“What good will that serve?” Eilin flared. “We don’t even know if they survived to emerge into another time.”
“Aurian will survive,” said Vannor firmly. “I’ll lay money on it. And since we’d have certainly known about it if she had gone into the past, that can only mean she’ll be turning up again in the future.”
Smiling wryly, he looked at the place from which Aurian had disappeared. “I only hope I’m still alive to see it.”
Index of Characters
ABUZ: Overseer of galley slaves on Corsair ship.
ADRINA: Earth-Mage. Mother of D’arvan and Davorshan.
AGUILA: One of the Skyfolk. Captain of the Royal Guard.
ANGOS: Mercenary. Commander of the garrison after Forral.
ANTOR: Son of Vannor.
ANVAR: Mage. Half-breed son of Miathan and Ria.
AURIAN: Mage. Daughter of Eilin and Geraint.
AVITHAN: One of the ancient Magefolk. Known in legend as Father of the Gods.
BARODH: Hound belonging to Hellorin.
BASILEUS: A Moldan (giant Earth-spirit).
BAVORDRAN: Water-Mage. Father of Davorshan.
BENZIORN: Physician in Nexis.
BERN: Anvar’s half brother.
BLACKTALON: High Priest of the Winged Folk.
BOHAN: A eunuch. Former servant of Harihn.
BRAGAR: Fire-Mage.
(THE) CAILLEACH: A Guardian of the High Magic. Also known as Lady of the Mists.
CHATHAK: God of Fire. Patron deity of warriors.
CHIAMH: The Windeye (Seer) of the Xandim.
CHIANNALA: Ancient Magewoman. With Incondor, she instigated the Cataclysm.
CORIELLE: Vannor’s eldest daughter.
CYGNUS: A young physician-priest of the Skyfolk.
D’ARVAN: Half Mage, half Phaerie. Son of Hellorin and Adrina. Half brother to Davorshan.
DAVORSHAN: Water-Mage. Son of Adrina and Bavordran and half brother to D’arvan.
DULSINA: Vannor’s housekeeper. Sister to Remana.
EILIN: Earth-Mage and mother of Aurian. Also known as the Lady of the Lake.
ELEWIN: Chief steward of the Academy.
ELIIZAR: Swordmaster of the Khazalim Arena. Husband to Nereni.
ELISETH: Weather-Mage.
ELSTER: Skyfolk master physician.
EMMIE: Young woman in Nexis, assistant to Jarvas and Benziorn.
ESSELNATH: Warrior of the Xandim.
FINBARR: A Mage. Archivist at the Academy. Soulmate to Meiriel.
FINCH: One of the Skyfolk, companion of Eliizar and Nereni.
FIONAL: Trooper at garrison, a skilled archer.
FLAMEWING: Queen of the Skyfolk. Mother of Raven.
FORRAL: The world’s greatest swordsman. Commander of the Nexis Garrison and Aurian’s lover.
GALDRUS: Xandim warrior.
GELDA: Sara’s maid.
GERAINT: Fire-Mage. Soulmate of Eilin and father of Aurian.
GEVAN: A smuggler.
GHABAL: A mad Moldan whose spirit was imprisoned beneath Nexis by the ancient Magefolk.
GRANDPA: Anvar’s grandfather. A carpenter.
GRINCE: Young son of the streetwalker Tilda.
GRISTHEENA: First Female (leader) of the great cats.
HARAG: Overseer of galley slaves on Corsair ship.
HARGORN: Veteran trooper at Nexis Garrison.
HARIHN: Prince of the Khazalim. Son of Xiang.
HARKAS: A pig-keeper. Brother to Jarvas.
HARZ: A Khazalim villager.
HEBBA: Vannor’s cook.
HELLORIN: Lord of the Phaerie and father of D’arvan. Also known as the Forest Lord.
HREEZA: Elderly great cat. Friend to Shia.
IBIS: One of the Skyfolk who accompanied Aurian to the Xandim lands. Mate of Kestrel.
IDRIS: Captain of a Nightrunner ship.
INCONDOR: One of the ancient Winged Folk. With Chiannala, he instigated the Cataclysm.
INELLA: Maidservant at the Academy.
IONOR THE WISE: A god. Known to the Khazalim as the Reaper of Souls.
IRIANA: A goddess. Known as Iriana of the Beasts.
ISCALDA: Sister of Schiannath of the Xandim.
ITHALASA: A whale, one of the ancient Magefolk race of Leviathan.
JANOK: Head cook at the Academy.
JARD: A miller from Nexis. Sara’s father.
JARVAS: Brother of Harkas. Founder of a refuge for the poor in Nexis
JHARAV: Soldier in Harihn’s troop.
JURDAG: Captain of pirate ship.
KARLEK: Siege engineer at the garrison.
KESTREL: Female warrior of Skyfolk who accompanied Aurian to the Xandim lands. Mate of Ibis.
KHANU: Young male great cat. Friend to Shia.
LARK: Skyfolk child.
LAZY: Old horse belonging to Anvar’s father.
LINNET: Skyfolk child.
LEYNARD: Former leader of the Nightrunners. Husband of Remana and father of Yanis.
LOUETTE: Winged woman, mother of Lark and Linnet.
MAYA: A warrior. Second-in-command at the garrison.
MEIRIEL: Magefolk Healer. Soulmate of Finbarr.
MELIANNE: Phaerie woman.
MELISANDA: Goddess of Healing. Known as Melisanda of the Healing Hands.
MIATHAN: The Archmage. Father of Anvar.
NARVISH: Official Recorder for the Ruling Council of Nexis.
NERENI: A Khazalim woman. Wife of Eliizar.
PARRIC: Cavalrymaster at the garrison.
PENDRAL: A corrupt and greedy merchant.
PETREL: Skyfolk warrior. Companion of Eliizar and Nereni.
PHALIHAS: Herdlord of the Xandim.
PIPER: Zanna’s horse.
RAVEN: Princess of the Skyfolk. Daughter of Flamewing.
REMANA: Wife of Leynard, the former Nightrunner leader. Mother of Yanis. Sister to Dulsina.
RIA: Wife of Tori and mother of Anvar and Bern.
RIOCH: Garrison commander before Forral.
SANGRA: A warrior. Trooper at the garrison.
SARA: Daughter of Jard the miller. Anvar’s childhood sweetheart and Vannor’s wife. Subsequently, Queen of the Xandim.
SCHIANNATH: Xandim outlaw. Brother to Iscalda.
SHIA: Great cat. Friend to Aurian and Anvar.
SKUA: Priest of the Skyfolk.
STORM: Emmie’s white dog.
SUNFEATHER: Skyfolk warrior, Wingmarshal of the Syntagma, the Winged Folk military elite.
TAHEERA: Elderly great cat.
TARNAL: A young Nightrunner. Friend to Zanna.
THARA: A goddess. Known as Thara of the Fields.
TILDA: A Nexis streetwalker. Mother of Grince.
TORL: A baker in Nexis. Husband of Ria and father of Bern. Anvar’s stepfather.
USTILA: Khazalim girl, one of Eliizar’s settlers.
VANNOR: Head of the Nexis Merchants’ Guild. Husband of Sara and father of Zanna.
VERLA: Wife of Jard the miller and mother of Sara.