The forest thinned and they reached the open field where the old road crossed the new ones, freshly pressed by holiday travelers, leading west to Ratibor and north to Colnora. A short distance away a group of riders in gold and blue on white mounts waited.
“This is where we part,” Nimbus told them.
Royce stared at the thin man in the wig. “Who are you really?”
Nimbus smiled. “You already know that.”
“If it hadn’t been for you…” Royce paused. “I’ve always regretted that I never said thank you.”
“And I wish to thank you as well, Royce.”
He was puzzled. “For what?”
“For reminding me that anyone, no matter what they’ve done, can find redemption if they seek it.”
The thin man turned and walked down the road toward Ratibor. Royce watched him go, then turned to his daughter. “Let’s go visit the elves, shall we?” he asked. Just then, thunder cracked from overhead, shaking the ground and rustling the leaves on the trees.
Royce looked up at the clear blue sky, confused.
“Look!” Mercedes said, pointing down the road.
Royce turned to see Nimbus standing still, his head bent back, his eyes looking up.
A white feather drifted downward. It swirled, blowing on a gentle breeze until it was close enough that the tall spindly man in the white powdered wig reached up and caught it between his fingers. He kissed it gently, then slipped it into his leather pouch. He pulled the bag closed and continued on his way, whistling a merry tune, until he passed behind a hill and was gone.
Glossary of Terms and Names
Abner Gallsworth: Aquesta City Administrator
Adam: Wheeler from Ratibor
Adeline: Queen of Alburn, married to Armand, sons: Rudolf and Hector, daughter: Beatrice
Adwhite, Sir: Knight and poet, wrote The Song of Beringer
Addie Wood: Mother of Thrace/Modina, wife of Theron, killed in Dahlgren
Albert Winslow: Landless viscount used by Riyria to arrange assignments from the gentry
Alburn: Kingdom of Avryn ruled by King Armand and Queen Adeline, member of the New Empire
Alenda Lanaklin: Daughter of the marquis Victor Lanaklin and sister of Myron the monk
Algar: Woodworker in Hintindar
Allie: Daughter of Wyatt Deminthal, half-elf, once held hostage by Merrick Marius
Alric Essendon, King: Ruler of Melengar, brother of Arista, son of Amrath
Alverstone: \al-ver-stone\ Dagger used by Royce
Alysin: Elven afterlife
Amberton Lee: Hill with old ruins not far from Hintindar, site where Arista killed two seret
Ambrose Moor: Administrator of the Manzant Prison and Salt Works
Amilia: Secretary to the Empress, carriage maker’s daughter, bron in Tarin Vale
Amiter, Queen: Second wife of King Urith, sister of Androus, killed by Imperialists
Amrath Essendon, King: \am-wrath\ Former ruler of Melengar, father of Alric and Arista, killed by Nyphron Church
Amriclass="underline" \am-rill\ Countess that Arista cursed with boils
Androus Billet: Viceroy of Ratibor, murdered King Urith, Queen Amiter, and their children
Ankor: Tribe of Ghazel
Anna: Chamber maid of Empress Modina
Antun Bulard: Historian and author of The History of Apeladorn, passenger on the Emerald Storm, hired to find the Horn of Gylindora
Apelanese: Language spoken by the four kingdoms of men
Apeladorn: \ah-pell-ah-dorn\ The four nations of man, consisting of Trent, Avryn, Delgos, and Calis
Aquesta: \ah-quest-ah\ Capital city of the kingdom of Warric, seat of power for the New Empire
Arbor: Baker in Hintindar, married to Dunstan, shoemaker’s daughter, first love of Hadrian
Arcadius Vintarus Latimer: Professor of Lore at Sheridan University, caretaker of Allie
Archibald Ballentyne: Earl of Chadwick, commander of Sir Breckton, promised providence of Melengar for service to the New Empire, infatuated with Empress Modina, nickname: Archie
Arista Essendon, Princess: Sister of Alric, daughter of Amrath, Princess of Melengar, leader of rebel victory in Ratibor, former mayor pro tem of Ratibor, former Regent of Rhenydd, Witch of Melengar, imprisoned in Aquesta after trying to free Degan Gaunt
Armand, King: Ruler of Alburn, married to Adeline, sons: Rudolf and Hector, daughter: Beatrice
Armigiclass="underline" Brew mistress of Hintindar, family friend of the Blackwaters
Art, the: magic, generally feared due to superstition
Arvid McDern: Son of Dillon McDern of Dahlgren
Asendwayr: Tribe of elves, hunters
Avempartha: Ancient elven tower, home of Gilarabrywn that attacked Dahlgren
Avryn: \ave-rin\ The central and most powerful of the four nations of Apeladorn, located between Trent and Delgos
Ayers: Proprietor of the Laughing Gnome in Ratibor
Ba Ran Archipelago: Island of the goblins
Ba Ran Ghazeclass="underline" Goblins of the sea
Backing: Rigging a sail such that it catches the wind from its forward side, having both backed and regular rigged sails can render a ship motionless
Bailiff: Officer who is employed to make arrests and administer punishments
Bailey Inn: Boardinghouse routinely used by Riyria when in Aquesta
Baldwin: Lord whose landholdings include Hintindar
Ballentyne: \bal-in-tine\ The ruling family of the earldom of Chadwick
Banner: Crewmember of the Emerald Storm, one of the few survivors
Barak: Ghetto in Trent inhabited by dwarves
Barkers: Refugee family living in Brisbane Alley of Aquesta, father Brice, mother Lynnette, sons Finis, Hingus, and Wery
Bartholomew: Carriage maker of Tarin Vale, father of Amilia
Bartholomew: Priest in Ratibor
Basiclass="underline" Officer’s cook on the Emerald Storm, died at sea
Bastion: Servant in the imperial palace
Battle of Medford: Skirmish that occurred during Arista’s witch trial
Battle of RaMar: Bloody fight that Hadrian once fought in
Battle of Ratibor: Rebellion against Imperialists led by Emery Dorn and Arista
Beatrice, Princess: Daughter of King Armand, Princesses of Alburn, Sister to Rudolf and Hector
Belinda Pickering: Extremely attractive wife of Count Pickering, mother of Lenare, Mauvin, Fanen, and Denek
Bella: Cook at the Laughing Gnome in Ratibor
Belstrads: \bell-straads\ Noble family from Chadwick, including Sir Breckton and Wesley
Bernard Green: Candle maker from Dunmore, living in Aquesta
Bendlton, Brother: Cook at the rebuilt Winds Abbey
Bennington: Guard in Aquesta
Bently: Sergeant in the Nationalist army, promoted by Hadrian to adjunct general
Bernard: Lord Chamberlain of the imperial palace
Bernice: Former handmaid of Arista, killed in Dahlgren
Bernie Defoe: Topsail crewmember of the Emerald Storm, former member of the Black Diamond thieves’ guild, hired to find the Horn of Gylindora
Bernum Heights: Wealthiest residential district in Colnora
Bernum River: Waterway that bisects the city of Colnora
Beryclass="underline" Senior midshipman on the Emerald Storm, died at sea
Bethamy, King: Ruler reputed to have had his horse buried with him
Betrayal in Medford: Imperialist version of the play The Crown Conspiracy
Biddings: Chancellor of the imperial palace
Bishop: Lieutenant aboard the Emerald Storm, died at sea
Black Diamond: International thieves’ guild centered in Colnora
Blackwater: Last name of Hadrian and his father, Danbury
Blinden: Quartermaster’s mate on the Emerald Storm, died at sea
Blood Week: Time of the year when stock, that won’t be able to be fed, during the winter is butchered
Blythin Castle: Castle in Alburn
Boatswain: Petty officer on a ship who controls the work of other seamen
Bocant: Family who built a lucrative industry from pork, second wealthiest merchants in Colnora