Mari Devret: A student of medicine at the Winterkeep Academy. The son of Mara and Arni Devret. The oldest friend of Lovisa Cavenda.

Mirni Tima: An importer of Monsean zilfium.

Minta Varana: An airship engineer and an importer of Monsean zilfium. The sister of Quona and Sara Varana. A Scholar politically.

Nev: A scholarship student of animal medicine at the Winterkeep Academy, from Torla’s Neck. The daughter of Davvi and Nola and the granddaughter of Saiet.

Nola: The mother of Nev. A healer through massage.

Nori Orfa: A student of animal medicine at the Winterkeep Academy, from Torla’s Neck.

Ona: The firekeeper on Trader’s Beach.

Pari Parnin: A student at the Winterkeep Academy.

Quona Varana: An animal doctor and an environmentalist. A professor of animal medicine at the Winterkeep Academy. The sister of Minta and Sara Varana. A Scholar politically.

Saiet: The grandfather of Nev. An animal doctor.

Sara Varana: A Scholar and the Prime Minister of Winterkeep. The sister of Minta and Quona Varana.

Ta Varana: A student at the Winterkeep Academy. The daughter of Minta Varana.

Vera: The proprietor of a bath north of Ledra. An airship smuggler.

Vikti Cavenda: A brother of Lovisa Cavenda, nine years old. Quiet.

Viri Cavenda: A brother of Lovisa Cavenda, five years old. Curious.

Worthy: A pig.

From the Royal Continent

Ashen: The mother of Bitterblue and the previous Queen of Monsea. From Lienid. Deceased.

Barra: An adviser to Queen Bitterblue.

Bitterblue: The Queen of Monsea.

Brek: A previous adviser to Queen Bitterblue. He drowned in Winterkeep with Mikka.

Cobal: The Estillan envoy to Winterkeep.

Coran: An adviser and doctor to Queen Bitterblue.

Froggatt: Queen Bitterblue’s foremost adviser.

Giddon: One of the leaders of the Council. A dispossessed Middluns lord and a friend of Queen Bitterblue.

Hava: A Graceling, Graced with the ability to change what people see when they look at her. A spy for Queen Bitterblue and secretly Bitterblue’s half sister.

Helda: The caretaker of Queen Bitterblue’s domestic affairs and her spymaster.

Joff: A lord from southern Estill.

Katsa: The founder of the Council. A Graceling, Graced with survival. From the Middluns. A friend and mentor of Queen Bitterblue.

Leck: The father of Bitterblue and the previous King of Monsea. A Graceling, Graced with the ability to tell lies that people believe. A psychopath. Deceased.

Lovejoy: A cat.

Mikka: The previous Monsean envoy to Winterkeep. He drowned in Winterkeep with Brek.

Pella: A lord from central Monsea who had an affair with Queen Bitterblue.

Periwinkle (Perry): The Lienid envoy to Winterkeep.

Skye: A Lienid prince, the sixth son of King Ror and Queen Zinnober of Lienid. A cousin of Queen Bitterblue.

Trina: A Graceling, Graced with finding things. Originally Estillan, she escaped to Monsea with Giddon’s help.

Acknowledgments

Thank you, Kathy Dawson, for your keen guidance and insight.

Thank you, Faye Bender, for your tremendous help and support.

Thank you, Jen Loja and Lauri Hornik, for making me safe under your wings.