Dark Shores

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by Danielle L. Jensen


  Aracam: Ancient Arinoquian fortress city; Urcon’s stronghold

  Arinoquia: Kingdom on the southern continent of the Dark Shores

  Ashok: One of the corrupted

  Atlia: Province in the Empire

  Avitius: Legionnaire in the Thirty-Seventh Legion; one of Teriana’s regular gambling companions

  Bait: God-marked sailor on the Quincense; Teriana’s friend

  Bardeen: Province in the Empire

  Basilius: A senator running for consul

  Campus Lescendor: Training school for the Empire’s legions

  Caradoc: God-marked healer

  Cassius, Lucius: A senator running for consul

  Castrick: Captain of a Maarin ship sunk by the Cel navy

  Cel: Language of Celendor

  Celendor: Ruling nation of the Empire

  Celendorian dragon: Symbol of the Empire; also the name of Celendor’s gold coins

  Celendrial: Capital city of Celendor

  centurion: A mid-level officer in a legion who is in command of approximately one hundred legionnaires

  Chersome: Newly conquered province of the Empire

  child tithes: Law within the Empire requiring all second-born sons to be surrendered to legionnaire training at age seven

  consul: Highest elected political office in the Celendor Empire

  Cordelia: Marcus’s older sister

  Corrupter, the: see Seventh, the

  Curia, the: Meeting house of the Senate

  Derin: Kingdom on the Northern Continent of the Dark Shores known to be controlled by the Seventh God

  Domitius, Gaius: Marcus’s younger brother

  Domitius, Senator: Marcus’s father

  domus: Freestanding home occupied by the upper classes of Celendor

  Empire, the: Celendor and its provinces

  Endless Seas, the: Seas dividing the Empire (Eastern Hemisphere) from the Dark Shores (Western Hemisphere)

  Ereni: Imperatrix of an Arinoquian clan

  Falorn, High Lady Dareena: God-marked warrior; High Lady of one of the Twelve Houses of Mudamora

  Felix: Tribunus of the Thirty-Seventh Legion; Marcus’s best friend

  Flacre: An influential Arinoquian

  Forum, the: A plaza surrounded by important political buildings at the center of Celendrial

  Galinha: Small fortress city in Arinoquia

  Gamdesh: Most powerful kingdom on the Southern Continent of the Dark Shores

  Gespurn: God of the elements

  Gibzen: Primus, centurion born in Timia, taught Cel language by Marcus at Campus Lescendor, one of Marcus’s staunchest defenders

  gladius: Sword used by the legionnaires

  god mark: Powers gifted to individuals by a god; each god bestows different god marks

  greater ocean path: Xenthier stems rising from the ocean floor that the Maarin use to cross the Endless Seas

  Hegeria: Goddess of body and spirit

  herbarius: A Cel term for an individual knowledgeable in the art of plants; the term Teriana assigns to god-marked healers in the Dark Shores to hide their true nature

  Hill, the: Large hill in Celendrial where patrician homes are located; the most influential families have homes on the top of the hill, overlooking the sea

  Illria: Murdered Maarin sailor

  imperator: A Cel term for a commander who is also a leader of a people; Teriana uses this term when translating the Arinoquian word for the leaders of the clans

  insulae: Four- or five-story apartment-style buildings in Celendor; occupied by the poorer classes

  Jax: Sailor on the Quincense

  Katamarca: Kingdom on the Southern Continent of the Dark Shores

  legatus: Highest-ranking officer in a Cel legion

  legionnaire: A soldier in a legion

  Lern: God of the beasts

  Lydia Valerius: Foster daughter of Senator Valerius; Teriana’s best friend

  Maarin, the: Seafaring race of people

  Madoria: Goddess of the seas

  Magnius: the Quincense’s sea serpent guardian; demigod and scion of Madoria

  Marcus Domitius: Legatus of the Thirty-Seventh Legion

  Miki: Legionnaire in the Thirty-Seventh Legion; Teriana’s bodyguard

  Mudamora: Kingdom on the Northern Continent of the Dark Shores

  Mudamorian: Language of Mudamora; also the first language of the Maarin; in the Empire, the language is known as Trader’s Tongue

  patrician: Highest class within Celendor; each of the patrician families holds a seat on the Empire’s Senate

  peregrini: Individuals hailing from the Empire’s provinces

  Phera: Province in the Empire

  plebeian: Common Celendorian citizens

  Polin: Cook on the Quincense; like an uncle to Teriana

  praefectus: Third-highest-ranking officer in a legion; individual in charge of equipment and provisions

  primus: Most senior of a legion’s centurions

  province: Nation that has been conquered by Celendor and is now considered part of the Empire

  Quincense, the: Teriana’s ship

  Quintus: Legionnaire in the Thirty-Seventh Legion; Teriana’s bodyguard

  Reath: Name of the planet

  Revat: Capital city of Gamdesh

  rostrum: Raised platform

  Savio, the river: Large river running through Celendrial

  Sea of the Dead: Region of the Endless Seas made impassable due to its doldrums

  senator: A member of the Empire’s Senate; all senators are individuals from patrician families

  Servius: Praefectus of the Thirty-Seventh Legion; Marcus’s friend

  Seventh, the: Dark god known as the Corrupter

  Sibal: Province in the Empire

  Sibalines: Mountain range in province of Sibal

  Sibern: Province in the far north of the Empire

  Six, the: The gods worshipped in the Dark Shores: Madoria, Yara, Tremon, Gespurn, Lern, and Hegeria

  Taltuga: Maarin islands of the southwest coast of Mudamora

  Teriana: Second mate of the Quincense; heir to the role of Triumvir of the Maarin Trade Consortium

  Tesya: Captain of the Quincense and Triumvir of the Maarin Trade Consortium; Teriana’s mother

  Titus: Legatus of the Forty-First Legion; Lucius Cassius’s son.

  Treatise of the Seven: Book describing the gods of the west, along with the exploits of those individuals they have marked with powers

  Tremon: God of war

  tribunus: Second-highest-ranking officer of a legion

  Triumvir: One of three individuals who govern the Maarin Trade Consortium

  Twelve Houses of Mudamora: The ruling houses of the Kingdom of Mudamora

  Uncharted Lands: Mysterious region in the center of the Southern Continent of the Dark Shores

  Urcon: Imperator of an Arinoquian clan who has set himself up as a false king

  Valerius, Senator: Prior consul; Lydia’s foster father

  Vibius: Senator Valerius’s nephew

  xenthier: Crystal veins (paths) running across Reath that instantaneously transport anyone or anything that touches the genesis stem to the terminus stem (one-directional). In the Empire, mapped paths are those where both the genesis and terminus locations are known. There are many unmapped stems scattered across the Empire where the location of the reciprocating genesis or terminus is unknown. Path hunters are the individuals who attempt to discover the terminus of known genesis stems. Path hunting is dangerous, but the Senate provides lucrative rewards to those who successfully map a path. As yet, there have been no land-based paths mapped between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres of Reath. For ocean-based xenthier, see greater ocean paths.

  Yara: Goddess of the earth

  Yedda: Sailor on the Quincense; Teriana’s aunt

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  All of my novels have demanded the support of an incredible number of people to take them from a tiny idea floating in my head to a book on the s
helves. In the case of Dark Shores, it took a whole legion of supporters. I began writing in the Dark Shores world back in 2007, and the first novel to emerge from my efforts also happened to be the first novel I’d ever completed. It was terrible, but I was proud enough of it that I set my sights on publication, not realizing, in my naivete, what a long and uphill battle that would be. At that point, I was still working in the corporate world, and my supporters were not fellow writers, but my family, my coworkers, and my friends, many of who enthusiastically read early drafts or excerpts and cheered on my ambition. To that end, I owe a great debt to Christina Carnovale, Donna Healey, Carter Evans, Kevin Henderson, and Stephanie Wong. The Dark Shores you’re holding now doesn’t much resemble that first attempt at a novel, but it would never have reached this point without your early support.

  I ended up burying that first novel in my desk drawer, focusing on other projects and honing my craft, though it took many years and several novels until I finally landed that first book deal. But I could never quite let Dark Shores go. The characters and the world had a hold on my soul in a way none of my other books ever had, and time and again I’d open up the manuscript file, writing and rewriting iteration after iteration, but never quite meeting the standards of what I needed this novel to be. I was the only one who read those versions, but the individuals who supported my burgeoning writing career over those long years must be mentioned. The hugest of thanks to Bob and Brenda Barrett, Brandi Boothman, Lindsay Bosnak, Steff and Kris Carlson, Mike Davis, Caroline Diep, Krista Dumonceau, Sandy Duncan, Carter Evans, Courtney Fellows, Shannon Gallagher, Jessica Gallagher, Jason Hale, Kris and Kali Hauser, Donna and Brad Healey, Cheryl Heskett, Kelvin Huppie, Katie Hussynec, Joe and Nancy Jensen, Myron and Joy Kirik, Christine Kups, Kelsey Moskal, Meaghan Müller, Don and Sheila Penry, Doug and Edith Phillips, Isabel Robles, Sunme Scott, Brenda Sears, Stephanie Wong, Carleen and Joel Woodfin, and Gena Wozimirsky.

  To my wordsister Elise Kova, thank you for always being an inspiration, especially when it comes to productivity. To Adam Dreece, Suzy Vadori, and Avery Olive, there are no words for the importance of having fellow author friends within easy reach.

  Huge thanks to my friend, beta reader, and superfan Melissa Robles for reading countless drafts, being my sounding board on plot tangles, and picking up my slack on social media. I’d be lost without you.

  To Kate Couresy, who edited an early (and very long) draft, thank you finding places to tighten the plot—you are awesome! I also owe a debt of gratitude to Renee Harleston for her insight, wisdom, and keen editorial eye. Dark Shores is better for your involvement than it ever could’ve been without—thank you!

  Thank you to the team at Tor Teen for giving Dark Shores such an amazing home. I have so much gratitude to my fabulous editor Melissa Frain for loving my characters and helping me make them their best selves. Thanks to Whitney Ross for putting my novel in Melissa’s hands, to Barbara Wild for finding all my little mistakes, and to Zohra Ashpari for the work you do behind the scenes.

  To Tamar Rydzinski, my amazing agent, I could write a hundred pages and never quite come close to expressing how much I value your support and friendship. You didn’t blink (at least that I saw!) when I sent that first behemoth of a draft your direction. You kept your faith that we’d find it a good home when I was convinced it would never happen, and I will never stop thanking you for how hard you fought for this novel. As always, I’m grateful to Laura Dail for her support, as well to Samantha Fabien for her help with the manuscript.

  To my other half, Spencer, my endless gratitude for your endless encouragement. There aren’t many people who would support their partner working for so many years on something that might never pay off, but you never once told me to quit. That matters more than you can ever know. To my little girls, I know having an author for a mom isn’t always easy, but you two own my heart and everything I do is for you. To Pat, thanks for being the best mother-in-law a girl could ask for. I’d never make a single deadline if it wasn’t for all the help and love you give my family.

  To my brother, Nick, and to my parents, Carol and Steve, you three know Dark Shores and all the struggles that have come along with it better than anyone. Nick, thanks for supplying me with endless tidbits of military knowledge, even if it nearly resulted in my legions fighting with sporks! Mom, thanks for learning everything you could about publishing so that I’d have someone who understood the craziness that is this business and for pulling me back from the endless breakdowns my chosen career has caused. I hope I’m half as good a mother to my kids as you’ve been to me. Dad, there are days I feel like this novel is as much yours as it is mine. We’ve come a long way from the days where you were correcting comma splices, but you’ve never stopped being an incredible support and resource, my own living encyclopedia. I know I’m often more concerned with making a scene exciting than whether what I’m writing is actually … ahh … possible. Thanks for keeping the worst of my mistakes from the public eye, and for forgiving my occasional need to put plot before physics. This book is for you.

  To my readers who have been with me from the beginning and to those who have joined me along the way, thank you so much for your support. I hope you love Marcus and Teriana just as much as I do.

  ALSO BY DANIELLE L. JENSEN

  THE MALEDICTION TRILOGY

  Stolen Songbird

  Hidden Huntress

  Warrior Witch

  The Broken Ones (prequel)

  The Bridge Kingdom

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  DANIELLE L. JENSEN was born and raised in Calgary, Canada. She graduated from the University of Calgary with a bachelor’s degree in finance, then went back to school to complete an English literature degree at Mount Royal University. She is the USA Today bestselling author of the Malediction trilogy: Stolen Songbird, Hidden Huntress, and Warrior Witch. You can sign up for email updates here.

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  CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Dedication

  1. Teriana

  2. Teriana

  3. Marcus

  4. Teriana

  5. Marcus

  6. Teriana

  7. Teriana

  8. Marcus

  9. Teriana

  10. Teriana

  11. Teriana

  12. Marcus

  13. Teriana

  14. Marcus

  15. Teriana

  16. Marcus

  17. Teriana

  18. Teriana

  19. Teriana

  20. Teriana

  21. Marcus

  22. Marcus

  23. Marcus

  24. Teriana

  25. Teriana

  26. Marcus

  27. Teriana

  28. Marcus

  29. Teriana

  30. Marcus

  31. Teriana

  32. Teriana

  33. Teriana

  34. Teriana

  35. Teriana

  36. Teriana

  37. Marcus

  38. Teriana

  39. Teriana

  40. Marcus

  41. Teriana

  42. Marcus

  43. Teriana

  44. Marcus

  45. Teriana

  46. Marcus

  47. Teriana

  Glossary

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Danielle L. Jensen

  About the Author

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.


  DARK SHORES

  Copyright © 2019 by Danielle L. Jensen

  All rights reserved.

  Cover art by Billelis

  A Tor Teen Book

  Published by Tom Doherty Associates

  175 Fifth Avenue

  New York, NY 10010

  www.tor-forge.com

  Tor® is a registered trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.

  The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

  ISBN 978-1-250-31772-8 (hardcover)

  ISBN 978-1-250-31771-1 (ebook)

  eISBN 9781250317711

  Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at [email protected].

  First Edition: May 2019

 

 

 


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