Protector of the Flame

Dedication

Hugs to my fantastic editor, Christa. Thanks to Isabelle F., aka Miki, and Stacy M. for helping me come up with the title for this book. To my husband, thank you for your unwavering support whether you are at home or in Afghanistan.

Glossary

advenuati
:
Kindred raised outside of a collective amongst humans; this is extremely rare and has only been known to happen once.

Akhet
: first season of the ancient Egyptian calendar, a time of inundation, when the Nile flooded.

anima:
Kindred’s life force, energy stream, or pool of energy.

battle-guard:
higher level warriors with years of specialized training called to safeguard and defend their House from all threats.

Blessed
: a reincarnation of one of the Fallen—the original ancient beings who were cursed; bears a mark of the Fallen. Only a Blessed couple can break the curse.

called
: a formal invitation to serve a House in an official capacity, such as battle-guard; extended by a noble under the authority of the Triumvirate. It is considered a great honor.

collective
: a group of Kindred sharing energy. The shared anima of the collective helps to delay the onset of the dark veil and
sangre saevitas
. It is highly encouraged to be a member of a collective if not with one’s
kabashem
. Kindred sent away from a House to accomplish a particular mission are accompanied by others who make up their collective.

consort
: a female or male companion, not bonded for life. Consorts, who are not one’s
kabashem
, are common in House Sekhem and House Aten. Taking a consort when one has already been sealed has been known to create friction in households.

consort-misère
: a consort taken out of compassion or mercy. When one loses their
kabashem
or sealed mate, the sibling of the deceased partner will often offer this. Most commonly practiced in House Herut as it is the only union not between
kabashem
allowed within that House. Herut has forbidden offspring from such spiritually impure unions. Taking a
consort-misère
when one has already been sealed has been known to create intense friction in Herut households as one must now share their mate based on a code of honor.

dark veil
: severe melancholia with episodes of psychosis, increasing in frequency until there is a break from reality. The Psi class is usually afflicted and it hits earlier in life, often before the age of 100. In the later stages, a surge in their
ingenium
can be expected. Only connecting to the anima or energy stream of one’s
kabashem
can prevent the onset.

eligien
: offspring of
kabashem
, often stronger with higher level
ingeniums
.

esuratus
: a female’s time of fertility, occurs one to four times a year, decreasing with age; marked by heightened arousal and flashes of extreme yearning to couple. Males instinctually find females more attractive at this time. To any males she has bonded with, the allure is overwhelming. In order for a Blessed couple to procreate, more than their bodies must couple, their anima and souls must meld as one. The number of cases of unexplained infertility is growing.

Fallen
: ancient beings who walked the earth before humans. The Creator cursed them for their wickedness and hubris, tearing them asunder and splitting them into two different bodies to reduce their power.

fulcrix
: a
barenpetium
whip with sharpened ridges. It is used by the
vadeletori
when trying to subdue one with
sangre saevitas
.

The Great Divide
: clashing ideologies over whether or not to break the curse and risk losing their
ingeniums
divided Kindred, and the era of Shabanu ended. From the ashes of their unity, three Houses rose.

glodem
: an enchanted statue used for protection and/or as a weapon.

heka
: magic.

House:
a large, formally structured collective, governed by a Triumvirate.

inamorata
(f),
inamorato
(m):
lover.

ingenium
: preternatural gift or talent; Psi class and warriors. The degree and manifestation of lower level abilities varies. Full development of one’s
ingenium
can only be triggered by completely merging with the anima of one’s
kabashem
at least once.

Isfet
: the current era of darkness and chaos, began with the Great Divide.

kabashem
: soul mate, predestined partner; does not guarantee a harmonious or happy union, and not all choose to be sealed. Fully connecting to the life force of one’s
kabashem
, at least once, will prevent the onset of
sangre saevitas
or the dark veil, sort of like an inoculation, and spark the emergence of latent powers. It is the only way for a warrior to get their wings. The sustained energy bond between
kabashem
produces a kinetic boost extending one’s life span, and over a long period of time can induce a drug like effect.

Kindred
: a species descended from ancient beings who were cursed. If they are able to fully meld with the anima or energy stream of their
kabashem
at least once, it will awaken aspects of their
ingenium
that lie dormant and prevent the onset of the dark veil or
sangre saevitas
.

Peret
: second season of the ancient Egyptian calendar, a time of emergence and growth.

Pesedjet
: the Great Council of nine comprised of the Triumvirates of the Houses. It convenes once a century. Each House is allowed to bring one hundred Kindred to bear witness.

prodigierium
: offspring between Kindred who are not
kabashem
—runts; they are weaker than
eligien
and have shorter life spans. House Herut considers them abominations, unnatural products of spiritual impurity.

record-keeper
: a servant of Lady Neith who watches Kindred, documenting major events and bloodlines; forbidden to interfere in the affairs of the Houses.

sangre saevitas
: a torment of the curse manifesting as uncontrollable blood rage, where they lose all sense of reason and compassion. Warriors are usually afflicted with this manic state of extreme violence and madness, but there have been rare cases amongst the Psi class. In the later stages, physical mutations and a surge in their
ingenium
can be expected. Only connecting to the energy stream of one’s
kabashem
can prevent the onset.

sealed
: consensual bonding for life between chosen mates, not necessarily
kabashem
; males and females may only have one sealed mate, but consorts are still taken sometimes. In House Herut, it is forbidden to be sealed to anyone other than one’s
kabashem
.

Shabanu
: age of harmony, beginning with the settlement in Rekhem.

Shemu
: third season of the ancient Egyptian calendar, a time to harvest.

Triumvirate
: a Council of three members, presiding over a House.

uxora
: a female sealed to a male as his lifelong chosen mate; not necessarily one’s
kabashem
.

vadeletor
: a warrior from a noble bloodline sworn to euthanize those afflicted with the dark veil or
sangre saevitas
and to protect Kindred from exposure to humanity. Each House has several teams of
vadeletori
stationed worldwide. A
vadeletor
is chosen by their respective Triumvirate.
Vadeletori
from opposing Houses have been known to work together under dire circumstances, but this is not routine. It is a temporary position due to the high stress and high operations tempo; however, it often results in one being called to serve as battle-guard.

vitrien
: a male sealed to a female as her lifelong chosen mate; not necessarily one’s
kabashem
.

Whitescape
: a painful episode, so excruciating it is literally blinding, followed by a brief euphoric state of unconditional love. Only Blessed Kindred experience this when their
kabashem
is born.

Advenuati

Serenity Ameliora Shaw—only child of Lord Lucien (deceased) and Lady Sothis; has ties to all three Great Houses based on her lineage, but belongs to none as she was raised amongst humans away from Kindred; Blessed.

In addition to the birthmark on her neck, she has another identifying mark. A tattoo on her stomach of an exquisite flower with petals shaped like sharp blades and black thorns.

CYRUS HARMERTY’S COLLECTIVE

Cyrus Ambrose Harmerty—only child of Lord Dominicus and Lady Gaea (deceased), grandson of Constantine who serves on the Council leading House Herut; Blessed.

Abbadon Vitalis Nekheny—Cyrus’s longtime friend, advisor, and blood-sworn protector.

Cassian Amatus Harmerty (deceased)—Cyrus’s ward.

Talus Petra Harmerty—Cyrus’s ward.

Vadeletori
under Cyrus’s command—Spero, Ptolemy, Beset (deceased), Micah, Amon, Hotep, and Carin.

HOUSE HERUT

They believe in practicing spiritual purity, only mating with one’s
kabashem
, existing peacefully with humans and striving for redemption—no matter the cost. The afflictions of the curse,
sangre saevitas
and the dark veil, are devastating their species. It is only a matter of time before Kindred are extinct if the curse is not broken and their souls redeemed. If they must sacrifice their exceptional power to preserve their species, they will not hesitate to pay the price. Although they seek unity and cooperation with the other Houses, they are willing to go to war over their principles.

The practice of heka is forbidden in their House and amongst their people. They view it as unnatural.

They value discipline, duty before self, and above all honor.

Primary
Ingenium
Class
: Warrior

Creed
: Purity, Sacrifice, Redemption

Sigil
: Heru as a falcon, one eye the sun, one eye a crescent moon, holding a double bladed sword

Key Members

Lord Cyrus Ambrose Harmerty—chosen at birth to succeed his grandfather as a member of the Triumvirate; Blessed

Lord Constantine Harmerty—comes from one of the noblest and purest bloodlines in Herut; sits on the Triumvirate; paternal grandfather of Cyrus

Abbadon Vitalis Nekheny—Cyrus’s blood-sworn protector; brother of Lysandra

Lysandra Nekheny (deceased)—sister of Abbadon; Blessed

Lord Lucien Alcaeus Nopheros (deceased)—bloodline holds many prominent positions within House Herut; father of Serenity;
kabashem
and
vitrien
of Lady Sothis

Lord Dominicus Harmerty—father of Cyrus;
kabashem
and
vitrien
of Lady Gaea;
consort-misère
of Lady Leta; no longer speaks to his son

Lady Gaea Har-Si-Ese (deceased)—mother of Cyrus

Lady Leta Har-Si-Ese—aunt of Cyrus, sister of Lady Gaea; took Lord Dominicus as a
consort-misère
, against the wishes of her
kabashem
and
vitrien
; member of the Triumvirate

Lord Orazio Hor-Merti—comes from a powerful bloodline; member of the Triumvirate.

Lord Phane Nefer—uncle of Cyrus,
kabashem
and
vitrien
of Lady Leta

Caelius Khenty-Irty—trusted friend of Cyrus; Blessed

Jude Alucio Har-Wer (deceased)—friend of Cyrus

HOUSE SEKHEM

The Fallen and all of their descendants were cursed, condemned to suffer the torments of the dark veil and
sangre saevitas
until their souls are redeemed. They also have exceptional gifts such as superior strength, longevity, and a myriad of Psi class
ingeniums
. House Sekhem accepts the afflictions of the curse as a necessary consequence for their greatness. They would do anything to retain their elite gifts and prevent Kindred from being relegated to the mediocrity of humanity. They often take consorts, choosing not to live with their
kabashem
as a life partner, or in extreme cases not mating with one’s
kabashem
at all. However, they will seize any opportunity to meld with the anima of their
kabashem
at least once, to inoculate themselves from
sangre saevitas
and the dark veil, and to trigger the emergence of their latent powers. Their lifestyle is a demonstration of free will to choose who they will love and their own fate.