âNo, Keshik!' Maida screamed. She dug her heels into her horse's flanks and started to gallop towards the rapidly deteriorating situation.
Before she reached halfway, Keshik stopped shouting and made a harsh, retching sound. Maida went cold as she saw vile blackness vomit out from Keshik and engulf the Tuk. A blast of energy rippled out from Keshik, knocking men from their horses. A few remained mounted and they raised their weapons in insensate fury. They turned on their comrades.
The killing began.
Achulti (ak-WUL-ti) â âleader of sixteen'; commander of a xuauhtli
Alberrich â criminal, based in Leserlang
Amatios â man of the Kuvnos
Ambra â Midacean witch
Ce Atli (SEE-at-lee) â Mertian doctor
Enst â former Reader's assistant, based in Leserlang
Eztli-Ichtaca (esh-li-ICK-tak-ka) â the âworld of could be'; the Mertian spirit world that seers can glimpse
Guaman â the Rogue; leader of the Rogue Troop
Hinrik â former Bane of Myrrhini; Acolyte of Varuun
Hue â man of the Kuvnos
Huitzilin (wet-SIL-in) â achulti of the Blindfolded Queen
Ilmari â former Acolyte of Varuun
Iskopra â Apros Seagull; navigator aboard the
Queen's Quest
; Agent of the Blindfolded Queen
Ispaca â member of the Rogue Troop
Itxtli (itsh-LEE) â achulti of the Blindfolded Queen
Joukahainen â former Wielder of the Key of Varuun
Keshik â nomadic mercenary; Tulugma Swordmaster
Kielevinenrohkimainen â ancient Revenant, trapped for ages beneath Vogel
Kirri â woman of the Kuvnos
Maida â nomadic mercenary
Mayehqueh (may-EK-way) â lower class in the society of the Blindfolded Queen; they tend to be either servants or drafted Agents
Mixcoatl (mish-CO-atl) â achulti of the Blindfolded Queen, based in Usterust
Myrrhini â Eye of Varuun; late of the Place of the Acolytes
Nagual (na-GWAL) â Agent of the Blindfolded Queen
Nikolo â Midacean seer and oracle
Opochtli (oh-POK-lee) â Agent of the Blindfolded Queen
Ozcollo â member of the Rogue Troop
Patecoatl (pat-EKO-atl) â Agent of the Blindfolded Queen, based in Usterust
Quetzalxoitl (kate-sal-SHOE-it) â the Blindfolded Queen
Seppe â Midacean barman
Slave â slave of Sondelle
Tatya â shapeshifter
Tchinwukana (chin-WUK-ana) â Agent of the Blindfolded Queen
Tlatoque (LAT-ok) â military rank; commander of sixty-four xuauhtlis
Tochtli (toch-LI) â Agent of the Blindfolded Queen
Tynos â man of the Kuvnos
Vasilis â solpon of the Kuvnos, a nomadic tribe of the northern tundra
Xuauhtli (shoe-AH-ti) â the basic military unit of the Agents of the Blindfolded Queen, consisting of sixteen Agents
Xahnatl yatl (shar-NAT-yat) â an old Mertian expression meaning âyou're welcome' or âit is nothing'
Yaotl (yah-OT) â Agent of the Blindfolded Queen
Youxinatl (you-SHI-nat) â Agent of the Blindfolded Queen; a âserf' in a âfree' xuauhtli
Bevan McGuiness lives near Perth with his wife and daughter. He has worked as a factory hand, geophysicist and laboratory assistant, and he is now a teacher of chemistry at a boys' school in Perth. He has been writing for years and has published short stories, book reviews, a trilogy and pieces for texts on science education. You can contact Bevan at [email protected]
THE TRIUMVIRATE
The Awakening
(1)
The First Weapon
(2)
The Way of Purity
(3)
THE ELEVEN KINGDOMS
Slave of Sondelle
(1)
Scarred Man
(2)
Harper
Voyager
An imprint of HarperCollins
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First published in Australia in 2011
This edition published in 2011
by HarperCollins
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Copyright © Bevan McGuiness 2011
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National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data:
McGuiness, Bevan.
Scarred man / Bevan McGuiness.
ISBN: 978 0 7322 8980 5 (pbk.)
ISBN: 978-0-7304-9784-4
McGuiness, Bevan. Eleven kingdoms; bk. 2.
A823.4
Cover design by Darren Holt, HarperCollins Design Studio
Cover images by shutterstock.com
Maps by Bevan McGuiness