VORTYS (VOR-TIS) – A waterwender who can move and manipulate water. The most powerful can create tidal waves or create creatures of water to fight for them.

WATERWENDER – Shaman with one of three water crafts: sower, vortys, and truthseeker. Eyes the color of blue sapphires.

WINDWENDER – Shaman with one of three wind crafts: tempest, brumys, and breathsipher. Eyes the color of violet amethyst.

WYRMIN (WEER-MIN) – A firewender who can increase the temperature of objects, air, and people. Could boil a person’s blood or melt an opponent’s iron weapon.

KAZAHYN (KAH-ZUH-HEEN): Kingdom predominantly populated by shadowblessed clans

DOOMBRINGER – A shadowblessed who can summon complete darkness

ENCHANTER – A shadowblessed who can imbue the properties of a gemstone into a weapon, such as the strength of a diamond and color of a ruby. Can also pass certain qualities, temporarily, into people and animals.

FIREBORN QUEENS – One of the most powerful clans in Kazahyn. Their High Queen’s magic smells of brimstone and is said to emit heat.

FLESH WORKER – A shadowblessed who can manipulate flesh and bone. Renowned healers and deadly warriors.

GATE – A shadowblessed who can create doorways through shadows, moving great distances instantly

HATCHLET – A newborn wyvern

HLAU – A Kazan prince

NECROMANCER – A powerful shadowblessed capable of commanding a dead body to rise (without its soul)

PENUMBRIA (PE-NUM-BREE-UH) – One of the largest cities in Kazahyn; location is hidden and can only be reached through Shadow magic

SHADOWMASTER – A shadowblessed who can manipulate shadows

WEAN – A young wyvern that cannot yet fly

WYRLING – An adolescent wyvern that has learned to fly but is not yet fully grown

WYVERN – A winged creature native to the mountains of Kazahyn. Although they are scaled, they have long whiplike tails ending in brilliant feathers. Also feathered around arm/leg joints and sometimes around the head. Strong fliers and fast runners. They are also the companions of the shadowblessed. Among certain clans, it is a rite of passage to catch and tame one. They become companions for life, even going into battle with their riders.

ONE

The earth is black with last night’s rain—a perfect morning for shadows.

When I arrive at my mentor’s tower door, my damp gloves barely brush the heavy wood before it flies open. Its half-dozen locks jangle and clack noisily. For a blind woman whose eyes are always concealed behind a scarf, Kendara’s face can convey an impressive amount of disdain.

“Sirscha Ashwyn, you thoughtless dolt,” she says, her voice low and gravelly. “Took you long enough.” She used to speak more gently when I was younger. Maybe that’s why the sound of it still makes me smile, even when she’s insulting me.

“I was only gone for an hour,” I say, shutting the door behind me.