The smells of sickness and medicines.
His stomach sank, but not at the presence of so many sick people. Instead, it was at the realisation that the Traitors had found the best way to avenge themselves on him for his father’s betrayal. And to test his own resolve to teach them Healing only if they gave something equally important in return.
“This is the Care Room,” Kalia told him. “You’ll be working for me from now on.”
GLOSSARY
ANIMALS
aga moths – pests that eat clothing
anyi – sea mammals with short spines
ceryni – small rodent
enka – horned domestic animal, bred for meat
eyoma – sea leeches
faren – general term for arachnids
gorin – large domestic animal used for food and to haul boats and wagons
harrel – small domestic animal bred for meat
inava – insect believed to bestow good luck
limek – wild predatory dog
mullook – wild nocturnal bird
quannea – rare shells
rassook – domestic bird used formeat and feathers
ravi – rodent, larger than ceryni
reber – domestic animal, bred for wool and meat
sapfly – woodland insect
sevli – poisonous lizard
squimp – squirrel-like creature that steals food
yeel – small domesticated breed of limek used for tracking
zill – small, intelligent mammal sometimes kept as a pet
PLANTS/FOOD
anivope vine – plant sensitive to mental projection
bellspice – spice grown in Sachaka
bol – (also means “river scum’) strong liquor made from tugors
brasi – green leafy vegetable with small buds
briskbark – bark with decongestant properties
cabbas – hollow, bell-shaped vegetable
chebol sauce – rich meat sauce made from bol
cone cakes – bite-sized cakes
creamflower – flower used as a soporific
crots – large, purple beans
curem – smooth, nutty spice
curren – coarse grain with robust flavour
dall – long fruit with tart orange, seedy flesh
dunda – root chewed as a stimulating drug
gan-gan – flowering bush from Lan
husroot – herb used for cleansing wounds
iker – stimulating drug, reputed to have aphrodisiac properties
jerras – long yellow beans
kreppa – foul-smelling medicinal herb
marin – red citrus fruit
monyo – bulb
myk – mind-affecting drug
nalar – pungent root
nemmin – sleep-inducing drug
nightwood – hardwood timber
pachi – crisp, sweet fruit
papea – pepper-like spice
piorres – small, bell-shaped fruit
raka/suka – stimulating drink made from roasted beans, originally from Sachaka
shem – edible reed-like plant
sumi – bitter drink
sweetdrops – candies
telk – seed from which an oil is extracted
tenn – grain that can be cooked as is, broken into small pieces, or ground to make a flour
tiro – edible nuts
tugor – parsnip-like root
ukkas – carnivorous plants
vare – berries from which most wine is produced
whitewater – pure spirits made from tugors
yellowseed – crop grown in Sachaka
CLOTHING AND WEAPONRY
incal – square symbol, not unlike a family shield, sewn onto sleeve or cuff
quan – tiny disc-shaped beads made of shell
undershift – Kyralian women’s undergarment
vyer – stringed instrument from Elyne
COUNTRIES/PEOPLES IN THE REGION
Duna – tribes who live in volcanic desert north of Sachaka
Elyne – neighbour to Kyralia and Sachaka and once ruled by Sachaka
Kyralia – neighbour to Elyne and Sachaka and once ruled by Sachaka
Lan – a mountainous land peopled by warrior tribes
Lonmar – a desert land home to the strict Mahga religion
Sachaka – home of the once great Sachakan Empire, where all but the most powerful are slaves
Vin – an island nation known for their seamanship
TITLES/POSITIONS
Apprentice – Kyralian magician under training, and who has not been taught higher magic yet
Ashaki – Sachakan landowner
Ichani – Sachakan free man or woman who has been declared outcast
Lady – wife of a Kyralian landowner
Lord – Kyralian landowner, either of a ley or a city House, or their heir
Magician – Kyralian higher magician (“Lord” used instead if magi-cian is a landowner)
Master – free Sachakan
Village/Town Master – commoner in charge of a rural community (answers to the ley’s lord)
OTHER TERMS
the approach – main corridor to the master’s room in Sachakan houses
blood gem – artificial gemstone that allows maker to hear the thoughts of wearer
earthblood – term the Duna tribes use for lava
kyrima – a game played by magicians to teach and practise strategic skills in battle
master’s room – main room in Sachakan houses for greeting guests
slavehouse – part of Sachakan homes where the slaves live andwork
slavespot – sexually transmitted disease
storestone – gemstone that can store magic
Lord Dannyl’s Guide to Slum Slang
blood money – payment for assassination
boot – refuse/refusal (don’t boot us)
capper – man who frequents brothels
clicked – occurred
client – person who has an obligation or agreement with a Thief
counter – whore
done – murdered
dull – persuade to keep silent
dunghead – fool
dwells – term used to describe slum dwellers
eye – keep watch
fired – angry (got fired about it)
fish – propose/ask/look for (also someone fleeing the Guard)
gauntlet – guard who is bribeable or in the control of a Thief
goldmine – man who prefers boys
good go – a reasonable try
got – caught
grandmother – pimp
gutter – dealer in stolen goods
hai – a call for attention or expression of surprise or inquiry
heavies – important people
kin – a Thief’s closest and most trusted
knife – assassin/hired killer
messenger – thug who delivers or carries out a threat
mind – hide (minds his business/I’ll mind that for you)
mug – mouth (as in vessel for bol)
out for – looking for
pick – recognise/understand
punt – smuggler
right-sided – trustworthy/heart in the right place
rope – freedom
rub – trouble (got into some rub over it)
shine – attraction (got a shine for him)
show – introduce
space – allowances/permission
squimp – someone who double-crosses the Thieves
style – manner of performing busi-ness
tag – recognise (also means a spy, usually undercover)
thief – leader of a criminal group
watcher – posted to observe something or someone
wild – difficult
visitor – burglar
LORD DANNYL’S GUIDE TO SLUM SLANG
blood money – payment for ass
assination
boot – refuse/refusal (don’t boot us)
capper – man who frequents brothels
clicked – occurred
client – person who has an obligation or agreement with a Thief
counter – whore
done – murdered
dull – persuade to keep silent
dunghead – fool
dwells – term used to describe slum dwellers
eye – keep watch
fired – angry (got fired about it)
fish – propose/ask/look for (also someone fleeing the Guard)
gauntlet – guard who is bribeable or in the control of a Thief
goldmine – man who prefers boys
good go – a reasonable try
got – caught
grandmother – pimp
gutter – dealer in stolen goods
hai – a call for attention or expression of surprise or inquiry
heavies – important people
kin – a Thief’s closest and most trusted
knife – assassin/hired killer
messenger – thug who delivers or carries out a threat
mind – hide (minds his business/I’ll mind that for you)
mug – mouth (as in vessel for bol)
out for – looking for
pick – recognise/understand
punt – smuggler
right-sided – trustworthy/heart in the right place
rope – freedom
rub – trouble (got into some rub over it)
shine – attraction (got a shine for him)
show – introduce
space – allowances/permission
squimp – someone who double-crosses the Thieves
style – manner of performing busi-ness
tag – recognise (also means a spy, usually undercover)
thief – leader of a criminal group
watcher – posted to observe something or someone
wild – difficult
visitor – burglar
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The writing of this book was blissfully free of the stresses and distractions that made the previous one so difficult to complete, and so these acknowledgements are short and sweet.
Thanks to Paul.
A big cheer to the Orbit team, especially Darren Nash and Joanna Kramer, who have always been patient and delightful to work with even during times of frustrating technical glitches. An extra nod of appreciation to the local Orbit team and especially Adele, Amy, Linda and Todd, who took me on signing tours of bookshops in their respective Aussie cities and were such great company.
A special thanks to Marianne de Pierres for launching The Magician’s Apprentice with style, and statistics even I was amazed to hear.
Thanks, as always, to Fran and Liz, and all the agents around the world, doing the hard part for me.
And the feedback readers: Donna, Nicole, Jenny, Mum and Dad.
Finally, as always, to the readers. May you never run out of good books to read.
The Ambassador’s Mission: Book One of the Traitor Spy Trilogy Page 44