Daughter of Blood

by Helen Lowe

  Nuithe: “dark heart” in the old Sworn tongue; Ilkerineth’s wife and Nherenor’s mother; also Lady of Ways

  Oakward: secret society in Emer, said to resist evil

  Oath Hold: fortress of the House of Blood; its leaders are maternal kin to Parannis and Sarein

  Oath, the: see Blood Oath

  Old Alth: senior wyr pack handler in the Red Keep

  Old Earl: Earl Tasarion of Night’s father; Malian’s grandfather

  Old Empire: empire said to have existed prior to the Derai arrival on Haarth, which stretched from Jaransor to Ishnapur

  Old Keep: original Keep of Winds, now abandoned

  One, the: prophesied hero who will come to unite the Derai and defeat the Swarm, predicted to be born of the Blood of the Houses of Night and Stars; see also Chosen of Mhaelanar

  Onnorin: granddaughter of the Earl of Adamant; First Kinswoman to Rook

  opener of ways: a class of adept

  Orcis: warrior-priestess of the House of Adamant, Second to Torlun

  Oriflame: standard of the Storm Spears

  Ornorith: “of the Two Faces,” the Derai Goddess of Luck; depicted as having two masked faces looking in opposite directions

  Orriyn: Darksworn facestealer, died on Emer’s Northern March; coterie-sister to Rhike and Gervon; see also Selia

  Orth: warrior of the House of Swords

  outsider: Derai term for anyone non-Derai

  Palla: House of Blood honor guard in Jad’s eight-unit

  Paran: lord of Oath Hold, maternal grandfather of Parannis and Sarein

  Paranna: of Oath Hold, Earl Sardon of Blood’s second wife, mother to Parannis and Sarein

  Parannis: a Son of Blood and seventh child to the Earl of Blood; twin to Sarein and half brother to Kharalthor, Hatha, Huern, Liankhara, Sardonya, and Anvin; also half brother to Myrathis

  Patrol, the: corps that keeps the River’s “peace of road and river”

  Peta: Aralorn Hill horse, belonging to Raven

  Pha’Rho-l-Ynor: Sea navigator lost four hundred years before; see also Taierin

  Pha’Rho-l-Ynor, the: Sea House ship lost with all hands, over four hundred years before

  Plain of Ash: mountain basin adjoining the Towers of Morning

  Port Farewell: major trading port and capital of Aralorn

  Power-born: Derai born with the old powers

  Powers: supernatural and magical powers of the Derai, once used to combat the Swarm of Darkness. They include: the ability to command objects and forces, both natural and physical; understanding the speech of beasts and birds; acute eyesight and hearing, including seeing in the dark and hearing outside normal human range; chameleon ability to blend into surrounding materials and elements; dreaming; empathic spirit bond; farseeing and foreseeing; fire calling; illusion working; mindspeaking; mind- and spirit-walking; psychic shielding; prophecy; seeking; truthsaying; and weatherworking.

  priestess-queens: rulers of Jhaine, nine in number

  Prince of Fire: leader of the Sworn nation of Fire; see also Khelor and Ravirien

  Prince of Lightning: leader of the Sworn nation of Lightning; see also Ilkerineth

  Prince of the Sun: leader of the Sworn nation of the Sun; see also Aranraith

  Raher:Emerian knight, trained at Normarch

  Ralth: House of Blood warrior

  Raptor of Darkness: major Swarm demon

  Raven: Southern Realms hedge knight

  Ravirien: prince of the Third Line of the Blood of Fire

  Rayn: Grayharbor shipping clerk

  Red Keep: principal stronghold of the House of Blood

  Reith: Sea House marine, in Nimor’s escort

  Rhaikir: lieutenant in the Prince of Fire’s personal guard

  Rhanar: House of Blood honor guard in Jad’s eight-unit

  Rhi: House of Morning priestess

  Rhike: Darksworn adept, died in Caer Argent

  Rhisart: House of Blood warrior, from Bane Hold

  Rigan: House of Blood wagoner

  Rin: marine on the Che’Ryl-g-Raham

  Rindle: river on Emer’s Northern March

  rites of Hurulth: vigil kept for Derai dead

  Rithor: squire to Yorindesarinen at time of her battle with the Chaos Worm

  River of No Return: see Telimbras

  River, the: lands along the Ijir river, including the cities Ij, Terebanth, and Ar

  Rook: initiate farspeaker from the House of Adamant

  Rowan Birchmoon: Winter shaman, former consort to the Earl of Night; see also Winter Woman

  Rul: personal emissary of the Earl of Adamant; half-brother to Torlun

  ruling kin: ruling bloodline of a Derai House; see also Blood, the

  Sailcloth Street: Grayharbor thoroughfare

  Salar: Darksworn Ascendant, most closely associated with Sun

  Salar’s children: demons that ride Wall storms and slip through fissures in reality

  Sarathion: lieutenant to the Lord Captain of the Patrol

  Sardon: current Earl and hereditary ruler of the House of Blood

  Sardonya: a Daughter of Blood and fifth child of the Earl of Blood; full sister to Kharalthor, Hatha, Huern, Liankhara, and Anvin; half sister to Parannis and Sarein; also half sister to Myrathis

  Sarein: a Daughter of Blood and eighth child of the Earl of Blood; twin to Parannis and half sister to Kharalthor, Hatha, Huern, Liankhara, Sardonya, and Anvin; also half sister to Myrathis

  Sarr: House of Blood farrier

  Sarus: veteran sergeant of the Earl of Night’s Honor Guard

  Sea Count: hereditary ruler of the Sea House

  Sea envoy: see Nimor

  Sea House: House of the Derai Alliance, traditionally “the navigators”

  Sea Keep: paramount stronghold of the Sea House

  Sea Mew: coastal trader, registered out of Grayharbor

  Second: second-in-command of a Derai military unit

  Second Line: second line of a Derai House’s Blood

  seeing: the power to see and foretell future occurrences

  seeker: one with power to seek out the hidden and find the lost

  seeking: active use of a seeker’s power

  seer: one who has the power to see into the future

  Selia: Normarch damosel, slain by the facestealer Orriyn

  Serianrethen: a Son of Stars, first husband to Nerith of the Sea Keep

  Ser Ombrose Sondargent: Duke of Emer’s nephew and former champion, now turned rebel

  Seruth: one of the three gods of the Southern Realms, the lightbringer, guardian of journeys and new beginnings; also Serrut in Emer

  Seven, a: elite Jhainarian warriors bound together into a unit; escort of the priestess-queens of Jhaine; also used by Ishnapuri magi

  Shadow Band: initiates of Kan, sworn to protect the rulers of Ar

  shadow hunters: Thanir’s cadres; see also Darksworn

  Shah: ruler of Ishnapur

  shielding: power to conceal objects and people physically and from magic

  Shield of Heaven: one of the three magical arms of the hero Yorindesarinen; also Shield of Stars

  Ship’s Luck: weatherworker’s companion on a Sea House ship

  Ship’s Prow House: Grayharbor residence

  Ships’ Shrine: sea keep memorial to lost ships

  Silent God: Hurulth, the god of death, one of the Nine Gods of the Derai

  Sird: warrior-priest from the House of Adamant

  siren worm: minion of the Swarm

  Sirit: elderly Morning priestess; also old Lady of Morning

  Sirithilorn: formerly Golden Fire of the House of Morning

  Sondcendre: noble house of the Emerian Cendreward

  Son of Blood: title given to a son of an Earl of Blood

  Song of Haarth: voice of the magic of Haarth

  southern deserts: vast desert region lying to the south of Ishnapur

  Southern Realms: lands of Haarth that lie between the River and Ishnapur; also called the Southern
Lands

  ’spawn: see darkspawn

  springtime love: Emerian tradition of courtly romance

  Sri: House of Morning priestess

  Stefa: innkeeper’s daughter at Grayharbor’s Anchor inn

  Stoneford: village in southern Aralorn

  Storm Spears: warrior society historically associated with the House of Blood

  Summer’s Eve: Emerian festival marking first new moon of summer

  Sun: one of the three nations of the Sworn

  Sundering: schism that separated the Darksworn from the Derai

  Surinay: once of the House of Morning, now married to the Sea Count

  Swarm Bestiary: an illustrated compendium of Swarm demons, minions, and darkspawn

  Swarm of Dark: Derai’s ancient enemy; vast entity comprising many fell creatures

  Swarm, the: shortening for Swarm of Dark

  Sworn: name the Darksworn give themselves

  Taierin: weatherworker and niece to Count Tirunor, over four hundred years ago

  taint: House of Blood term for priestly and old powers; also “tainted”

  Taly: ensign in the Red Keep garrison, serves Myrathis; also Talies

  Tarathan of Ar: herald of the Guild, from the River’s Terebanth Guild House

  Tasarion: current Earl and hereditary ruler of the House of Night

  Tasian: former Heir of Stars whose murder precipitated the Derai civil war

  Tavar: House of Blood clan, associated with Brave Hold

  Tavaral: the Faithkeeper, a general in Yorindesarinen’s time; he advanced to support the hero against the Chaos Worm, but came too late

  Tawr: of the Spear, one of the Nine Gods of the Derai

  Tawrin: House of Swords warrior, companion to Orth

  Tehan: Sea House marine in Nimor’s escort

  Telimbras: river that runs the length of the Jaransor hills, bordering the Gray Lands, and eventually becomes a tributary of the Ijir; also River of No Return

  Telmirieneth: Earl of Stars, over four hundred years before

  Temorn: captain of marines on the Che’Ryl-g-Raham

  Temple of Night: temple precinct in the Keep of Winds

  Temple quarter: temple complex in a Derai keep, comprising the temples and adjunct buildings dedicated to all of the Nine Gods

  Tenneward Lodge: country house of Lord Tenneward of Emer

  Ter: Night honor guard in Garan’s eight-unit

  Tercel: bay warhorse, belonging to Kalan

  Terebanth: city of the River

  Terennin: Lord of the Dawn Eyes, one of the Nine Gods of the Derai, also known as both the Farseeing and Farseer

  Teron: of Cloud Hold, sworn to the Earl of Night

  Thanir: Darksworn warrior and mage, lieutenant to Aranraith

  The Leas: site of a recent were-hunt led skirmish, on Emer’s Northern March

  Thiandriath: Lawgiver, one of the Nine Gods of the Derai

  Third Line: third line of a Derai House’s Blood

  Thuunoth: former Golden Fire of the House of Adamant

  Tirael: second son of the Countess of Stars; also Tiraelisian

  Tirorn: House of Swords warrior and captain, nephew to the Sword Earl, also kinsman to Orth; lost in Ij

  Tirunor: Sea Count, over four hundred years before

  Token-bearer: one who bears the Token

  Token, the: ring associated with the Hunt of Mayanne and its Huntmaster

  Torlun: commands a House of Adamant company

  Towers of Morning: principal stronghold of the House of Morning

  Tymar: Sea House marine in Nimor’s escort

  Tyun: Sea House marine, captain of Nimor’s guard

  Vael: Star knight and healer; also Vaelenor

  Valadan: marshal of the House of Fire, second-in-command of its armies

  Valan: of Blood’s Ward Hold, former suitor to Sardonya

  Vela: attendant to Lady Myrathis

  Wall of Night: vast mountain range garrisoned by the Derai Alliance that protects Haarth from the Swarm, said to have been created by the House of Night; also called the Shield-wall of Night, or Wall

  wallspawn: Blood name for darkspawn

  Ward Hold: satellite fortress of the House of Blood

  weatherworker: Derai with the power to command natural elements

  were-hunt: collective power of the Swarm, comprising were-hunters

  Westwind Hold: satellite fort of the Keep of Winds

  Wild Lands: vast wilderness lying between the Winter Country and the River

  Winter Country: steppes in the north of Haarth

  Winter People: nomads who dwell in the Winter Country

  Winter Woman: see Rowan Birchmoon

  Wolf: Winter Country shaman, Rowan Birchmoon’s great-uncle

  wolfpack: River and Emerian term for an outlaw band

  wyr hounds: hounds unique to the Derai, able to detect psychic trails and powers

  Xer: Star knight in Tirael’s escort; also Xerianor

  Xeria: House of Stars priestess during the civil war; she extinguished the Golden Fire

  Yelme: Sea House marine in Nimor’s escort

  Yelusin: collective name Sea House ships give themselves

  Yhle: granddaughter of the Earl of Adamant

  Ynvis: warrior in the Prince of Fire’s personal guard

  Yorindesarinen: greatest hero of the Derai, Heir of Stars in her day: she slew the Worm of Chaos but died of the wounds received in that battle

  Yris: Patrol river pilot

  Yyr: formerly Golden Fire of the House of Swords

  Zharaan: priestess-queen of Jhaine in the years following the Cataclysm

  Zhineve-An: contemporary priestess-queen of Jhaine

  Acknowledgments

  The Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, famously said that “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Similarly, the journey of a book begins with the first word on a blank page—and in getting to that magical finale, “the end,” a great many more words will have been written. A considerable number of people, too, will have been fellow travelers on the journey.

  The first—but never the least—of these fellow travelers is my partner, Andrew, whose unflagging support, encouragement, and enthusiasm for the story helped keep me moving forward, even when the going was proverbially tough.

  The journey of this book was a long one, and I sincerely thank my lead editor, Kate Nintzel (HarperVoyager USA), for her considerable patience and not inconsiderable grace throughout, as well as for her unwavering faith in, and commitment to, the ongoing Wall of Night story, and Daughter of Blood in particular. My UK editor, Jenni Hill, was new to the series when I began this book, and I am correspondingly grateful for her patience and continued support.

  My agent Robin Rue of Writers House, and her colleagues Beth Miller and Angharad Kowal, have also played a vital part in enabling me to complete the book. I thank them most sincerely for all they have done and continue to do.

  I am aware that there are many more people who work for my publishers and play an essential part in transforming what comes from me as “story” and “manuscript,” into what readers experience as a “book.” Most of these people are unknown to me personally, but I know they include dedicated professionals in the production team and art department, as well as marketing and publicity. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their hard work, which is very much appreciated. And to particularly mention, with thanks, the few who are known to me, including my copyeditor, Peter Weissman; Joanna Kramer, Editorial Manager at Orbit; and the Hachette team here in New Zealand, including Melanee Winder, Susy Maddox, and Ruby Mitchell.

  Many thanks go, as always, to those who were willing to read the manuscript-in-progress and provide insights, critique, and feedback, as well as to confirm specialist research and check specific facts. I would like to particularly thank Peter Fitzpatrick, Joanna Preston, Andrew Robins, Paul Waterhouse, Brynley Crosado, and Irene Williamson. I am also grateful to Dr. Robynanne
Milford for answering early questions, and to Dr. Michael Rathbone for later reviewing the sections specifically dealing with injury and wounds, and their treatment.

  In 2012, I was privileged to be an Ursula Bethell Writer-in-Residence at the University of Canterbury, which provided both financial and creative support during the early stages of Daughter Of Blood. I would like to particularly thank Dr. Christina Stachurski, curator of the residency programme, as well as the University of Canterbury and its English Department, and Toi Aotearoa: Creative New Zealand, for making the residency opportunity possible.

  I would also like to thank Samantha Webb for offering her fisher’s hut as a writing retreat toward the end of the project. The quiet environment and uninterrupted time the hut provided was invaluable in finishing the book. I would also like to thank the permanent residents in the hut community for their welcome and support.

  When The Heir of Night was published, I began a tradition of running a Tuckerization contest as part of the book launch. So when The Gathering of the Lost came out, part of the celebration included drawing a winner who would give her or his name to a character in Daughter of Blood. One of the provisions of the contest is that I reserve the right to “adapt the winning name to best fit a fantasy character.” In this case, the winner was UK reader, Cheryl Graham—and although I am keenly aware of just how long Cheryl has had to wait to do so, I hope she will enjoy meeting her namesake, Che’Ryl-g-Raham. I note, needless to say, that the character created is entirely fictional.

  Finally, I would like to thank all those readers who have not only read and enjoyed The Heir of Night and The Gathering of The Lost, but taken the time to write and tell me so—and then waited with patience (that word again!) and understanding for Daughter of Blood to complete its journey from the first word on the blank page, through to “the end.” The same vote of thanks for patience, and I hope understanding, goes to all my readers.

  An Excerpt from The Heir of Night

  If you haven’t read the first volume in the Wall of Night saga,

  keep reading to see where it all began.

  THE HEIR OF NIGHT

  Available now wherever books are sold.

  1

  The Keep of Winds

  The wind blew out of the northwest in dry, fierce gusts, sweeping across the face of the Gray Lands. It clawed at the close-hauled shutters and billowed every tapestry and hanging banner in the keep. Loose tiles rattled and slid, bouncing off tall towers into the black depths below; as the wind whistled through the Old Keep, finding every crack and chink in its shutters and blowing the dust of years along the floors. It whispered in the tattered hangings that had once graced the High Hall, back in those far-off days when the hall had blazed with light and laughter, gleaming with jewel and sword. Now the cool, dry fingers of wind teased their frayed edges and banged a whole succession of doors that long neglect had loosened on their hinges. Stone and mortar were still strong, even here, and the shutters held against the elements, but everything else was given over to the slow corrosion of time.