life."
For a moment, Erin cast her gaze to the sword whispering at her side, then looked up, bold.
"I care not whether some now call you Ravenna's daughter or that you have no shadow and wear a burning crown. You are the only light I know. I want no other fellowship than yours. It seems that I alone of all this throng have it in my power to choose my road. Aeriel, I would go with you."
Aeriel closed her eyes. She would not be alone then, after all. Here at the beginning, at least, one companion would accompany her.
"The Flame in Orm robbed me of my shadow," she whispered, "but I am not without one, ever. If not for you, Erin, I would be lost."
Fearlessly, the dark girl put her arms around her.
"My darkness," breathed Aeriel.
Erin answered, "My light."
Aeriel turned and faced them all.
"Fare you well," she told them. No more remained to be said.
Palms together, Syllva and her Istern sons bowed to her. Talb, Roshka, and the duaroughs made reverence. The islanders, the bowwomen, even Sabr's dismounted cavalry knelt. Orrototo's desert folk gravely nodded. Even Pendarlon and Avarclon and the other Ions saluted her. All paid homage but the king of Avaric, who wept, and the bandit queen who could not console him.
Erin still had hold of her hand. The burning crown's fire seemed to affect her no more than the fire of the sword. Aeriel was glad of it, for someone bold enough not to let her go. It would be a long road to NuRavenna. The light of the crown blazed bright against the night. As she and Erin set out, she heard Brandl's bell-sweet harp behind them, his clear, young voice raised in song:
"On Avaric's white plain,
where an icarus now wings
To steeps of Terrain
from Tour-of-the-Kings,
And damozels twice-seven
his brides have all become:
A far cry from heaven,
a long road from home—
Then strong-hoof of a starhorse
must hallow him unguessed
If adamant's edge is to plunder
his breast.
Then, only, may the Warhorse
and Warrior arise
To rally the warhosts, and thunder
the skies.
But first there must assemble
those the icari would claim.
A bride in the temple
must enter the flame,
With steeds found for six brothers, beyond
a dust deepsea,
And new arrows reckoned, a wand
given wings—
That when a princess-royal's
to have tasted of the tree,
Then far from Esternesse's
city, these things:
A gathering of gargoyles,
a feasting on the stone,
The Witch of Westernesse's
hag overthrown.
Whereafter shall commence
such a cruel Sorceress War,
To wrest recompense
for a land leaguered sore.
With her broadsword Bright Burning,
the shadow Black-as-Night,
From exile returning,
shall dare dragons' might
For love of one above who, flag unfurled,
lone must stand,
The pearl of the soul of the world
in her hand.
When Winterock to water
falls flooding, foes to drown,
Ravenna's own daughter
shall kindle the crown."
_________________________________________
Pronunciation Guide
[paedanwnt]
adamant
ADD-uh-munt (accent first syllable)
[fa'daemsntin]
Adamantine nh-DAMM-unn-teen (accent second syllable, i as in "machine")
[fasriEl]
Aeriel
AIR-ee-ell (short a as in "arrogant")
[faidsrlan]
[Aiderlan
EYE-dur-lann (at as in "nazad," final a-sound midway between "land" and "swan") Arat
AIR-ratt
[arl]
Arl
AHRL
[farlis]
Arlish
[AHR-lish faevarclon]
Avarclon
AV-ur-clawn (short first a as in "avenue," short a as in "cloth")
[fasvaRik]
Avaric
AV-uh-rick (short first a as in "average," may roll r)
[bArn]
Bern
BURN
['bArnalon]
Bernalon
BURN-uh-lawn
[pbArnian]
Bernean
BURN-ee-unn
['bsmba]
Bomba
BAWM-buh
[bRasndsl]
Brandl
BRAND-ull (two syllables, rhymes with "candle," may rollr)
[Pkolam]
Collum
CALL-umm
(short o as in "cost")
[krAndsm]
corundum core-RUN-dumm (accent second syllable)
pdArna]
Dirna
DUR-nuh (rhymes with
"Smyrna")
[daunwEndü]
Downwen-down-WENN-ding (accent ding second syllable)
[dnegk]
dracg
DRA(g)CK (midway between "drag" and "rack")
[diTaüaf]
duarough doo-AH-ruff (accent second of three syllables, several pronunciations possible, may rollr)
[dtfaRux]
doo-AHR-ookh
[NElvar]
Elver
ELL-vur
[Elvorlon]
Elverlon
ELL-vur-lawn
['Eodu in]
Eoduin
EH-oh-doo-inn (major accent on first and minor accent on last of four syllables)
[pEkwsstEl]
equustel
ECK-wuss-tell (two short e's)
[j^Erm]
Erin
EH-rinn
[Ester* nEssce]
Esternesse ess-tur-NESS-suh (accent third of four syllables)
["gaelnor]
Gahor
GAL-nor (short a as in "pallid")
[Tgokm]
golam
GOLL-umm (like "golem")
[rxadin]
Hadin
(k)HAH-deen (accent first syllable, h is strongly aspirate, broad a as in "father," i as in "machine")
[lkarE]
icare
ICK-uh-reh (short e, as in "red")
[fikarai]
ICK-uh-rye Qong final i as in "npe")
[pkares]
icaras
ICK-uh-russ
[mylae]
Irrylath
IH-rrew-lahth (r is rolled; pronounce y by pursing lips to say "ooh," but say "ee" instead; last syllable rhymes with "swath")
[pistsrn]
Istern
ISS-turn (pronounced like "eastern," but with short i) fisternsr]
Isterner
ISS-turn-ur (pronounced like "easterner," but with short i)
[ister'nEs]
Esternesse iss-tur-NESS (accent last syllable, rhymes with "sister Bess")
[Paiu]
Lern
LURN (sounds like "learn")
[Ion]
Ion
LAWN (short o, as in "gone")
['larelai]
lorelei
LORE-uh-lye (« sounds like long piaisn)
lyon
LYE-unn (like "lion")
[maam'bai]
Ma'a-mbai
MAH-ahm-BYE (accent both first and last of three syllables, at as in " naiad")
[masr]
Mare
MAIR (rhymes with "care")
["maRalan"]
Marelon
MARR-uh-lawn (three syllables, broad a as in "march")
[masnnar]
Mariner
MAIR-inn-ur (like "mariner")
['manea]
Marrea
MARR-ay-uh (accent first syllable, roll r, e as in "rain")
[ma'Ruha]
Maruha muh-RROO-ha (accent second syllable, roll f)
SOO
['mElkior] Melkior MEL-kee-ore
[mir] Mere MEER (rhymes with "seer")
Pmirgmt] mereguint MEER-ghint (hard g, silent)
[nar] Nar
[nat] Nat
[nuRaNvEna] NuRavenna
NARR
NAHT (rhymes with "swat")
noo-ruh-VENN-uh (pronounced like "New Ravenna")
[ose'aenus] Oceanus oh-say-ANN-noose (two pronunciations possible)
[osi"aenss] oh-shee-ANN-uss
['ariEnkar] Oriencor ORE-ee-eng-core
[arm] Orm ORM
[Vrototo] Oroto-to ore-RROE-toe-toe (accent second syllable, roll r)
['pEndar] Pendar fpEndarbn] Pendarlon [pArs] Pirs
["pArsalon] Pirsalon Pirsean
PENN-dar PENN-dar-lawn PURSE
PURSE-uh-lawn PURSE-ee-unn (three syllables, keep s unvoiced, long e as in "seeing")
[paRa'tun] Poratun porr-uh-TOON (roll r and accent last syllable, which rhymes with "moon")
['Rani] Rani RAH-nee (rhymes with "Suwannee," r may be rolled)
['Ranibn] Ranilon
[Ra'vEna] Ravenna
RAH-nih-lawn ruh-VENN-uh (r may be rolled) [hRuk] rhuk HRROOK (rhymes with "hook," rh is breathy and rolled) ['R3ska] Roshka RROSH-kah (roll r)
[PsabR]
Sabr
SAH-brr (two syllables, r is breathy and rolled, final syllable contains no vowel sound)
[skasbard]
Scabbird
SCABB-urd (like "scabbard")
[sfinks]
sfinx
SFINKS (like "sphinx")
[solstar]
Solstar
SOLE-star
['solstaraiz]
Solstarrise
SOLE-star-eyes
['solstarsEt]
Solstarset
SOLE-star-sett
['sulva]
Syllva
SOOLL-vah (first syllable rhymes with "pull," broad a as in "wander")
[vsyroel]
Syril
SEWE-rull (pronounce y by pursing lips to say "ooh." but say "ee" instead)
[talb]
Talb
TAHLB (a-sound midway between "shall" and "wallow")
[celis]
Talis
TAL-iss (short a as in "palace")
[tErren]
Terrain teh-REIGN (like "terrain")
[tE'renian]
Terrainean teh-REIGN-ee-unn (as in "subterranean")
[vampair]
vampyre
VAMM-pire (like "vampire")
[wEstsr'nEssce]
Westernesse west-ur-NESS-suh (accent third of four syllables)
[wEstran]
Westron
WEST-runn (rhymes with "BEST-run")
[wintBrok]
Winterock
WINN-tur-ock (like "winter rock")
[zaembul]
Zambul
ZAMM-bool (short a as in "amber," last syllable rhymes with "cool")
[zaembufen]
Zambulan
[ZAAM-boo-lunn fzembubn]
Zambulon
ZAMM-boo-lawn (short first a as in "ample," short o as in "on")
Table of Contents
ALSO BY MEREDITH ANN PIERCE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
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9
10
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16
PRONOUNCIATION GUIDE