He tried not to show how much that comment hurt him. “No, precious one. I would never harm a hair on your head.” He lifted her into his arms. “Hold on tight.”
She grabbed his neck. “I’m tired and frightened. Everything feels strange. It feels like electricity in the air, as though a storm is brewing. It’s crawling over my skin.” Her voice sounded wan and confused.
Reg climbed onto the ledge of the building. He had to trust it now; trust that the magic Evie could feel swirling around them, reaching for them, coaxing them, was real. “Hold tight, Evie. I’m taking you home.”
“Home? Where’s home?”
“Penraven, my princess,” he murmured into her hair. And then, holding her tightly, he stepped off the roof.
Glossary
CHARACTERS THE VALISAR REALM
Royalty
King Cormoron: The first Valisar king.
King Brennus the 8th: 8th king of the Valisars.
King Darros the 7th: 7th Valisar king. Father of Brennus.
Queen Iselda: Wife of Brennus. She is the daughter of a Romean prince from Romea in Galinsea. Comes from the line of King Falza.
Prince Leonel (Leo): First-born son of Brennus and Iselda.
Prince Piven: Adopted son of Brennus and Iselda.
The De Vis Family
Legate Regor De Vis: Right-hand of the king. Father to Gavriel and Corbel.
Eril De Vis: Deceased wife of Legate De Vis.
Gavriel (Gav) De Vis: First-born twin brother of Corbel. He is the champion of the Cohort.
Corbel (Corb) De Vis: Twin brother of Gavriel.
Other
Cook Faisal: Male cook of the castle.
Father Briar: The priest of Brighthelm.
Freath: Queen Iselda’s aide and right-hand man.
Genrie: House hold servant.
Greven: Lily’s father. Is a leper.
Hana: Queen Iselda’s maid.
Jynes: The castle librarian (steward).
Lilyan (Lily): Daughter of Greven.
Morkom: Prince Leo’s manservant.
Physic Maser: The queen’s physic.
Sarah Flarty: A girlfriend of Gavriel.
Sesaro: Famous sculptor in Penraven.
Tashi: Sesaro’s daughter.
Tatie: Kitchen hand.
Tilly: Palace servant.
The Penraven Army
Brek: A soldier.
Commander Jobe: Penraven’s army commander.
Captain Drate: Penraven’s army captain.
Del Faren: An archer and traitor.
From outside Penraven, but still in the Set
Alys Kenric: A resident of Vorgaven.
Claudeo: A famous Set paint er.
Corin: Daughter of Clovis.
Danre: Second son of the Vorgaven Royals.
Delly Bartel: Resident of Vorgaven.
Elka: From Davarigon—a giantess.
Jed Roxburgh: Wealthy land own er of Vorgaven.
Leah: Wife of Clovis.
Princess Arrania: A Dregon princess.
Tomas Dole: A boy from Berch.
The Vested
Clovis: A master diviner from Vorgaven.
Eyla: A female Healer.
Hedray: Talks to animals.
Jervyn of Medhaven: Vested.
Kes: A contortionist.
Kirin Felt: Can pry.
Perl: Reads the Runes.
Reuth Maegren: Has visions.
Tolt: Dreams future events.
Torren: Makes things grow.
The Supernatural/Other
Abbess: The head nun of the convent at Lo’s Teeth.
Algin: Giant of Set myth.
Aludane: A Steppes god.
Cyrena: Goddess. The serpent denoted on the Penraven family crest.
Deren—a baker from Green Herbery.
Quirin (Quirin Vervine): Deaf, blind and mute seer. Also referred to as the “Mother” of the convent in Lo’s Teeth.
Ravan: Also known as Vyk, the Raven.
Roddy—a young boy, saved by and drawn to Piven.
Sergius: A minion of Cyrena.
Tod—one of Roddy’s friends in Green Herbery.
Wikken Shorgan: The younger of only two wikken left alive in the Set. He can “smell” magic.
The Highwaymen
Jewd: Friend to Kilt Faris.
Kilt Faris: Highwayman, renegade.
Tern: One of Kilt’s men.
Coder
Dorv
Outside the Sets
Emperor Luc: Emperor of Galinsea.
King Falza: Past king of Galinsea.
Zar Azal: Ruler of Percheron.
Loethar and his followers
Barc: A young soldier.
Belush: A Drevin soldier.
Bleuth: A soldier.
Brimen: A soldier at Woodingdene.
Dara Negev: Loethar’s mother.
Darly: A soldier.
Farn: A Mear soldier.
Fren: A page who spies for Valya.
(Captain) Ison: A soldier.
Jib: A soldier.
Loethar: Tribal warlord.
Roland: A servant in Dara Negev’s retinue.
Ronder: A soldier at Woodingdene; close to Stracker.
Shev: A soldier at Woodingdene.
Steppes (Plains) People: From the Likurian Steppes. Known as Barbarians.
(Lady) Valya of Droste: Loethar’s wife.
Vulpan: A Vested working for Loethar whose talent is “cataloguing” and tracking people by knowing the taste of their blood.
Stracker: Loethar’s right-hand man and half brother.
Vash: A soldier.
Vyk: Loethar’s raven.
MAGIC
Aegis: Possesses the ability to champion with magic. Is bound to a person by the power of trammeling.
Binder or Binding: The person who binds himself to an Aegis.
Blood Diviner: A reader of blood.
Diviner: Gives impressions and foretells the future.
Dribbling: A small push of prying magic.
Prying: Entering another’s mind.
Reading the Runes: Ability to foretell the future using stones.
The Valisar Enchantment: Powerful magic of coercion peculiar to the Valisar line.
Trammeling: Awakening an Aegis’ power.
Trickling: Low level magic.
HEALING PRODUCTS
Willow sap, Comfrey balm (for pain)
Clirren leaves (powerful infection fighter)
Crushed peonies (for pain)
Henbane (for pain)
White lichen (used for dressing wounds)
Dock leaves (soothes itching skin)
Bermine: A painkiller
THE DENOVA SET
The seven realms are sovereign states, self governed with a king as head.
Barronel
Cremond
Dregon
Gormand
Medhaven
Penraven
Vorgaven
The Hand: The continent that the Denova Set sits on.
Cities/towns within the Set
Berch: Close to Brighthelm. Home of the Dole family.
Brighthelm: The city stronghold (castle) and capital of Penraven.
Buckden Abbey: Religious place South of Brighthelm.
Camlet
Caralinga
Davarigon
Deloran Forest: The Great Forest.
Devden
Dragonsback Mountains: They separate Penraven from Barronel.
Droste: A realm not part of the Set.
Francham
Garun Cliffs: Where chalk is mined.
Green Herbery
Hell’s Gate
Hurtle
Lo’s Teeth: Mountain range in Droste.
Merrivale: Where shipbuilding is renowned.
Minton Woodlet
Overdene
Port Killen
Rhum Caves: Caves found in the hills outside of Brighthelm.
Skar
dlag: Where the famous Weaven timber comes from.
Tooley
Vegero Hills: In the realm of Barronel. Famed for the marble quarried in its hills.
Woodingdene
Places outside the Set
Briavel.
Galinsea: A neighboring country.
Lindaran: The great southern land mass.
Likurian Steppes (or Steppes): Treeless plains. Home to Loethar and his tribes.
Morgravia.
Percheron: A faraway country.
Romea: Capital of Galinsea.
Tallinor.
MONEY
Throughout the Sets: Trents
MEASUREMENTS
Span: 1000 strides or 2000 double steps.
Half-span: 500 strides or 1000 double steps.
WORD GLOSSARY
Academy of Learning: At Cremond. It is the seat of learning for all of the Denova Set.
Anni: A year.
Aspenberry: Used to distil Kern liquor.
Asprey reeds: Used for support inside leather bladder balls.
Blossomtide/Blossom: Spring
Blow: Winter.
Branstone: A very special silver colored stone with sparkling silver flecks.
Chest: Coffin.
Cloudberries: Forest berries.
Cohort: A group of youngsters trained to be elite sword fighters.
Crabnuts: Grow wild in the forests. They are a sweet nut, purplish in color.
Dara: Word for “king’s mother” in Steppe language.
Darrasha Bushes: Planted around the castle of Brighthelm.
dinch: A hot beverage.
Elleputian: A Davarigon mountain horse.
Faeroe: A handcrafted sword that belonged to King Cormoron.
Fan-tailed farla hen: A bright colored bird with a fan-tail.
ferago: A mountain herb.
flaxwood: A type of wood used for cooking.
Freeze: Late winter.
golasses vines: Grown in Penraven’s South, its dense dark wine favored by the barbarians.
Harvest: Late autumn.
Ingress: Secret passages within the Brighthelm castle.
Kellet: A spicy fragrant herb that can be chewed.
Kern: The local and notorious fiery liquor of Penraven’s North.
Lackmarin: Place where the Stone of truth lies.
Leaf-fall: Early autumn.
Leaf of the Cherrel: Chewed as a breath freshener.
leem: A mountain herb
Lo: Set god.
Lo’s Fury: An alcoholic beverage
Oil of Miramel: Exotic essence.
osh: Slabs of roasted meat cooked a particular way.
peregum: A mountain herb.
Roeberries: Wild berries growing in forests. They are blood red.
Rough: A very strong alcoholic beverage.
saramac fungus: A woodland toadstool used in healing.
shakken: A wild Steppes animal.
Shaman: Spiritual healer.
Sheeca Shell: Found on the local beaches.
Shubo: In Steppes language it means second.
starren: A six-legged chameleon-like reptile.
Stone of Truth: This truth stone is at Lackmarin. All Valisar Kings must take the oath at this stone.
Strenic: A poisonous herb growing wild on the Steppes.
Summertide: Summer.
Tatua: Tattoos on the face, shoulders and arms.
Thaw: Spring.
The Masked: Magic users of the barbarian horde.
The Vested: Magics users of the Set.
Thaumaturges: Miracle weavers.
Thaumaturgy: The study of the craft of miracle weaving.
toka: A mountain herb.
Weaven Timber: From Skardlag. It is scarce.
Wikken: A tribal seer.
Wych Elder Tree: Used for woodworking.
Acknowledgments
Hello readers…I was nervous about throwing readers into a contemporary world for the opening chapter but it felt right…and I have learned to trust my instincts. I admit to being surprised by where the story has gone, and, as a victim of my own freefalling style of writing, I couldn’t foresee where two of the characters in particular would find themselves by the close of Tyrant. Good grief, how did that happen? I do hope you enjoy it.
All the usual suspects have my thanks but especially the “Latte Gang,” who helped get me through a torrid period as I worked on this and other books whilst guiding and cajoling twins through their all important Year 12. Our Friday mornings at Caffe Buongiorno’s kept me sane through 2008. Here’s cheers to Pip Klimentou, Sonya Caddy, Marianne D’Arrigo, Margo Burns, Michelle King, and Willa Michel-more especially.
I’m grateful to all the members at my bulletin board who visit regularly, especially Phil Reed in Florida and Steve Hubbard from Minnesota.
A nod to all the fantasy booksellers around the U.S. who continue to handsell sf with such energy—thank you for making my novels part of your day.
The team at Eos continues to do a sterling job in helping to make my books be the best they can, and I’m especially grateful to my editor, Kate Nintzel, for her involvement.
Having the time and peace to write requires a very understanding family, and mine deserves a gold star. Love and thanks once again to Will, Jack, and especially to Ian.
About the Author
FIONA MCINTOSH was raised in the UK but left London to explore the world and found herself in Australia, where she fell in love with the country and one person in particular. She has since roamed the planet for her work in the travel industry but has settled down to full-time writing, continuing to draw on her traveling experiences for her stories. McIntosh lives with her husband and teenage sons, splitting her time between city life in South Australia and the wilderness of Tasmania.
You can find out more information about Fiona, e-mail her, or chat with her on her bulletin board via her website, www.fionamcintosh.com.
Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.
“A bold new voice in high fantasy.”
Lynn Flewelling, author of The Hidden Warrior
FIONA MCINTOSH
“First rate.”
Publishers Weekly
“McIntosh is set…to assume the mantle of the late David Gemmell.”
Canberra Times (Australia)
“Fiona McIntosh is a street-smart enchantress…[who] knows who her readers are and what they want: thrilling, fast-paced reads.”
Sydney Sun Herald (Australia)
“If you are tired of plodding trilogies in which little seems to happen, [her] books are definitely for you.”
Robin Hobb
Praise for THE VALISAR TRILOGY
“The pressure is enormous for fantasy writers to become more imaginative and more sophisticated with each book. Which is why I admire…Fiona McIntosh. Marking out a complex kingdom called Penraven, McIntosh has cast it with heroic, legendary rulers…. [Her] voice…is assured and a plea sure to read.”
Tyrant’s Blood Page 49