“I will kill Abasi Odili,” he told her.
It frightened her, the way he’d said it, but she would not balk. “We consider that a ‘yes,’ Champion Tau Solarin.”
And, like that, there was no going back. A dragon had been called, and someone would have to die.
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GLOSSARY
Ananthi, the Goddess—The one true deity, the creator of Uhmlaba, Isihogo, women, men, and all that exists. She is the source of all gifts, and the Omehi are Her chosen people.
Aqondise—A leading warrior’s most trusted companion; a second-in-command.
Cek—Soulless.
Citadel City—The first true Omehian city on Xidda, Citadel City sits at the westward base of the Fist and is home to the Indlovu, Gifted, Sah, and Guardian Citadels. It is the primary training grounds for the Noble warriors, the Gifted, the priesthood, and it is the traditional base of power for the Royals who sit on the Guardian Council and lead the military effort.
Claw (military unit)—Three scales operating together under a single command.
The Crags—A large plateau in the Fist mountain range that has been divided into several fighting areas that are used to train the Gifted, Indlovu, and Ihashe. The Crags are the location of the Queen’s Melee.
The Curse—The massive and unexplored desert territory beyond the front lines of the war. The Xiddeen live out in the Curse, though how they can survive in the poisonous wasteland is a mystery.
Cycle—One rotation through all four seasons (Seed, Grow, Harvest, and Hoard).
Demon-haunted—A woman or man whose mind has been broken by time spent in Isihogo.
Dragon (military unit)—A dragon is three wings operating together under a single command.
Dragon’s Span—A hand symbol meant to ward away evil thoughts, demons, and faithlessness.
Drudge—A Lesser made casteless for failing to serve the Omehi in combat.
Edifier—A Gifted capable of moving quickly through Isihogo to pass messages to other Edifiers in distant locations.
Enervator—A Gifted capable of temporarily incapacitating others by forcing their souls into Isihogo.
Enrager—A Gifted capable of pulling power from Isihogo and moving it through the blood of a Greater Noble or Royal Noble, making the target bigger, stronger, faster, and more resilient.
Entreater—A Gifted capable of binding their will to the will of another.
The Fist—The smallest mountain range on the Omehi Peninsula, it starts at the ocean and runs a short way down the center of the peninsula. Citadel City sits at its westward base. The Fist holds the Crags training grounds.
Gambeson—A padded defensive jacket.
Gaum—A potent intoxicant made from the poison in a scorpion’s sting.
The Goddess’s Curse—For fighting against Her chosen people, the Goddess afflicted the Xiddeen with a curse that corrupts their skin and bodies, giving them weeping sores and seeming to rot them from the inside out.
Guardian—The Omehi name for a dragon.
Hedeni—Women and men who have no faith in the Goddess and live outside of Her grace.
Hex—A group of six Entreaters who work together.
Ihagu—The Omehi militia that makes up the front lines in the endless war against the Xiddeen. These men are not granted military status.
Ihashe—The elite fighters and soldiers of the Lesser castes. They are granted military status after graduating from the one-cycle training provided at either the Southern or Northern Ihashe Isikolo. They must serve six active cycles to complete their service.
Indlovu—The elite warriors of the Noble castes. They are granted military status after graduating from the three-cycle training provided at the Indlovu Citadel in Citadel City. They must serve six active cycles to complete their service.
Ingonyama—The Chosen’s deadliest fighters, selected from the very best of the graduating military initiates. If the Ingonyama is a Greater Noble or Royal Noble they are teamed with an Enrager, who will use her gifts to empower the Ingonyama in combat.
Inkokeli—Leader of an Indlovu unit or Ihashe scale.
Inkumbe—A small grass-eating and four-legged creature from Osonte with small horns and cloven feet.
Intulo—A salamander/lizard. Also a description of a slippery person who won’t stay still in an argument—their thoughts are loose, fluid, not substantial.
Inyoka—A poisonous serpent.
Isihogo—The demon world—a colorless, mist-filled prison, where time flows differently and Ananthi’s powers are found.
Isikolo—A school or academy.
Jirza—The capital city of the northern province.
KaEid—The leader of the Gifted. Typically of Royal Noble blood.
Kigambe—The capital city of the southern province.
Kora—A stringed musical instrument.
Kudliwe—A small scurrying and flying insect that burrows into bags of grain and is difficult to kill.
Masmas—A frothy intoxicant made from fermented cactus juice.
Mka—The particular pungent and unpleasant smell of winds produced after having eaten bean- or onion-heavy meals.
Nceku—Soulless one
Neh—An Omehi interjection commonly used to indicate a statement of opinion or fact, a command, an exclamation, or a question, or to indicate that something went unheard.
Nkosi—An honorific used when addressing Nobles.
Olu—A pricey intoxicant made from crushed and fermented fruits.
The Omehi/The Chosen—The people, Nobles and Lessers, chosen by the Goddess to lead all the races of men.
Osonte—The original homeland of the Omehi.
Palm City—The capital city of the Omehi peninsula and the central province, and the seat of the queen and her royal family.
Preceptor—The one who instructs Gifted initiates in their training.
Proven—A warrior who has proven their mettle and worth in combat by sacrificing enough of their body to no longer be combat-ready. Proven maintain their military status and are required to serve out all time remaining in their six cycles of military service. Most Proven sign up for additional service.
Rabba—A fruity, bright, and floral aroma’ed stimulant drink made from wet-processed beans grown in the highlands of the Southern and Northern Mountain ranges.
Rage (military unit)—Three dragons (military unit) operating together under a single command.
The Roar—The unsettled ocean.
Sah Priesthood—The women and men who preach the word of the Goddess, maintain the Omehi’s religious traditions, and help guide the Chosen ever closer to the Goddess’s grace.
Scale (military unit)—The Omehi’s most common and basic fighting unit, made up of fifty-four men.
Seasons—The Omehi make note of four seasons: Seed, Grow, Harvest, and Hoard. Each season lasts approximately three moon cycles.
Shul—The Xiddeen word for “great chief”—a leader whose powers transcend tribe.
Uhmlaba—The world of the races of men.
Ukufa, the Insatiate—Ukufa the thief, liar, corrupter, divider, enslaver. Ukufa the creator of death, suffering, war, and hate broke the world with his hunger for more than the world could give. He is held in Isihogo by the body and spirit of the Goddess.