War of storms, p.34
War of Storms, page 34
“No, I—” He cuts himself off, glancing at the watching crowd. Exhaling, he shakes his head. “Like you said. A draw.”
I pull him closer and whisper, “Wishing we were alone?”
“More than a little. But this was worth it.” He softly kisses my cheek. I feel him take a deep breath. “I’ve been wanting to…to dance with you for years, oh deadly one.”
I don’t miss his hesitation, and curiosity grabs me. What had he been about to say?
We carefully disentangle ourselves from the weapons and each other, and I pass both the surakis to a watcher to be put away. Then, I offer Tessen my hand. He watches me with amused speculation as he clasps his fingers around mine and follows me without question.
Bravery is a strange thing. I faced down armies and oceans and storms, but the fear of losing someone I love is enough to lock my body in stone. Thinking about what my loss would do to the person who’d claimed me as their other half terrifies me even more.
Tessen sees the sumai so differently. He looks at Sanii and Yorri with such deep longing sometimes—and other times with rueful resignation—and I know he desperately wants a bond that deep. Instead of a vulnerability, he sees it as reassurance and an anchor in the constant tumult of his senses. His fear, as far as I can tell, is me telling him no and meaning goodbye.
So I gather up my courage once we’re in our room, refusing to let fear stop me. “You know, we have time. Years and years. If there’s something else you want, something more than a dance, you can always try to convince me.”
“What if I didn’t want you to need convincing?” His words are quiet, and the fingers he brushes over my hair gentle.
I close my eyes and lean my forehead against his, brushing the tips of our noses together. “Then you might have to wait a while for me to get there on my own, okhaio.”
“I’ve been waiting for you all my life, oh deadly one,” he says with a soft laugh. “It’d make no sense to change that now.”
Brilliant, beautiful boy. I close my eyes and try to relax, focusing on the rhythm pouring in from the courtyard below. It’s the sound of celebration, a revelry we had a hand in bringing back to the city we love so much, and for tonight, everything is beautiful.
Trouble will definitely find us again. We made some friends in Ryogo and found an ally in the hanaeuu we’la maninaio, but we have enemies, too. Ryogans who disagreed with the Jindaini’s ruling. Other lands whose people fear what we might one day do to them and plan to strike us while we’re weak. There’s also drought, rot, plague, and a hundred other natural disasters that could befall us.
Maybe we’ll face all of it, maybe none, but it doesn’t matter. The only thing I have power over is my clan, healing them and then preparing them to face whatever challenges the world throws at us next, so Kaisubeh bless it, that is exactly what I am going to do.
And this time, with Tessen, Yorri, Sanii, and the rest of the clan standing behind me…maybe I actually can.
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Glossary
Ahdo – Itagamin – Sagen sy Itagami’s second citizen class; includes the following ranks (sorted highest to lowest):
Ahdo-na | Ahdo-mas | Ahdo-sa | Ahdo-po | Ahdo-li | Ahdo-va
Ahoali’lona – hanaeuu we’la maninaio – the small, furry animals kept as companions
Akiloshulo’e kua’ana manano – hanaeuu we’la maninaio – the universal energy of the world and the source of magic
Akukeiji – Ryogan – a derogatory term that literally translates to “evil mage”
Alua’sa liona’ano shilua’a – hanaeuu we’la maninaio – the gods or power responsible for the creation of the world
Andofume – Ryogan – those denied death; a word Tsua and Chio invented to describe their lifespans
Anto – Itagamin – a short, slightly curved dagger used in Sagen sy Itagami
Asairu – Ryogan – a fire spell to burn everything within a designated space
Atakafus – Itagamin – a headscarf worn on Shiara as protection from the desert winds
Basaku – Itagamin – a mage whose five senses are enhanced and who also has the ability to feel shifts in the desosa; in rare cases this includes the impact emotions have on that energy
Bikyo-ko – Itagamin – the armory and the barracks for the two councils within Sagen sy Itagami
Bobasu – Ryogan – the exiles; a word used for the twelve immortals and numerous mortal followers who were exiled from Ryogo
Boruikku – Itagamin – a word created by Rai and Etaro to describe magic that uses symbols to guide and control the flow of the desosa
Desosa – Itagamin – the universal energy of the world and the source of magic
Ebet – Itagamin – the designation for one of Sagen sy Itagami’s three recognized sexes
Garakyu – Ryogan – a clear, spelled globe that allows anyone to communicate across miles
Gensu – Itagamin – a woman’s monthly menstruation
Goa’wa uita – Ryogan – the spell to unseal a protection against the elements
Hanaeuu we’la maninaio – hanaeuu we’la maninaio – a group of nomadic traders who travel either by wagon caravan or by boat; the name translates to “souls carried by the wind”
Herynshi – Itagamin – the trial undergone by all Itagamin citizens the moon of their sixteenth birthday
Hinoshowa – Ryogan – an incredibly derogatory word for a wretch, someone lower than the peasant class; often used synonymously to mean someone who is neither male nor female
Hyari – Ryogan – a mage who specializes in producing and manipulating light
Jindaini – Ryogan – the title held by the elected leader of Ryogo
Kaiboshi – Ryogan – the priests who serve the Kaisubeh, the gods Ryogans worship
Kaigo – Itagamin – the council of elders who serve the Miriseh in Sagen sy Itagami
Kaijuko – Ryogan – the place Ryogans believe souls are trapped for punishment in the afterlife; also, what Ryogans call the black rock that helped them trap and defeat the bobasu
Kaisuama – Ryogan – a mountain in the Mysora range where the Kaisubeh convened to observe their followers, according to an old legend
Kaisubeh – Ryogan – as a whole, the gods and goddesses that the Ryogans believe created and control the world
Kamidi – Itagamin – a large lizard with venomous spit
Katsujo – Ryogan – a vein of concentrated power and energy
Kujuko – Itagamin – where Itagamins believe souls are trapped for punishment in the afterlife; Varan introduced this to his city, a twisted version of Ryogo’s belief in Kaijuko
Miriseh – Itagamin – the title Varan gave himself and the other immortals after he built Sagen sy Itagami
Mura’ina – Ryogan – a purple flower with healing properties that only grows in specific climates within Ryogo
Mykyn – Itagamin – a large, predatory bird that lives on Shiara
Niadagu – Ryogan – a powerful binding spell using specially made red cords
Nyshin – Itagamin – the first and highest of the citizen classes within Sagen sy Itagami; includes the following ranks (sorted highest to lowest):
Nyshin-lu | Nyshin-ri | Nyshin-co | Nyshin-ma | Nyshin-pa | Nyshin-ten
Nyska – Itagamin – one of the tallest shrubs on the island, which bears pods that can be dried and used to make grain; the plant itself is also used to make cloth, bowstrings, paper, and other useful items
Ojoken – Ryogan – a plant whose stem and roots are used for powerful healing potions
Okhaio – Itagamin – a strong, sparingly used term of endearment meaning dearest one or treasured love
Rianjuko – Ryogan – a rare flowering plant used in a variety of ways depending on which part of the plant is used; powerful when added to magic work
Riuku – Itagamin – a group name for all classes of sense mages (uniku, oraku, and basaku) who have one or more of their physical senses enhanced
Saishigi – Itagamin – the last rites for citizens of Sagen sy Itagami
Shuikanahe’le – hanaeuu we’la maninaio – a family name of the hanaeuu we’la maninaio
Sukhai – Itagamin – a bondmate or one partner in a sumai soulbond; often used as a term of endearment between bonded pairs
Sumai – Itagamin – a magical bond that ties two souls together beyond death
Suraki – Itagamin – a weapon with a blade on one end, a weighted, sometimes spiked ball on the other, and a five-foot chain connecting the two
Susuji – Ryogan – a potion used to heal
Teegra – Itagamin – a large, scaled cat that lives on Shiara
Tokiansu – Itagamin – the warriors’ dance, performed once a moon cycle in Sagen sy Itagami during their celebrations
Tsimo – Itagamin – the westernmost clan on Shiara
Tudo – Itagamin – a long, slightly curved sword used in Sagen sy Itagami
Tusenkei – Ryogan – a term of respect used for those who weild magic in Ryogo
Tyatsu – Ryogan – the soldiers of the Ryogan army as well as the army itself; includes the following ranks (sorted highest to lowest):
Tyatsu-ge | Tyatsu-ne | Tyatsu-lu | Tyatsu-sa | Tyatsu-va
Ukaiahana’lona – hanaeuu we’la maninaio – horned herbivorous beasts with tough, mottled gray hides that the hanaeuu we’la maninaio use to pull their wagons or cargo loads
Ureeku-sy rii’ifu – Ryogan – the spell Tsua and Chio think might break the magic binding Yorri and the other prisoners to the stone platforms
Ushimo – Itagamin – describes those on the asexual spectrum; someone who feels little to no sexual desire for anyone, regardless of gender, appearance, or personality
Yonin – Itagamin – the third and lowest of Sagen sy Itagami’s social classes; includes the following ranks (sorted highest to lowest):
Yonin-na | Yonin-mas | Yonin-sa | Yonin-po | Yonin-li | Yonin-va
Yugadai – Ryogan – describes the system Varan enforced in Itagami requiring approval for all births and lifetime partnerships
Zohogasha – Ryogan – the massive statues guarding the Ryogan coastline; each set contains fourteen statues
Zon – Itagamin – a district or zone within Sagen sy Itagami
Cities and Places
Ryogo
Arayokai Sea – the stretch of water between Shiara and Ryogo
Atokoredo – a city in northwestern Ryogo within the Soramyku Province
Hopo’ka River – a river running north from Jushoyen toward Atokoredo
Jushoyen – the capitol city of Ryogo, located in the center of the country
Kaisuama – the Seat of the Gods; a valley hidden deep within the Nentoado mountain range where one of the strongest katsujos in the world surfaces
Khylar – the country directly to the north of Ryogo, separated by the Mysora Mountains
Masu’iro Channel – the strip of water dividing Ryogo and Menlai, their neighbor to the west
Mushokeiji – a prison for mages located within the Soramyku Province in northwestern Ryogo, specifically the Suakizu region
Mysora Mountains – the northernmost range of mountains that separates Ryogo from Khylar
Mysora’ka River – the river that runs from the eastern half of the Mysora Mountains to the eastern coast of Ryogo
Nentoado – the section of the Mysora Mountains known for being harsh and impassable
Po’umi – a port city on the southeastern coast of Ryogo within the Namimi Province
Rido’iti – a port city on the southern coast of Ryogo within the Namimi Province
Ryogo – the country north of Shiara where Varan, Chio, and the other immortals are from
Ryogan Provinces – (clockwise from the southwest)
Minowa – southwesternmost coastal region
Azukyo – central western coastal region
Soramyku – northwesternmost mountains
Kyo’ne – northeasternmost peninsula
Okasuto – northwestern coastal region
Hynochi – central plains
Tomi’ishi – central eastern coastal region
Namimi – southeasternmost coastal region
Suakizu – the region within the Soramyku Province where the Mushokeiji prison is located
Uraita – a village in northeastern Ryogo within the Kyo’ne Province and the hometown of Varan and Chio
Zunoato – a city in the Okasuto Province that sits just north of the Mysora’ka River
…
Shiara
Denhitra – the city in the southern mountains of Shiara
Imaku – the black-rock island off the northeastern coast of Shiara
Kyiwa Mountains – the range along the eastern coast of Shiara, just beyond Sagen sy Itagami
Sagen sy Itagami – the city in northeastern Shiara; often simply called Itagami
Shiara – the island nation south of Ryogo
Suesutu Pass – a narrow passage between two mountains within the Kyiwa range
Teedin Mountains – the range along the southern coast of Shiara where Denhitra is hidden
Tsimo – a city on the western peninsula of Shiara
Magic of Sagen Sy Itagami
Soyiji Mages – Elemental Manipulation
Ishiji – Stone Mage – ability to reform, lighten, move, and meld stone
Ryiji – Earth Mage – a rare affinity for plants and soil that helps these plants grow in the desert
Kyshiji – Water Mage – ability to find, clean, and sometimes manipulate water
Myiji – Weather Mage – extremely rare ability that can manipulate wind and detect or, sometimes, call up storms
Desosa Mages – Energy Manipulation
Assistive:
Dyuniji – Kinetic Mage – ability to use their own kinetic energy, or sometimes someone else’s (for example, blows landed during battle) to augment their own strength
Zoikyo – Augmenter – ability to boost other people’s powers by funneling desosa to them
Hishingu – Healer – ability to use the desosa to heal themselves and others
Ward Mages:
Sykina – ability to use their own energy and the universal desosa to shield themselves from other magic
Fykina – ability to shield themselves and others from both magic and the physical world
Offensive:
Kasaiji – Fire Mage – ability to use the desosa to create sparks and/or fire
Ratoiji – Lightning Mage – ability to use the desosa to create lightning
Okajin Mages – Enhanced Humanity
Physical Abilities:
Kyneeda – enhanced strength, stamina, and endurance
Ryacho – enhanced speed and ability
Kynacho – enhanced speed, ability, strength, stamina, and endurance
Sensor Mages:
Uniku – enhancement of a single sense, usually either vision or hearing
Oraku – enhancement of three senses: sight, smell, and hearing
Basaku – enhancement of all senses, plus the ability to sense magic, and, rarely, the impact emotions have on the desosa
Shinte-kina Mages – Psychic Abilities
Rikinhisu – Telekinesis – ability to move objects or people without touching them
Rusosa – Mental Manipulation – an uncommon ability to create, among other things, illusions in other people’s minds
Akuringu – Scrying – ability to use a reflective surface to see across great distances or, rarely, a short period of time into the past or future
About the Author
After a lifelong obsession with books, Erica Cameron spent her college years getting credit for reading and learning how to make stories of her own. Erica graduated with a double major in psychology and creative writing from Florida State University. She’s worked as a dance instructor, research assistant, pointe shoe fitter, pizza delivery girl, editorial assistant at a yachting magazine, bookseller, and English literature teacher at a residential rehabilitation center for teens. Now, she’s the author of several series for young adults including The Ryogan Chronicles, the Assassins duology, and the upcoming Pax Novis trilogy. Additionally, Erica works for Barnes & Noble and is an advocate for asexuality and emotional abuse awareness. She currently lives in South Florida. You can learn more about Erica and her books by visiting ByEricaCameron.com.
Discover the Ryogan Chronicles…
Island of Exiles
Sea of Strangers
Also by Erica Cameron
Assassins: Discord (Assassins, #1)
Assassins: Nemesis (Assassins, #2)
Taken by Chance (Laguna Tides, #1)
Loyalty and Lies (Laguna Tides, #2)
Sing Sweet Nightingale (The Dream War Saga, #1)
Deadly Sweet Lies (The Dream War Saga #2)
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