel Time. She also has two Stargate Atlantis media-tie-in novels: Reliquary and Entanglement. Her books have been published in seven languages. She lives in College Station, Texas, with her husband. Her web site is www.marthawells.com.
Contents
Cover
Copyright
The Cloud Roads
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Appendix I
Appendix II
The Serpent Sea
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Appendix I
Appendix II
Appendix III
The Siren Depths
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Appendix I
Appendix II
Appendix III
Appendix IV
About the Author