Maggie Furey - Sword of Flames

Hellorin gave a howl of thwarted rage—then swung upon Iscalda, who seemed to have grown to giant proportions to match his own. “We ride!” he shouted. “Let the world tremble—for the Phaerie ride at last!” And then they were gone, racing up into the looming clouds, leaving only the sound of Eilin’s weeping.

Even as Anvar dismounted, Cygnus came hurtling from the skies and fell upon the Mage, knocking him to the ground and slicing at the thongs that held the Harp in place. The Xandim horses, already losing their human minds, were too stricken by terror at their ordeal to assist him. Aurian cried out in anger and ran to her soul mate’s aid, lifting the Sword to smite the winged man—and dropping it in horror as she realized what she had almost done. Drawing her own blade, she struck at the white-winged figure, and he fell away from his victim, writhing in agony with his lifeblood staining the grass around the Harp of Winds.

Aurian reached out to Anvar, who lay unconscious on the ground, an ugly bruise darkening his forehead—but suddenly Eliseth was there before her, the Sword of Flame clutched triumphantly in her hand, clinging to it grimly though her fingers were black and smoking, and her face was twisted into a rictus of agony. “I may not wield it,” she screamed—“but neither will you!”

The blaze of the Sword’s power drove Aurian back. Standing over Anvar, Eliseth took out the grail that was the Caldron and brought the two Great Weapons together with a resounding crash. “Slay her, O Powers,” she shrieked—but she had scant control over either of the Artifacts, and the result was not what she had expected. Aurian caught a glimpse of her face, twisted with horror as, with a soundless explosion, a great rent ripped open in the fabric of time itself, as though the world had been painted on a sheet of fabric that had been suddenly rent asunder. Shrieking, Eliseth was sucked into the gap—and Anvar with her.

With a cry of anguish, Aurian snatched up the Harp of Winds, and hurled herself into the closing rent, with the great cats leaping at her heels. Neighing shrilly, Schiannath and Chiamh followed. Maya and D’arvan came out of their frozen horror and exchanged a single glance. Clasping hands, they ran toward the narrowing gap in time—and disappeared as it snapped shut behind them.

Vannor and Parric, having lost their Xandim companions, came panting to a halt beside Yazour, who had been too late to follow, and the horrified Eilin. For a time they stood in silence, aghast at the enormity of what had taken place. “Well,” said the merchant finally, “at least she didn’t go alone.”

“What good will that serve?” Eilin flared. “We don’t even know if they survived to emerge into another time.”

“Aurian will survive,” said Vannor firmly. “I’ll lay money on it. And since we’d have certainly known about it if she had gone into the past, that can only mean she’ll be turning up again in the future.”

Smiling wryly, he looked at the place from which Aurian had disappeared. “I only hope I’m still alive to see it.”

ABUZ:Overseer of galley slaves on Corsair ship.

ADRINA:Earth-Mage. Mother of D’arvan and Davorshan.

AGUILA:One of the Skyfolk. Captain of the Royal Guard.

ANGOS:Mercenary. Commander of the garrison after Forral.

ANTOR:Son of Vannor.

ANVAR:Mage. Half-breed son of Miathan and Ria.

AURIAN:Mage. Daughter of Eilin and Geraint.

AVITHAN:One of the ancient Magefolk. Known in legend as Father of the Gods.

BARODH:Hound belonging to Hellorin.

BASILEUS:A Moldan (giant Earth-spirit).

BAVORDRAN:Water-Mage. Father of Davorshan.

BENZIORN:Physician in Nexis.

BERN:Anvar’s half brother.

BLACKTALON:High Priest of the Winged Folk.

BOHAN:A eunuch. Former servant of Harihn.

BRAGAR:Fire-Mage.

(THE) CAILLEACH:A Guardian of the High Magic. Also known as Lady of the Mists.

CHATHAK:God of Fire. Patron deity of warriors.

CHIAMH:The Windeye (Seer) of the Xandim.

CHIANNALA:Ancient Magewoman. With Incondor, she instigated the Cataclysm.

CORIELLE:Vannor’s eldest daughter.

CYGNUS:A young physician-priest of the Skyfolk.

D’ARVAN:Half Mage, half Phaerie. Son of Hellorin and Adrina. Half brother to Davorshan.

DAVORSHAN:Water-Mage. Son of Adrina and Bavordran and half brother to D’arvan.

DULSINA:Vannor’s housekeeper. Sister to Remana.

EILIN:Earth-Mage and mother of Aurian. Also known as the Lady of the Lake.

ELEWIN:Chief steward of the Academy.

ELIIZAR:Swordmaster of the Khazalim Arena. Husband to Nereni.

ELISETH:Weather-Mage.

ELSTER:Skyfolk master physician.

EMMIE:Young woman in Nexis, assistant to Jarvas and Benziorn.

ESSELNATH:Warrior of the Xandim.

FINBARR:A Mage. Archivist at the Academy. Soulmate to Meiriel.

FINCH:One of the Skyfolk, companion of Eliizar and Nereni.

FIONAL:Trooper at garrison, a skilled archer.

FLAMEWING:Queen of the Skyfolk. Mother of Raven.

FORRAL:The world’s greatest swordsman. Commander of the Nexis Garrison and Aurian’s lover.

GALDRUS:Xandim warrior.

GELDA:Sara’s maid.

GERAINT:Fire-Mage. Soulmate of Eilin and father of Aurian.

GEVAN:A smuggler.

GHABAL:A mad Moldan whose spirit was imprisoned beneath Nexis by the ancient Magefolk.

GRANDPA:Anvar’s grandfather. A carpenter.

GRINCE:Young son of the streetwalker Tilda.

GRISTHEENA:First Female (leader) of the great cats.

HARAG:Overseer of galley slaves on Corsair ship.

HARGORN:Veteran trooper at Nexis Garrison.

HARIHN:Prince of the Khazalim. Son of Xiang.

HARKAS:A pig-keeper. Brother to Jarvas.

HARZ:A Khazalim villager.

HEBBA:Vannor’s cook.

HELLORIN:Lord of the Phaerie and father of D’arvan. Also known as the Forest Lord.

HREEZA:Elderly great cat. Friend to Shia.

IBIS:One of the Skyfolk who accompanied Aurian to the Xandim lands. Mate of Kestrel.

IDRIS:Captain of a Nightrunner ship.

INCONDOR:One of the ancient Winged Folk. With Chiannala, he instigated the Cataclysm.

INELLA:Maidservant at the Academy.

IONOR THE WISE:A god. Known to the Khazalim as the Reaper of Souls.

IRIANA:A goddess. Known as Iriana of the Beasts.

ISCALDA:Sister of Schiannath of the Xandim.

ITHALASA:A whale, one of the ancient Magefolk race of Leviathan.

JANOK:Head cook at the Academy.

JARD:A miller from Nexis. Sara’s father.

JARVAS:Brother of Harkas. Founder of a refuge for the poor in Nexis

JHARAV:Soldier in Harihn’s troop.

JURDAG:Captain of pirate ship.

KARLEK:Siege engineer at the garrison.