Morrigan

by Jonathan King

  Dearg-Due (DAH-ruh-guh-DOO-ah) – A vampire, returned from the dead after being held captive and abused by her husband. She sucks blood from anyone but takes a special delight in seducing and draining men. Her voice has siren-like properties that cloud men’s minds.

  Dullahan (DUH-la-hahn) – A headless horseman and an omen of death. It wields a whip made from a human spine and carries its head in a box. Every time it rides, it speaks one name. If it says your name, you’ll die soon after. It is deathly afraid of gold.

  Dagda Mor (DIE-da MOR) – The chieftain of the Celtic gods, now missing. He had many artifacts to help him on his adventures, one of which was his club. One end dealt death, while the other gave life.

  Diangalach (DEE-an-gah-lahk) – A physician of the Tuatha, now deceased.

  Eriu (AIR-ee-oo) – Patron goddess of Ireland, currently missing.

  Errimas (AIR-ih-mahs) – Morrigan’s mother, now deceased.

  Fand (FAHN) – Mac’s wife.

  Fethnaid (FAY-nid) – A musician of the Tuatha, now deceased.

  Finnegas (FIN-eh-guhs) – A poet who devoted himself to catching and eating the Salmon of Knowledge.

  Fomorians (fo-MORE-ee-ans) – Monstrous giants and enemies of the Tuatha.

  Fragarach (FRAH-ga-rock) – Mac’s sword and lie detector. When it’s at your throat, you have to answer, and you can only speak the truth.

  Keres (KIR-ehs) – Female death spirits from Greek mythology. They were associated with a violent death, especially murder or death in battle.

  Manannán mac Lir (mah-nah-NAHN mac LEER) – God of the sea, foster father, and inventor.

  Miach (MEE-ack) – The son of a Tuatha physician, now deceased. He was an even better doctor than his father, making King Nuada a new arm of flesh. His father got so jealous that he killed his own son.

  Niamh (NEE-av) – Mac’s daughter, best known for her golden hair.

  Nuada Argetlam (NOO-ah-da AR-get-lahv) – Former king of the Tuatha, now deceased. He lost his right to rule when he lost his arm and replaced it with a silver arm.

  Loch Lugborta (LOK loo-BORE-tah) – An Irish lake in which Lugh was drowned.

  Lough Derg (LAH-oo DERG) – An Irish lake that is also a gateway to Hell.

  Lugh (LOO) – Mac’s foster son, now deceased. He was a god of light, skilled with the spear and sling, and a jack of all trades.

  Red Cap – A Scottish fairy, a bloodthirsty gnome with iron talons and a hat drenched in blood. They drink human blood. The only way to kill them is by reciting Scripture.

  Ruadan (ROO-a-dahn) – Brigid’s son, now deceased.

  Salmon of Knowledge – A salmon who ate hazelnuts from nine trees of knowledge and now knows everything. She was eaten by Finn McCool.

  Samhain (SAM-hane) – A pagan festival celebrating the end of fall and the beginning of winter, during which the walls between our world and the world of the dead are the thinnest. It falls on October 31.

  Shamgar (SHAM-gar) – An Israelite judge who killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad.

  Sluagh Sidhe (SLOO-ah SHEE) – Also known as the Wild Hunt, a mob of condemned souls who wander the earth and steal the souls of the living to add to their ranks. A closed door will keep them out.

  Tuatha de Danann (TOO-ah de DAHN-ahn) – The gods of Ireland.

  Valkyries (VAL-kih-rees) – Female death spirits from Norse mythology. They choose those slain in battle.

  Acknowledgments

  Years ago, as a young boy, I picked out two books from a Lifeway Christian bookstore, read through them in a blur, and got hooked on the series. I wanted to be just like the main character, fellow blond-haired bespectacled nerd Wally McDoogle, and while I never managed the full body cast thing, I did develop his passion for writing superhero stories (and myths are, after all, the first superhero stories). To the author of those books, Bill Myers, I owe my whole career. He turned my creativity and imagination down the path of writing and made this book and every other book I will write possible. Thank you so much, Bill.

  I owe an equal debt to my family—my father, mother, grandmother, wife, and everyone else who encouraged me, supported me, and nurtured my love of stories. I’ll never be able to express how truly blessed I am to have such a wonderful, loving family—it’s too rare in this world, and I’ll treasure it always.

  Too many people to name helped bring this specific book to life, but I’ll try to name as many as I can anyway. Dozens of people volunteered to be beta readers, and I thank you all, with special thanks to Kyle Robert Shultz, C.L. Ogilvie, Janine Batiste, Emily Scoggin, Emily Mundell, Taylor Anderson, Chelsea Davenport, and Corinn David. Briana Morgan edited the final draft and graciously pointed out every misuse of past progressive tense, and trust me, there were a lot. Sharlee Linder created beautiful character portraits that let me really see my creations for the first time. James T. Egan put together a wonderful cover. And of course, the writing community at large has been an invaluable source of knowledge and encouragement, through YouTube, blog posts, social media, and NaNoWriMo.

  About the Author

  Award-winning author Jonathan King has been writing about the fantastic and the impossible since he was seven years old. His favorite thing to do is take our mundane world, drop some weirdness into the mix, and see what happens. Jonathan lives in Greenville, South Carolina with his wife and two cat children. Visit his website at jonathankingauthor.com.