“How dare you threaten me, you little-”
“Maeve,” the man named Valance said, resting a hand on her shoulder. Everyone watched. Everyone. “Let it go.”
“It’s alright, Valance,” Kaleo smirked. “Aeron will need a strong General when he’s well. Until he is, someone else needs to rule in his stead and keep things moving. It’s past time for such a thing to be appointed, don’t you think?”
“Don’t,” Maeve warned, her eyes filling with tears as she was torn down in front of everyone she’d tried so desperately to protect. Serai could see it in her face - shame, anger, fear. Serai sighed, reaching over to put a hand on Kaleo’s shoulder. He looked at her, rage clear on his young features and eventually relented.
“I think we’ll take care of Aeron on our own,” Kaleo said, turning away from the tirsai woman. “Liam - follow me. Navid.”
Serai grinned, proud of Kaleo’s self control. She shared that pride with the tirsai woman and followed Kaleo back to Yira’s Grove, to a small nook of wild flowers and entwined trees that made a natural alcove where Reven and Aeron could rest. They tied the demon-olve to a tree and set a ward around the entire grove. A line had been drawn in the proverbial sand. Some hours later, when everyone was settled and calm, the first of the olven refugees began to filter into the Grove.
A very hard line had been drawn.
Character Lexicon
Cartha (formerly known as the Phoenix Empire):
Daemodan (Dragon-born) - Scientist. Son of the Red. Creator of the Corrupted Speakers. Elder brother to Madhavi.
Danyel Illurian/Roth (Tirsai olve; Corrupted) - Former High Lord Speaker of the Phoenix Empire (to Sofia).
Aero/Phier - Roth’s audeas (Phoenix).
Jaysen Daws (tywyill olve; Corrupted) - Corrupted Speaker to Eris. Friend to Kaleo.
Tanis - Jaysen’s audeas (Chimera).
Madhavi (Dragon-born) - Dream walker. Daughter of the Red. Younger sister to Daemodan, twin sister to Cavian.
Mikhael Dyalov/Prizrak (Human; Kormandi; Corrupted) - Former prince of Kormaine; Corrupted Speaker to Ana. Uncle to Demyan. Elder brother to Nadya.
Bowan/Smert - Prizrak’s audeas (Snow-owl gryphon).
Xandrix DuAnduin (Tywyll olve; Corrupted) - Hunter of the speakers. Former guardian of Gannon and the members of the Phoenix Empire royal family.
Damaskha:
Mama Zuri Onegai (Aurum) - Proprietor of la Chatuea du Soie. Mistress to Gannon.
Mina Broas (Runeli) - Lady of la Chatue du Soie.
Esbeth:
Ayla Araceli (Avian) - Amatta (Ruling Queen) of Esbeth. High Seat of Heaven. Noelani’s maternal grandmother.
Kalelako Anao (Avian) - Speaker to Wai. Keeper of the Ancestors.
Nessa - Kalelako’s audeas (Chimera).
Noelani Caelestis-Oenel (Avian) - Amatessa (crowned princess) of the Esbethi Amaterasu. Princess of the Phoenix Empire by marriage (to Gannon); step-mother to Kaleo.
L’Nae Caelestis-Oenel (Avian) - Daughter of Noelani and Gannon; Amatess (princess) of the Esbethi Amaterasu
Rangi-Ahn Araceli (Avian) - Amat (Ruling King) of Esbeth. Secondary Seat of Heaven. Noelani’s maternal grandfather.
Tondra Caelestis (Avian) - Kenelala (General) of the Special Forces for the Protection of the Amaterasu. Cousin to Noelani.
Kormaine (Fallen):
Adrian Yerokhin (Shadow-born) - Confidante to Nadya.
Aeron Solvanis (Tirsai olve) - Heir apparent to the Phoenix Empire. Elder brother to Eila and Rielle. ‘Advisor’ to Demyan.
Demyan “Shiro” Ovet (Human; Kormandi) - King of Kormaine. Speaker to Hikaru.
Aisling - Demyan’s audeas (Snow-owl gryphon).
Gabriel Karov (Human; Kormandi) - Baron of Tatengel
Jaxiam Delquire (Duende olve) - Member of the Nidoli (Kormandi thieve’s guild). Best friend to Gabriel and Mikhael.
Kendall Mir Ovet (Human; Itahli) - Queen of Kormaine by marriage. High Priestess of Yira.
Leighton Barth (Human; Itahli) - Alchemist and advisor to the Queen.
Nadya Dyalov (Human; Kormandi) - Princess of Kormaine. Aunt to Demyan. Younger sister to Mikhael.
Vasily Dobrev (Human; Kormandi) - Vassal to the king.
Mahala:
Ajana Dai (Half-olven; Cantari) - Thief-taker and dancer who found Reven.
Kaleo Oenel (Avian) - Reven’s apprentice. Gannon’s son by Inola Akau; Amatti of the Esbethi Amaterasu. Speaker to Navaeh. Elder brother to L’nae. Cousin to Aeron, Rielle, and Eila.
Fionn - Kaleo’s audeas (Chimera).
Lara Gouveia (Runeli) - Local pick-pocket. Friend of Kaleo.
Liam Roe (Duende olve) - Thief-taker that works closely with Reven. Also known as Zorian Li’ael.
Luca Delgado (Human; Mahalan) - Ruling cartel lord of Azucena.
Reven Si’ahl (Tirsai olve) - Also known as the Black Bard. Mentor/father to Kaleo. Speaker to Argento. Younger brother to Maeve. Formerly known as Gannon Oenel.
Azure - Reven’s audeas (Phoenix).
Serai (Human) - Reven’s drummer. Speaker of the Speakers.
Malek - Serai’s audeas (Drake).
Sergio Rivera (Human; Mahalan) - Caretaker of the Si’ahl manse.
Tomas Magallanes (Human; Mahalan) - Grunt for Luca.
Tierra Vida:
Halora Golvayne (Tirsai olve) - Healer for the Tierra Vida refugee camp.
Maeve Oenel (Tirsai olve) - Lady Captain of the Illurian City Guard. Former princess of the Phoenix Empire. Elder sister to Gannon. Cousin to Danyel and Evaline.
Navid Shahr (Centaur) - Guardian to Gannon.
Rielle & Eila Solvanis (Tirsai olve) - Sisters to Aeron. Cousins to Kaleo & L’nae
Saphir Hai’lyn (Duende olve) - Scout for the Tierra Vida refugee camp.
Valance Novis (Tirsai olve) - Lieutenant of the Illurian City Guard.
World Lexicon
Audeas - Magical beast bonded to a Speaker to act as a buffer between the Node and its Vessel.
Audaen - What an audeas calls its bonded Speaker.
Corrupted - to be dammed by the fell-magic of a demon either by force or through a demon wound that has festered. The Corrupted then becomes a demon themselves.
Dragon-born - those born of the union between dragon and mortal.
Node - Magical pools of raw Power. They are a sentient network that give life to the planet of Doranelle and connect the Realms. Each Node that has Claimed a Vessel is given a name by that individual.
Shadow-born - those born of the union between Shade and mortal.
Speaker/Vessel - One who can speak for the Nodes. They are Claimed by the Node.
The Angels of Faerie - The second of the long-lived races of Doranelle. They have a natural, alluring beauty that many find
