The Voyages of Trueblood Cay

by Suanne Laqueur

  And smiled.

  “There you are,” he said.

  Fen il-Kheir stood on four magnificent legs. The sun shone on his mercury-gray flanks and caught the silver in his hooves, one of which was poised on the edge of its coronet.

  “We need to talk,” he said.

  Knees wobbling, Trueblood put a shoulder against a column. “This is going to be really unpleasant, isn’t it?”

  Fen crossed his arms, head nodding slightly. The sun glinted off the moonstone in his brow.

  “You look different,” Trueblood said.

  “I made another side quest.”

  “I can’t turn my back on you a minute.”

  “I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”

  Trueblood smiled. “Promise?”

  Fen nodded, lips pressed tight.

  “I love you,” Trueblood said.

  “I know. And you’re still in a world of deep shit.”

  “Come here, you moron.”

  They were in each other’s arms, wrapping and weaving, trying to find a better fit, a tighter grip, one trying to disappear in the other. Fen’s wings burst free and closed around them, sunlight leaking through every feather.

  “I missed you,” Trueblood said into Fen’s neck.

  “Never again. You hear me?”

  “Never.”

  Fen drew his wings back. “I’m going to kill you.” He put his hand on Trueblood’s face and pressed their brows together. “I love you so much, I’m going to kill you.”

  The apple of Trueblood’s smile filled Fen’s palm. “Gods, I’m so fucking tired.”

  Fen kissed him. Took him by the shoulders and shook him, then kissed him again.

  “Climb on my back, gelangos,” he said. “We’re going home.”

  The Most Private Journal of Noelippé Cay-Nyland.

  An especial accounting of her

  voyages on the Khollima.

  As written in the ninth year of her life,

  and her first year as a minoro.

  These are the people I love.

  My father. His name is Pelippé Trueblood Cay and he is the kepten of the Khollima. He is the only mariner in the history of the world, anywhere, ever, to sail on all three of the giantships built by Truvos.

  My mother. Her name is Naria and she is Queen of Nyland. And my brother, Rafil, who is my twin. He is home with Mami while I’m at sea with Da.

  I’m not going to say more about Mami and Rafil right now because this is the first time we’ve ever been separated and writing about it hurts my heart. Da understands because his Mami (who I was named for) died when he was very young and it hurt him so bad, he almost forgot her. He doesn’t want this to happen to me but it won’t. I think about Mami all the time. I’m not going to say anymore.

  I love my uncles, Raj and Lejo Ĝemelos (they are not really my blood uncles, but they were raised by my grandfather and grew up with Da as if they were brothers). Raj is the pilot of the Khollima and Lejo is the boatswain. They are twins, which means they understand best how much I miss Rafil and they give me really good words to describe how it hurts to be away from him. Well, at least Lejo does. Raj teaches me words I’m really not supposed to say. (He’s wonderful.)

  Hadevri il-Kheir is a minoro like me. He is a kheiron, meaning he can change from human to horse, or be half of each, like a centaur. Except he can fly, which centaurs can’t. Hadevri is beautiful. His coat is dark blue, almost black. He has gorgeous red hair and deep purple eyes. He’s a year younger than me, quiet and shy, but I must be honest and say I’m a little afraid of him. Sometimes when I come near him, he looks at me funny and quickly changes into a horse. Da says he does this because he likes me. Which makes no sense. Hadevri likes lots of people but he only turns into a horse around me. It makes my chest feel strange.

  And I love Fen il-Kheir, who is Hadevri’s father. Fen is the Horselord, meaning he rules all the Horsefolk. He lives at the pavilion in Valtourel and he’s kept very busy being king, but he often flies out to meet the ship and sail with us a few days. He also takes me flying, which I love a tiny bit less than sailing.

  Fen and Da are gelang. That means they are together and love each other and when Fen is onboard the Khollima, they sleep in the same cabin.

  Ikharus-Lippé (ICK-are-us LEE-pay)

  Pelippé (pel-ee-PAY)

  Raj (RAHJ )

  Lejo (LAY-ho )

  Osla (OH-sla)

  Sayenne (sigh-ENN)

  Rona (ROE-nah)

  Dhar (dar)

  Beniv (ben-EEV)

  Merevhal (mere-ay-VAL)

  Calvo (CAL-voh)

  Rafil (rah-FEEL)

  Melki (MEL-kee)

  Naria (NAR-ee-ah)

  Noë (NO-ee)

  Sevri il-Kheir (SEV-ree ill-KEER)

  Tehvan il-Kheir (tay-VON ill-KEER)

  Zoria (ZOR-ee-ah)

  Belmiro (bel-MEER-oh)

  Noelippé (no-LEE-pay)

  Hadevri (ha-DEV-ree)

  Agnom (AG-nahm): Kheiron name used by outsiders, usually the first few syllables of their khenom

  Algolerta (al-go-LEHR-ta): A lubricant made from seaweed oil.

  Alon (AL-on): Giantword meaning “lark.”

  Alondra (al-LONE-dra): Former capital city of Nyland, destroyed by Minotaurs during the reign of Queen Nysiemi.

  Amatos (ah-MAH-tohs): “Until the morning.”

  Arcodolori (ar-co-do-LORH-ee): Northeast region of Minosaros noted for its red rock formations. Legendary place where Minos the bull was slain by Nyos, hence its name, “Arrow of Sadness.”

  Aspida (ah-SPEE-dah): giant turtle released from the sea floor when Nydirsil pulled off her roots. Disguised himself as an island and lured sailors to their doom

  Aŭskultantos (AUJH-kool-tahn-tos): Giantword meaning “beloved listener.” One who heeds an oral storyteller (see Rakontisto), as opposed to legantos—those who read a printed story.

  Aybar (AYE-bar): City in the Arcodolori region of Minosaros.

  Altynai (al-tyn-EYE): Land west and north of the Altyn Range, including the Old Forest.

  Caracaros (cara-CAH-ros): Falcons of Altynai who nest exclusively in Nye trees. Used as messenger birds.

  Cay (KAY): Giantship built by Pel. Named Khe in antiquity, spelling later became Cay.

  Centaur: A horsefolk race. Half-man, half-horse.

  Da (dah): Giantword meaning both “father” and the steel-hearted courage to be a father.

  Danysh (dah-NESH): Region in Arcodolori irrigated by the Bull River and noted for its fadara plantations and slave labor system.

  Ele-Kheir (el-KEER): The Horsedam. Immortal queen of the Horsefolk. Daughter of Khe and a pegaso, and twin sister of il-Kheir.

  Equos (eh-KWOSS): A kheiron’s state of being in pure horse form.

  Fadara (fah-DAH-rah): A highly-addictive narcotic made from poppies.

  Fen: Giantword meaning “finch.” Also the agnom taken by Tehvan il-Kheir following his escape from captivity in Minosaros.

  Fivehand: A kheiron’s five-fingered hand.

  Foalboy: A male kheiron. Typically used from infancy to adolescence, but also as an endearment into adulthood.

  Fourhand: A kheiron’s four-fingered hand.

  Gelang (gell-ANG): Giantword meaning “at hand” or “together with.” Used to describe great romances or great friendships.

  Gelango (gell-ANG-oh): A ritual handshake where first palms are clasped, then forearms. Opposite hands touch shoulders and brows are pressed together.

  Gelangos: Endearment from gelang, meaning “my one at hand” or “the one I belong to.”

  Ĝemelos (jah-MAY-lohs): Giantword meaning “twins.” Surname taken by Raj and Lejo, the foster sons of Kepten Ikharus-Lippé True.

  Héjo (HEY-oh): Casual greeting,
“hi” or “hello.” Also an exclamation for attention, “hey.”

  Helos (HEY-lohs): Goddess of birth and death.

  Hokosia (ho-KOH-see-ah): Continental empire to the west of Nyland, ruled by the emperor Xuan-Gavriel. Capital city is Lak Thennes.

  Horsedam: Alternate title for ele-Kheir.

  Horsefolk: Collective noun for kheirons, centaurs and pegasos.

  Horselord: Alternate title for il-Kheir.

  Humos (HUE-mos): A kheiron’s state of being in pure human form.

  Il-Kheir (ill-KEER): The first male kheiron, son of Khe and a pegaso, and twin sister of ele-Kheir. Also the title given to the reigning Horselord, and the surname used by him and his heir.

  Kaleuche (kah-LOOSH): Giantship built by Raj and Lejo (not to be confused with Raj and Lejo Ĝemelos, the fosters sons of Ikharus-Lippé True, who were born millennia later). Disappeared with all on board. Sightings remained undocumented and legendary until she appeared during the marinership of Kepten Ikharus-Lippé True. True’s son, Pelippé Trueblood, took command after his father’s death.

  Kepten (KEP-ten): The commander of any ship, but as a proper noun, specifies a giantship mariner.

  Kharbidis (car-BEE-dis): Sea monster released from the ocean floor when Nydirsil pulled off her roots. Her mouth formed a whirlpool that sucked any ships nearby beneath the ocean.

  Khe (kay): The first kheiron. Born human, he became the lover of Truvos, the sea god, who gave him the power to shift between man and horse, and to fly. Slain by Nyos during the Nyvosok. Her arrow impaled Khe to Nydirsil’s trunk, where he hung for nine days before his body was taken away by Truvos.

  Khe l’khe (kay-leh-KAY): An expression meaning both “what’s up?” or “what the hell?”

  Kheiron (KEER-on): A horsefolk race with the ability to shift between man and horse, and to fly at will by means of wings that can retract beneath the skin.

  Kheiros (KEER-ohs): A kheiron’s state of being in half-man, half-horse.

  Khenom (KAY-nahm): A kheiron’s soul name. Unpronounceable to anyone but himself. Shortened to an agnom which is used by outsiders.

  Khollima (ko-LEE-mah): The first giantship, built by Truvos. Towed away Nydirsil following the Nyvosok.

  Kvartermastisto (kvar-tar-mahs-TEE-stoh): Quartermaster of a giantship, in charge of cargo.

  Kyrrh (cure): Rare, healing resin made from the sap of stave trees, an evergreen cultivar that grows only in Altynai.

  Legantos (lay-GAHN-tohs): Giantword meaning “beloved reader.”

  Loĝigos (loh-JHEE-gohs): Lodges and hostels built and maintained by the giants in various cities.

  Lunos (LOO-nohs): The moon goddess.

  Majoro (may-JOR-oh): A giantship crew member between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one.

  Maristo (mah-REE-stoh): “Mariner.” A giantship crew member over the age of twenty-one.

  Meros (MERE-ohs): The god of war.

  Minoro (meen-OR-oh): A giantship crew member under the age of sixteen.

  Minos (ME-nohs): Legendary bull companion of Nyos, who accidentally slew him during the Nyvosok. A bastardization of his myth led to the radical Cult of the Bull in Minosaros, who view him as a martyr.

  Minosaros (me-no-SAHR-ohs): Lands east and south of the Altyn Range, including the red rock region of Arcodolori. Its southern region, Sanpago, was annexed to Nyland after Tehvan’s War.

  Minotaur (MIN-oh-tor): Half-man, half-bull race of Minosaros. Unlike horsefolk, their heads are beast and their bodies human.

  Moonstone: A kheiron’s magic stone that allows shifting between equos, humos and kheiros. If lost, stolen, or given away, the kheiron rests permanently to humos.

  Murder and Misery: Twin kraken released from the ocean floor when Nydirsil pulled off her roots. Murder’s venom causes instantaneous death. Misery’s causes slow, excruciating death during which the victim relives his or her worst moments.

  Mydam (MY-dam)/Mysire (MY-seer): Honorifics for female and male horsefolk, respectively.

  Naŭtaggiad (nowj-TAH-gyadd): The nine-day hanging predicted in the Truviad.

  Nydirsil (ny-DUR-sill): The Tree of Life. Tended by Nyos, her roots are deep in the ocean bed and her nine branches anchored to the sky with stars. Love is drawn up through her trunk and her flowers produce Nye spice. Only Nydirsil drops seeds to create new trees, which are sterile.

  Nychet (NYE-shay): linen or muslin bag used to make Nye tea.

  Nye (NIGH): Spice contained in the flowers of Nye trees. The spice of life, the source of love and the birthplace of happiness.

  Nyellem (nye-ELL-em): Hold in a giantship used exclusively to store and transport Nye.

  Nyland (NYE-land): Empire consisting of a mainland continent divided into three regions: Nordater, Arbaro and Sudenlo; Pellandro, the eastern portion of the Hokosian continent; and Sanpago, the southernmost region of Minosaros.

  Nyos (NYE-ohs): Goddess of love and tender of Nydirsil. Slain by her brother Truvos during the Nyvosok.

  Nyvosok (NYE-voh-sock): The feud between Nyos and her brother Truvos. Started when Truvos stole the nine stars of Nydirsil and gave them to his lover, Khe. After he refused to restore the stars, Nyos shot Khe. Truvos then slew his sister and towed Nydirsil away on his ship, the Khollima.

  Os (ohs): God of gods, who is One.

  Pegaso (peh-GAH-soh): Horsefolk race. Winged horse. Plural pegasos.

  Rakontistos (rah-kahn-TEE-stohs): Giantword meaning “storyteller.”

  Ringos (RIN-gohs): Ring worn on the thumb of a kheiron’s fivehand. Carved as two wings that wrap around the finger with a horse head between. Has no distinctive power, but holds great emotional weight. Symbolizes Os, who is One, and often engraved within with a name or credo or sentiment.

  Ripozo (rih-POH-zoh): Afternoon rest hour.

  Salutos (sal-LOO-tohs): A formal greeting meaning “hello.”

  Salu (sal-LOO): A more casual form of Salutos. “Hello” or “hey” or “hi.”

  Ŝnuromastistos (schnur-oh-mahs-TEE-stohs): Sailor in charge of rope rigging on a giantship.

  Solos (SOH-lohs): The sun god.

  Sorĉi (SOR-zhay): Giantword meaning “witch.” Proper name given to the female shaman of Altyn tribes.

  Ŝuo (Shoo-oh): “Shoo” or “go away.”

  Tehvan’s War: Conflict following the abduction of Sevri il-Kheir’s heir, Tehvan. The kheirons joined forces with Nyland under Queen Nysiema to invade Minosaros.

  The Teeth: Treacherous channel between Altynai and the north coast of Hokosia.

  The Truviad (TRUE-vee-add): Epic poem about the life of Truvos, the sea god. Depicts his building of the great ships, his love affair with Khe, the theft of the nine stars from Nydirsil and the ensuing Nyvosok. Carved into three monoliths, of which the third was lost, along with Truvos’ prophetic conditions for the return of the stars. Printed copies of the Truviad had their last page torn in half to symbolize the lost portion. The third monolith was eventually discovered in the hold of the giantship Kaleuche.

  Truvos (TRUE-vohs): The sea god. Creator of the giants and twin sister of Nyos. Built the giantships Khollima, Kaleuche and Khe. The last named after his lover, Khe, the first kheiron. Truvos disappeared after the Nyvosok, last seen sailing away on the Khollima with Khe’s slain body and towing Nydirsil behind.

  Ukhor (EWE-core): Blue minerals found at the roots of Nydirsil. Used for dye until the Nyvosok, after which the stones and the dye were extinct.

  Valentos (vah-LEN-tohs): Giantword meaning “My brave one.”

  Valtourel (val-tour-EL): Capital city of Nyland after the sack of Alondra. Originally the shipyards of the giants, and the burial place for the kheirons.

  Velos (VELL-ohs): The goddess of fertility and harvest.

  Vicreĝo (vik-REJH-oh): Elected regent.

  Wrevos (RAY-vohs): The god of wisdom.

&nb
sp; Xeromo (zher-RO-moh): Literally “slave of a slave.”

  Zeuxis (zoo-SHEES): Capital of Sanpago.

  Off the coast of Jamaica is a tiny island called Trueblood Cay. Its good citizens have beautiful hearts.

  That’s actually a lie. Trueblood Cay is a bump of coral reef you couldn’t pitch a tent on. This was told to me by Philip “Flip” Trueblood, a musician I met in the summer of 2001. I hesitate to say it was love at first sight, but one glimpse of his face and my weird mind started throwing things down. His face could launch ships. His face could sail ships. The Adventures of Trueblood Cay.

  No, wait.

  The Voyages of Trueblood Cay.

  All this before I even got a glimpse of his beautiful heart.

  I started writing the story. I wrote it all summer long while Flip and I became friends-and-a-bit. Then on September 11, he boarded United Flight 93 and the rest was history. A venomous, multi-tentacled kraken named Murder attacked the country and cut short the jobs of thousands of good citizens with beautiful hearts.

  I’d heard everything happens for a reason. I didn’t like this reason. After Flip died, I put The Voyages of Trueblood Cay away in a drawer and didn’t touch it for seven years. During which time many things happened that allowed me to love again, write again and dig an old story out of a drawer and finish it.

  You hold in your hands both the story I promised Flip, and a love letter to my life. All the people and things that touched me, shaped me, hired me, abused me, valued me, found me and loved me are in its pages. This is the first book I wrote while I was in love, the first I wrote as an openly bisexual man and the first I wrote when I wasn’t for sale. All of which makes Trueblood priceless to me.

  Most of the giantwords in Trueblood come from the Esperanto language, created by L.L. Zamenhof with the hope it would serve as a universal language to foster peace and understanding. The word Esperanto translates to “one who hopes.” It sounded good to my ears and many of its words end in O or OS, which suited my needs perfectly.