1 Chapter 1: Glossary & Prologue

Cover- ©coka - Can Stock Photo Inc.

Main Characters-

Neivayka (Nah-vay-ka)- Main Character

Theole (Theo-l)- A good guy, mostly known as Theo

Pontius (Pon-tee-us) another good guy

Nesha (Ne-sha)- Saves Neivayka begrudgingly

Lorimer (Lor-i-mer)- Bad Guy

Shantane (Sh-ann-t-ane)-Friend

Avery-(A-veeree)- tree friend

Supporting Cast-

Gair (Gah- air)- Little boy that saves Neivayka’s life

Iola (I-oh-la)- Gair’s mother

Wuden (Woo-den)- Another bad guy

Argwyn (Ar-gah-when)- Wuden’s girlfriend

Artor (Ar-tore)- Odd bad guy

Gerant-(Grr-Aunt)-werewolf

Sorian- (Sor-e-an) the prince of Merpeople

Triaton (Tri-a-ton) the king of merpeople

Elders-

Fenril (Fen-reel)- Elder from the Grey Pack

Jenese (Jen-eess)- Elder from the Moar (Unseelie)

Torta (Tore-ta)- Elder from the River Elves

Steval (Ste-val)-Elder from the Valley Fauns

Rosilen (Ross-i-lyn) Elder from the Briar also Theo’s grandmother

Airyana (Ari-anna) Queen of the Light World

Harmon-(Har-Mon) elder of the village

Language

Ceisiwr Umbra (Kie-shoe- you) (ooom-bra) Seeker of the Shadows

Milwyr (Mill-wir) Soldiers/Guards/ Military

Anteris (An-tear-is) Legendary people that are said to be Giant Ants

Hestona-(Hiss-stone-eah) horse people

Unseelie (un-sea-lee)- Dark Fairy

Guise-(Guys) The shape a non-shifter uses to hide their true form

Cenrebal-(Sin-re-Ball) leader of the rebellion

Arathryrebals- the term for the rebellion

Diacaine (D-I-ah-cane)- godspeakers

Dryad (Dry-add) tree people

Legged-ones- People who live on land

Grove- Dryad counsel

Druager (Drew-ah-jur)- Shadow infected Soldiers

Luparthbra (Lou-Par-th-bra) Shadowed/ wolf bear

Luparth- wolf/bear

Trillis-(trill-us) three-tailed horned cat creature

Faenus- (Faye-nus) stupid/silly- general a vacant headed girl

Animals-

Nimbus (Nim-bus)- Trillis that is saved from the Shadow

Felitior (Fel-i-tor)-hippocampus- the grumpy greeter on the door of the great hall in Henge

Beutaur (Beyou-tur)- Hippocampus- the symbol of Neivayka’s ancestral line

Asthrian (As-three-an)- dragon- the symbol of Theole ancestral line

Balorus (Ba-LORE-us) Evil Dragon

Doritha (Door-i-tha)- A phoenix- the symbol of Pontius ancestral line

Cerberus (Sir-bur-us)- a three-headed dog that guards the underworld

Nore (NOR) demon of the ocean

Places-

Eroteeia (ERO-Taa-eia) -- the name of the jungle

Hornsoth- Desert to the south

Sorath-forest-to the north

Coogar (coo- gar) piece of the jungle

Prologue

“How pathetic,” the vampire Lord sneered as he looked over the ragged group standing defiantly in front of him. “Did you honestly think a group of children could defeat me?”

The group looked at each other as if double-checking their willingness to go through with the plan.

No one backed down.

“What’s the matter, Lori?” the cocky boy in the middle asked. “Feeling a little intimidated?”

Lord Lorimer turned on him baring his pointed white fangs at the boy with an evil grin.

“By what? A snot-nosed little thing like yourself?” Lorimer said with scorn. “Hardly. I’m just trying to decide if I want my dessert before or after the main course.”

The boy’s face didn’t show an ounce of the fear that was coursing through him at Lorimer’s threat. However, the cocky attitude he originally had was gone. In its place was a stillness, a readiness to attack, especially once Lorimer turned his murderous gaze towards the short girl on his left.

“Neivayka, I have offered you multiple chances to stop this ridiculous rebellion you are leading. But you have repeatedly ignored my attempts to end this peacefully,” Lorimer stated in disappointment.

Neivayka scoffed at his words. Her idea of peace and the vampire lords were two completely different things. As much as she wanted to believe that her surrendering right now would be the best for everyone involved, she knew that it wasn’t. They were well past the point of no return, and the only thing left for them to do was to win.

They had to win; their deaths would serve no purpose in stopping Lorimer. And he had to be stopped. The fate of the world depended on it. Neivayka straightened her spine and raised her sword further, so it was pointed straight at his heart.

“Peace? You don’t even know the true meaning of the word. We will not surrender until your head is on a stake outside your gaudy castle walls. Only then will this world know peace,” she stated with a conviction few had.

Lorimer chortled with joy. “What a bloodthirsty little thing you are. You would have made the perfect queen.”

“Never,” Neivayka growled.

Lorimer raised his hand placating. “More’s the pity. But before you continue on with your suicidal quest for my head. I thought you would like to see the present I have for you.”

With a wave of his hand, the door to his right sprung open. A boy no older than twelve came tumbling into the room. The child had aged since the last time Neivayka had seen him. But there was no mistaking the rounded eyes that looked at her pleadingly.

“Gair,” Neivayka breathed out in horror.

“Yes,” Lorimer said with a horrific smirk. “They were hiding him from me. But you already knew that. Imagine, I was so close to something that I have spent lifetimes seeking.”

“Let him go,” Neivayka demanded through gritted teeth.

His grin grew wider, flashing his deadly fangs again. “Now, my dear. Why would I want to do that?”

Lorimer glided over to the boy and wrapped his arms around Gair’s tiny shivering shoulders. Gair bravely tried to yank away with all his power. However, the vampire tightened his grip until a whimper sprung out of the boy’s trembling mouth.

“I’m going to kill you,” she snarled. “I’m going to take your head myself and parade it through the town.”

Lorimer’s blood-red eyes shined down with savage glee. “I’m looking forward to it.”

With a flick of Lorimer’s wrist, Gair flew to the other side of the room and slammed into a wall where he laid unmoving. Neivayka desperately wanted to make sure he was okay, but when the war cry rang through the room, she knew she had run out of time.

She raised her sword in the air, prepared to finally defeat the evil that had been plaguing her for nearly two years now. When the fight was over; and the vampire was dead, then she’d have time to check on the little boy who had saved her life.

At that moment, in the space between heartbeats. Like a movie on a screen, the last few years came rushing back to Neivayka.