Glossary

of People, Places, Pronunciations, Medieval Things, can last for years

demesne (duh-mane)—similar in meaning and pronunciation to domain; historically, the land attached to a noble manor; in the book, means the regional lands overseen by liege lords (e.g., the Darrowlands)

dread-mount —a stallion unicorn bonded to a fae warrior

Dougal Braithwaite —an unwise nobleman, brother to Fiona, Earl of Longmere

Dundúran (dun-dure-un)—capital city of the Darrowlands; can mean the city or the castle itself

earl —in the book, a noble rank below liege lord and baron but above margrave

Eirea (eer-ee-uh)—central kingdom of humans, still recovering from brutal wars of succession

faelands —territory claimed and inhabited by the fae; imbued over millennia with their magic

faethling —native language of the fae

Fallorian —fae capital

Fia (fee-uh)—Aislinn’s seneschal

Finn —Molly’s ex-lover, a dead man walking according to Allarion

Fiona Braithwaite —a nosey noblewoman, sister of Lord Dougal

Gleanná (glay-ah-nah)—capital of Eirea

guild —an association of craftsmen or merchants that oversee the stages of production of their craft/product (e.g., stonemasons, bricklayers)

Hakon Green-Fist (hay-kon)—half-orc blacksmith at Dundúran Castle, future Lord Consort of the Darrowlands, husband to Lady Aislinn

Isolde Monaghan (ih-zolde mon-uh-han)—Crown Princess of Eirea

Jennet (gen-et)—Molly’s friend, a fellow barmaid

liege lord —historically, a superior lord/authority to others; in the book, the highest rank of noble below the royal family, rules and oversees the entire demesne

long sleep —for the fae, a normal type of sleep taken every few days rather than a nightly rest; can last for a full day or more if the fae is recovering from injury

lord/lady —in the book, honorific of any noble person of any rank, usually attached to the person’s given name

Lorna —a dressmaker in Mullon

margrave —historically, a noble rank that oversaw the lands along the borders of a kingdom; in the book, the lowest noble rank after liege lord, baron, and earl

Maritza (mar-ihtz-uh)—harpy living in the Darrowlands

Marius Caellus (mar-ee-us kay-luhs)—King Consort of Eirea, half-Pyrrossi

Maxim (max-ihm)—fae warrior, Allarion’s oldest friend, mated to Aine, father to Ravenna

Merrick Darrow —Lord of the Darrowlands, father of Aislinn

Merry Dunne —Brom’s third child, Molly’s cousin, absolutely brilliant

Molly Dunne —human barmaid, orphan, our heroine

Mullon —a market town about two hours’ ride from Scarborough

Nora Dunne —Brom’s oldest daughter, Molly’s cousin, a bit of a pill

Oberon (oh-burr-on)—Maxim’s unicorn mount

Oona Dunne —Brom’s youngest child, Molly’s cousin, a certified cutie patootie

Orek Stone-Skin —half-orc hunter living in the Darrowlands, mated to Sorcha

Pyrros (peer-ohs)—southern kingdom of humans, has conquered other lands, countries, and tribes to the south

Ravenna —half-fae, half-human daughter of Maxim and Aine, gifted with foresight

Rory Dunne —Brom’s fourth child, Molly’s cousin, very good at riling her sister Nora

Scarborough —abandoned estate bought and overseen now by Allarion

seneschal (sen-uh-shull)—historically, the overseer of a manor or a high-ranking official; in the book, the direct assistant to the lord/lady

Sorcha Brádaigh (sor-sha brah-day)—horse trainer, mated to Orek, friend to Aislinn, eldest of many siblings

stone sleep —for the fae, a type of eternal sleep taken by elder fae when it is time for them to pass on to the afterworld; typically taken on the Twins

Theron (ther-ohn)—red dragon living in the Darrowlands, half-brother of Briseis

Tulare (too-lar)—a unicorn dread-mount

The Twins —the two fae goddesses that represent the sun and moon, life and death, war and love, and all duality, they are believed to bestow azai as a sign of favor; also associated with the two islands off the coast of the faelands

vassal —historically, a landholder who owed allegiance to a higher lord/authority in exchange for that land; in the book, all the noble landholders who owe fealty to the Darrows as liege lord

yeoman (yo-man)—historically, a free but not noble man who owned a landed estate; in the book, all non-noble landholders

Ygraine Monaghan (ee-grane mon-uh-han)—Queen of Eirea