by R. K. Hart
The Illarum (The Star Seat)
Tiernan Fisher – Erbidan mentor of the shifters and stom-ruith. Unofficial head mentor of the Illarum.
Katrin Kalisdotter – Brinnican mentor of the healers and daughter of the Kali. Sister to Aaron.
Brigid d’Gawen – Eilin mentor of the natureworkers and priestess of Eianna.
Rikard Llewson – Eilin mentor of the readers and Prince of Eilan.
Caradoc Aldirson – Setiian mentor of the shielders.
Jakob Merchant – Erbidan shifter and Priom-Oidre of the Kellith; first apprentice to Tiernan Fisher. Son of Kayla Merchant, Priom-la of the Kellith, and Alum Merchant (nee Carpenter). Brother to Lorcan. Gift-bound of Mikal.
Mikal Marisson – Brinnican healer and joint first apprentice to Katrin Kalisdotter. Twin brother to James and good-son of the Kali. Gift-bound of Jakob.
James Marisson – Brinnican healer and joint first apprentice to Katrin Kalisdotter. Twin brother to Mikal and good-son of the Kali.
Jedias Catosson (Jed) – Eilin healer and the unofficial Illarum stablemaster.
Lorcan Merchant – Erbidan shifter and stom-ruith; Dar-Oidre of the Kellith. Son of Kayla Merchant, Priom-la of the Kellith, and Alum Merchant. Brother to Jakob.
Ava – Setiian healer and star-skimmer. Daughter of Eira.
Marlyn d’Markus – Eilin shifter.
Tomas Emmettson – Eilin shifter.
Alys Almasdotter – Brinnican healer.
Kieran Andelsson – Setiian shielder.
Dylan Carasson – Brinnican shielder.
Eleanora Katissdotter (Ella) – Brinnican healer and daughter of Katis (deceased) and Cuinn (cousin to the Kali and member of the aine).
Other Notable Persons:
Lannard Arturson (Lan), Eilin healer, kidnapped by traders and presumed deceased; Orla Weaver, Erbidan healer and Priom-Oidre of South-West Wex; Cora Highborn, Auteran natureworker and first apprentice to Brigid; Joelle Inisdotter, Brinnican healer; Lormac Brynson, Setiian shielder and first apprentice to Caradoc; Sopia Harper, Erbidan reader and first apprentice to Rikard.
l'Cour du Kali (the Kali’s Court)
Aaron Kalisson – Brinnican shielder and son of the Kali. Brother to Katrin and protégé of Siva.
The Kali – the matriarch of the Brinnican tribes. Daughter to the previous Kali. Mother to Katrin and Aaron, friend of Siva.
Bethan Ka’mersdotter – sister to the current Kali, and daughter to the previous Kali. Mother of Bronwyn and member of the aine.
Bronwyn Bethansdotter – daughter of Bronwyn and cousin to Katrin and Aaron.
Rosa Mirrensdotter (Rose) – daughter of Mirren and Alum Merchant; half-sister to Jakob and Lorcan. Mother of Connor.
Connor Rosasson – son of Rose and Cian Smith, nephew to Jakob and Lorcan.
Other Notable Persons:
Hagar Astasdotter, animal healer and mentor to Cathan; Cara Irisdotter, leader of the Hunting Cat tribe and mother to Dylan; Cuinn Linasson, member of the aine and cousin to the Kali, husband of Katis (deceased) and father to Eleanora (Ella).
The Isle of the Gods
Isla Janetsdotter – captain of The Belle and member of the Myrae Assembly.
Eve Amismaid – First of The Belle and Keeper of Queenspool. Member of the Myrae Assembly.
Jessa Shepherd – Erbidan sailor on The Belle. Gift-bound of Meris Aifeson.
Sira d’Edwyn – Setiian deckhand on The Belle.
Aife Rimasdotter – captain of The Restitution and member of the Myrae Assembly.
Acknowledgements
Phew.
One down, three (?) to go. The thanks below are in no real order, and are equally heart-felt in various ways.
I would like to thank Dr. Neil Ramsay, the supervisor of my incomplete PhD project. I would never have started writing To Dream of White and Gold again if my imagination hadn’t been piqued by the study I completed under his guidance, by the material he directed me to, and by the questions he encouraged me to examine. Some of that is present in this novel; some of it is stored somewhere in my memory-mist and will be pulled out and reworked at some stage in the future.
To Maddy, a student in my 2010 year 8 English class: thank you. Without Maddy, I would not have Alida, and without Alida, there would be no novel. It isn’t so much that Alida is based on Maddy, but that Maddy provided me with the catalyst for ideas to come together, and a stubborn, wild, cross young heroine to be at the centre of them. Students have more effect on teachers than they know.
To my editor, critic, and general all-round BFF Kelly: you are an absolute angel. In every way. Fin.
Thank you to my family and extended family. Thank you for putting up with me (just generally, I suppose, but also while I write. The thing about writing is that it is difficult to think of anything else while you’re doing it; like many creative processes, it is inherently selfish). Thank you to my tireless and patient parents, Ian and Jane, for taking my kids, for showing interest, and for generally being the best role models I might have hoped for. Thank you to Hannah, the original beta reader, for giving such wonderful support. Thank you to Cate, Joe, and Michael for giving such valuable feedback. Thank you to Jeb, for taking my scribbles and making them into a world. Thank you to my book club (Nick, Ben, Kelly, John) for keeping me sane.
To John, Atticus, and Eleanor: you are my entire world, and the best of me.
And to Michelle: thank you for Sacred.
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About the Author
R.K. Hart is an educational developer and writer living on Ngunnawal Ngambri land in Canberra, Australia, with her husband, two young children, a kitten, and three surprisingly long-lived goldfish. She holds a BA (Hons) in Literature and postgraduate qualifications in Education. She is currently working on the second book in the Death Dreamer Legacy, A Lie of Desert Red.
For updates, exclusive offers, and extremely sporadic blog posts, visit rkhart.net.
