by Jasmine Walt
My fingers settled on a tab marked ‘Personal Correspondence’, and I flipped it open. Inside was a single elegant cream envelope with my name on it, and the hand-printed words Private and Confidential. The letter was sealed with wax, into which some kind of heraldic device had been imprinted.
I tore through the seal and pulled out the letter inside. My heart skipped a beat as I noticed the signature and address—the letter was from Isana ar’Rhea, Malian Sumer Palace, Castalis.
Fuck. My eyes raced down the handwritten lines of the letter, my heart pounding.
Dear Miss Baine,
My name is Isana ar’Rhea, eldest daughter of Haman ar’Rhea, the High Mage of Castalis. I recently saw your picture in a magazine article reporting your betrothal to the Chief Mage of Canalo, Lord ar’Sannin, and I could not help but notice that you bear a strong familial resemblance to me. It sounds strange, considering how far away we live from each other, but is there any possibility that we are related?
I find it most remarkable that, according to the article, you are a shifter-mage hybrid, and have earned your living as an enforcer in the past. How I envy you all the adventures that the paper hinted at!
Would you be willing to send me an invitation to your wedding, so that I might be able to meet you? Or if not the wedding, I would love to meet you sooner.
Best wishes on your upcoming marriage. I do hope to hear back from you!
Sincerely,
Isana ar’Rhea
I slowly folded the letter back up, then closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the lounge chair. The irony of this situation washed over me in thick waves, and I groaned aloud, wondering what the hell to do with this. Did Isana, who was probably barely eighteen, have any inkling how closely related we were, and how much her family stood to lose if the truth became public? If she had guessed at our connection, it would not take long until others did so as well.
Should I ignore this letter from my half-sister, and spurn the opportunity to meet a close relative? Or did I write back, and in doing so, risk drawing my father’s attention, and possibly endanger my marriage to Iannis?
The air above the table shimmered, and the ether parrot appeared, lighting the space with his blue glow. He perched on the edge of the table and squinted at me and the letter I was still holding, wicked intelligence gleaming in his eyes. His beak opened.
“Go ahead, say it,” I told the bird. His phrase certainly fit the situation, though I should probably teach him some other expressions, especially if he was going to keep on popping in unexpectedly like this. It would be hilarious, but awful, if he manifested during an interview or public event and began spouting curses.
“Ha-ha-ha,” he squawked, mocking me.
“Oh, fuck off.” I tossed a pillow at the parrot, but he winked out of existence before it could hit. It bounced off the balcony railing instead.
“What next?” I asked the open air, half hoping someone might answer.
But of course, no one did. There would be no deity coming to my rescue, whispering words of advice in my ear, not this time.
Whatever happened next was up to me.
To be continued…
Sunaya Baine’s adventure will continue in Book 6 of the Baine Chronicles, title to be announced! Click the below link and join the mailing list so you can be notified of future release dates, and to receive special updates, freebies and giveaways!
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Glossary
Annia: see under Melcott, Annia.
Ancestral Spirits: according to Shifter belief, once a being is done with reincarnation, they may become an ancestral spirit.
ar’: suffix in mages’ family names that denotes they are of noble birth, and can trace their descent to one of Resinah’s twelve disciples.
Baine, Sunaya: a half-panther shifter, half-mage who used to hate mages and has a passion for justice. Because magic is forbidden to all but the mage families, Sunaya was forced to keep her abilities a secret until she accidentally used them to defend herself in front of witnesses. Rather than condemn her to death, the Chief Mage, Iannis ar’Sannin, chose to take her on as his apprentice, and eventually his fiancée. She struggles to balance her shifter and mage heritage.
Baine, Melantha: Sunaya’s cousin, and daughter to the Jaguar Clan’s Chieftain.
Baine, Mafiela: Chieftain of the Jaguar Clan and Sunaya’s aunt.
Baine, Mika: a young jaguar shifter, daughter of Melantha Baine.
Baine, Rylan: one of Chieftain Baine’s least favored children, and Sunaya’s cousin. An active member of the Resistance, with the rank of Captain, he was captured and imprisoned during the uprising in Solantha.
Ballos, Jonias: an elderly reclusive mage in Solantha.
Benefactor: the name the Resistance called their anonymous, principal source of financial support, before Sunaya unmasked the master criminal.
The Black Curtain: shop owned by Elania Tarrignal in Witches’ End, where under-the-table hexes can be discreetly obtained.
Black Lion Inn: an inn located in Nika, Osero.
Bosal ar’Nuris: mage, Secretary of Education and Culture of Canalo, member of the Canalo Delegation to the Convention.
Boran, Resa: mage, Financial Secretary of Osero.
Canalo: one of the fifty states making up the Northia Federation, located on the West Coast of the Northia Continent.
Canalo Council, usually just the Council: a governmental body composed of eight senior mages, supposed to advise the Chief Mage and substitute for him in case of sudden death or incapacity.
Capitol: building in the capital Dara, where the Convention of Chief Mages meets every other year to conduct government business.
Carsid: Legal Secretary of Osero.
Chen, Lalia: the current Director of the Canalo Mages Guild in Solantha. She serves as deputy to Iannis ar’Sannin, the Chief Mage.
Chartis, Argon: former Director of the Canalo Mages Guild, dismissed by the Chief Mage for insubordination and attempts to undermine the Chief Mage’s authority. He subsequently joined forces with the Benefactor to avenge his dismissal.
Chieftain: a title used to distinguish the head of a shifter clan.
Calmias, Father Monor: a charismatic preacher in Ur-God temples, with many followers all over Northia.
Castalis: a country and peninsula at the southwestern edge of the Central Continent, ruled by a High Mage.
Cedris ar’Tarea: Chief Mage of Rhodea, a small island state on the east coast of Northia.
Central Continent: the largest of the continents on Recca, spanning from Garai in the east to Castalis in the west.
Coazi: a group of related tribes controlling large parts of Mexia and adjoining states.
Chanie, Gena: journalist working for the celebrity magazine Now.
Coman ar’Daghir: Member of the delegation of Rhodea to the Convention, Legal Secretary of that state.
Comenius Genhard: a hedgewitch from Pernia, owner of the shop Over the Hedge at Witches’ End. Close friend of Sunaya Baine, employer of Noria Melcott, and lover of the witch Elania.
Creator: the ultimate deity, worshipped by all three races under different names.
Crystal Hotel: a hotel in Dara, favored by delegations attending the Convention.
Dira: mage, one of the secretaries at the Mages Guild.
Dara: capital of the Northia Federation, located on the east coast of the Northia Continent.
Darca: a human formerly employed as accountant by the Financial Se
cretary in Solantha.
The Dromach: a sect of powerful mages in Manuc who are specially trained to deal with the Tua, and charged with maintaining the walls that separate Recca from their realm.
Elania Tarrignal: girlfriend of Comenius; a witch specializing in potions, with a shop in Witches’ End called The Black Curtain.
Elnos: see under Ragga, Elnos.
Enforcer: a bounty hunter employed by the government to seek out and capture wanted criminals. They operate under strict rules and are paid bounties for each head. While the majority of them are human, there is a strong minority of shifters, and even the occasional mage.
Enforcers’ Guild: the administrative organization in charge of the enforcers. Also, the building from which the various enforcer crews work under their respective foremen.
Faonus: one of the three founding mages of the Federation.
Fenris: a clanless wolf shifter of unusual antecedents, close friend and confidant of Chief Mage Iannis ar’Sannin. No known last name.
Firegate Bridge: Solantha’s best-known structure, a large red bridge spanning the length of Solantha Bay. It is accessible via Firegate Road.
Gallie: server at the Black Lion Inn in Nika, Osero.
Captain Galling: the human captain of the Enforcer’s Guild in Solantha City, appointed by the former Chief Mage and Council.
Garai: the largest and most populated country on the Eastern Central Continent. Garaians are known for slanted eyes and ivory skin as well as their complicated, rune-like alphabet.
Garidano, Cirin: Finance Secretary of the State of Canalo.
Gaston: a city on the eastern coast of Northia.
Gor, Faron: shifter, Chief Editor of the Shifter Courier, the Solantha newspaper for the shifter population. He provided important information to Sunaya during the investigation into the Shifter Royale.
Graning, Zavian: mage, currently Minister of the Northia Federation. Elected by the Convention for an indefinite term, he is charged with coordination of governmental business and particularly foreign affairs, between the biannual Convention sessions that he prepares and presides.
Great Accord: a treaty struck by the ruling mages centuries ago, which brought an end to a devastating war known as the Conflict. It is still the basis upon which mages rule their countries and territories. All new laws passed must be in accordance with the provisions of the Great Accord.
Gulaya: a star-shaped charm, usually made of metal, that is anchored to a specific location and can take its wearer back there at need. They are rare and difficult to recharge.
Haman ar’Rhea: High Mage of Castalis, a country in the southwest of the Central Continent.
Hennis: a jaguar shifter, butler in the home of Mafiela Baine, the Chieftain of the Jaguar Clan.
Herald, The: the main newspaper in Solantha City, which used to belong to Mills Media and Entertainment; it is geared towards the human majority population.
Iannis ar’Sannin: Chief Mage of Canalo. He resides in the capital city of Solantha, from which he runs Canalo as well as the Mages Guild with the help of his Deputy and Secretaries. Originally a native of Manuc, a country located across the Eastern Sea.
Isana ar’Rhea: daughter of the High Mage of Castalis.
Janta Urama: mage and scholar, head librarian in the Solantha Mages Guild.
Jeremidah: one of the three founding mages of the Northia Federation (“The Founding Trio”) together with Faonus and Micara.
Lakin, Boon: a jaguar shifter from Parabas, appointed as Solantha’s new Shiftertown Inspector following Roanas’s death. Sunaya and he are friends and occasional allies. It was a case he investigated and discussed with Sunaya that led to the eventual exposure of the Shifter Royale.
Lanyr Goldrin: supposedly a tiger shifter engaged as guard in Solantha Palace; pseudonym of Rylan Baine.
Leniang Port: a lawless port city on the south coast of Garai.
Logar ar’Dronach: Chief Mage of Osero.
Loranian: the difficult, secret language of magic that all mages are required to master.
Loris ar’Mengis: one of Minister Graning’s aides at the Capitol building in Dara.
Mages Guild: the governmental organization that rules the mages in Canalo, and supervises the other races. The headquarters are in Solantha Palace. They are subordinate to the Chief Mage. (Each of the states in the Federation has a Mages Guild.)
Magi-tech: devices that are powered by both magic and technology.
Main Crew: the largest group of Enforcers in the Guild. They are generally favored over the other crews and get the most lucrative dockets.
Manuc: an island country off the west coast of the Central Continent.
Magorah: the god of the shifters, associated with the moon.
Melcott, Annia: a human enforcer. She is a close friend of Sunaya, and Noria’s older sister.
Melcott, Noria: Annia Melcott’s younger sister. A gifted inventor, who used to work part-time in the shop Over the Hedge, belonging to Comenius Genhard, and has a mage boyfriend, Elnos. She passionately believes in equality between all races and supports the Resistance, which she eventually joined.
Mexia: one of the fifty states making up the Northia Federation.
Micara: one of the mages who made up the Founding Trio of the Federation, together with Faonus and Jeremidah.
Millawette River: river in Parabas, the capital of Osero.
Mills, Thorgana: human socialite, married to Curian Vanderheim, and former owner of a news media conglomerate as well as numerous other companies. After being exposed as the Benefactor by Sunaya, she was imprisoned. Her companies were seized and auctioned off.
Minister: the mage who presides the Convention of Chief Mages, and coordinates the affairs of the Northia Federation between sessions, particularly foreign relations. The office is currently held by Zavian Graning.
Mitas, Dr. Elan: a general practitioner of medicine in Dara, member of the Resistance.
Miyanta: daughter and disciple of the First Mage Resinah, from whom the ar’Rhea family traces its descent.
Motoac River: a river in the Federation capital Dara.
Nayra: one of the fifty states of the Northian Federation.
Narina Sernan: a pseudonym used by Sunaya in Dara.
Nebara: one of the fifty states making up the Northia Federation.
Nika: a small town in Osero.
Noria: see under Melcott, Noria.
Northia Federation: a federation consisting of fifty states that covers the entire northern half and middle of the Western Continent. Canalo is part of this federation.
Omonas ar’Candar: mage, senior member of the Canalo Council. Not a fan of Sunaya.
Lord Ortho: Chief Mage of Suluris, a state in the southeast of the Federation.
Osero: one of the fifty states of the Northia Federation, located north of Canalo on the continent’s west coast.
Over the Hedge: a shop at Witches’ End selling magical charms and herbal remedies, belonging to Comenius Genhard.
Pandanum: a base metal used, inter alia, for less valuable coins.
Parabas: a city north of Solantha, capital of the state of Osero.
Pamina: receptionist at the Capitol in Dara.
Pernia: a country on the Central Continent, from which Sunaya’s friend Comenius Genhard hails.
Polar ar’Tollis: former Chief Mage of Nebara, who vanished after being condemned to death by the Convention.
Prison Isle: an island in the middle of Solantha Bay that serves as a prison for Canalo’s worst criminals.
Privacy Guard: a company that used to lease uniformed guards to governments and other institutions all over the Federation.
Ragga, Elnos: Noria Melcott’s boyfriend. He is a student at Solantha academy and one of the few mages who believes in equality amongst the races. He and Noria worked together to develop new magi-tech devices.
Ragir, Lady Aria: wife to the High Mage of Castalis and First Lady of that country (since her marriage styled Lady Aria Rag
ir ar’Rhea).
Recca: the world of humans, mages, and shifters.
Residah: the mages’ book of scripture that holds Resinah’s teachings.
Resinah: the first mage, whose teachings are of paramount spiritual importance for the mages. Her statue can be found in the mage temples, which are off-limits to non-mages and magically hidden from outsiders.
Resistance: a movement of revolutionaries planning to overthrow the mages and take control of the Northia Federation, financially backed by the Benefactor. Over time, they became bolder and more aggressive, using terrorist attacks with civilian casualties, as well as assassination. They even tried to take over Solantha, when the government was in disarray after they had engineered the Chief Mage’s disappearance. Sunaya’s discovery that the Benefactor and the human leaders of the Resistance were planning to turn on the shifters once the mages were defeated dealt a blow to the unity of the movement, but its human component is far from completely defeated, and is working on “secret weapons.”
ar’Rhea: family name of a noble Castalian family of mages, who trace their descent to the first mage Resinah through her daughter Miyanta.
Rhodea: smallest of the fifty states that make up the Northia Federation, on the east coast of the continent.
Rowanville: the only neighborhood of Solantha where all three races mix.
Sandia: a large country (and subcontinent) of the Central Continent, populated by many different peoples.
Sandin Federal Bank: a bank with branches in all fifty states of the Federation; its Canalo manager was Danrian Warin. It was shut down after Sunaya brought a scheme of “interest-free loans,” financed with illegally mined gold, to the Chief Mage’s notice.
