The Journey of the Marked (The Miyran Heir Book 1) (33 page)

“We made it!” Tip danced.

Prizene hugged Traudin, “I’m glad
we found you or you found us. I had traveled to the city center to find you,
but we never decided where to meet.”

Traudin hugged her back, “Good to
see you, too. I knew you were marked, but once at the training camp, we can’t
leave until they release us. The Graeliths hunt those in training, as well as
the newly marked.”

“This is the camp, right?” Tip
asked, to which Traudin nodded. “Have you seen my brother? A Liput?”

“No, but maybe someone else did,”
Traudin replied. “Some of the instructors have been here for a long time, so
they’ll know. I’m Traudin, by the way, and this is Elon,” he said as he
motioned toward the Bruner. Prizene introduced the other marked ones.

Elon said, “You must be exhausted
and hungry. Come, let us show you around.”

With her electric torch guiding the
way, she led them through the darkened cavern. They moved through a series of
rooms and Eros noticed they continued to descend farther underground. Building
the camp underground was clever.

After a few minutes, they entered a
large room with lamps hanging on the walls. Small dots peppered the wall in
bursts of color — green, yellow, red, and various shades in between. Eros
stared at the wall wondering what caused such unusual formations. He lifted his
hand to touch one of the green dots.

“Do not disturb the walls,” a
female voice commanded.

Eros dropped his arm to his side
and he turned toward the voice. A look of shock covered Kenrya’s face, as well
as the others. Eros hesitantly faced the speaker, stunned at the sight that met
him … a Gaela.

The Gaela was tall with dark skin
and thick, wavy, black hair framing her face and flowing down her back and over
her shoulders. She had high cheekbones and her skin had an almost golden glow. She
wore a long, pale gold tunic and full pants of the same color. Her wings were
magnificent, unlike anything Eros had ever seen. They sparkled as the light
reflected off the gold flecks that amplified the lighter golden color of the
wings. She made her way to the center of the room, and there she stretched
them. Their span was amazing.

“I am Opia, one of the instructors
here” she said. “Welcome. We know your journey has been difficult so far.”

“So far?” Eros blurted out. “But
our journey is over. We made it here safely.”

She moved closer to Eros and
studied him for a moment. Then she ran the back of her hand across his cheek. “Oh
no, child,” she said with a gentle laugh. “Your journey has only just begun.”

Thank
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May
glory ride with you. All the best.

Arlian

Ears curl upward and back at the top, with dozens of
feathery-like pieces along the back from the midpoint of the ear to the top. Known
for violent outbursts, prolific body markings, and obnoxious children.

— Kenrya – Marked at 16 and on a journey to the training
camp.

Bertog

Little flying creatures that are no bigger than four inches
high. They have long braids swinging at their backs and wings about the size of
their bodies. Their body coverings are various shades of blue.

— Cusilje – Leader of the small group of Bertog.

Bruner

Forehead ridges. Generally peaceful and intelligent.

— Arith – Leader of the undergrounders.

— Elon – One of the marked.

Cloonus

Shoulder-length, flipped-up hair. Flat nose with a third nostril
between the eyes.

Gaela

Winged species persecuted by the Tyrnotts. A royal Gaela
could have a wing-span of twelve feet.

Graelith

Stand on two legs, but are “beast-like” with considerable
quantity of body hair. Lack the agility and speed to hunt alone. Translucent
eyes that glow in darkness and are barely noticeable in light. Large, pointed
ears near the top of the head. Extended snout with razor sharp teeth and
powerful claws.

— Gornith – A strong fighter.

Greot

Head curves upward then spirals to a tip, with no hair
showing on the head other than the eyebrows.

— Chimsey – One of the old men.

Human

— Eros – Marked at 16 and on a journey to the training camp.

— Isabelle – Eros’s mother, lives in the forest of Kullac.

— Anthony – Trader and friend of Isabelle and Eros.

— Henry – One of the old men.

Hurfen

Hair sticks out wildly. Faces appear to be smashed-in.

— Jurf – Works at the shabby diner.

— Jenda – Jurf’s youngest sister.

Ilacious

Upturned nose, round eyes, and sharply arched eyebrows. Thin
lips and flat, long tongue.

— Aria – Acts as trader for Isabelle at the market.

Jirlt

Ears that consist of a dozen two-inch tubes that fan out
from a single point on both sides of the head toward the top and back. Rounded,
slightly protruding mouth. Often disagreeable.

— Archt - Trader

Krystic

Live in the foothills of the northern part of Caldot. Females
have a golden design on the forehead that curves up from the eyebrows to the
hairline like a lattice and have white skin that appears illuminated. Females
are capable of hypnotizing men.

— Prizene – Marked at 16 and on a journey to the training
camp.

— Rinald – Prizene’s father, lives in the northern
foothills. Head of Commerce.

— Siljette – Prizene’s step-mother, lives in the northern
foothills.

— Traudin – Prizene’s friend.

Liput

Soft faces and slight builds. Hair that shows colored tips
that vary by day. Lack the skill to wield weapons with deadly force. Primarily
farmers and skilled mechanics. 

— Tip – Marked at 16 and on a journey to the training camp.

— Trul – Tip’s eldest brother.

— Sri – Tip’s other older brother.

— Tren – Tip’s father, lives in Kentish.

— Mirna – Tip’s mother, lives in Kentish.

— Lictia – Mirna’s friend and owner of a restaurant in
Kentish.

Plinte

Mighty race of warriors with high foreheads, upturned eyes,
and breathing slits at the neck

— Ampal – One of the undergrounders.

— Azetan – Marked at 16 and on a journey to the training
camp.

— Ishta – Ampal’s sister.

— Aston – One of the old men.

Raptan

Tall and willowy, with long arms and fingers. High forehead
and beak-like nose.

— Karlan – Friend of Tren, lives in Stipol.

— Virsos – One of Lady Anyamae’s warriors and her aide.

Sharmuse

Have the ability to shift into four types of creatures: 1)
winged beasts, or 2) fierce two-legged creatures with claws, sharp teeth, and
leathery skin, or 3) web-footed lizards, or 4) small beings not unlike Humans.

— Kalangia – Purple covering.

Skurk

Tall and hulking. Men are bald and women have short hair. Multitude
of body paintings.

— Lutra – One of the undergrounders

Thelios

Darkened, almost seared-looking skin and narrow ears ending
in tips standing up straight on each side of the head, near the top. Pale
yellow eyes.

— Jbetl – Friend of Isabelle and Eros.

Tyrnott

Self-appointed leaders of Zolei. Thick, jet-black, straight
hair, long enough to be brushed back into braids or bands. Eyes are dark –
can’t distinguish between pupil and iris. Pointed ears on each side of the
head. No body hair other than on the scalp. Deep scar that lines the left half
of the face given at the coming of age.

— Nord – Leader of the Tyrnotts.

— Natal – Nord’s right-hand man.

— Banston – Home to the Plintes, a three-day walk from the
southwestern edge of Caldot.

— Caldot – Primary city where many species live.

— Forest of Kullac – Home to the Humans, a five-day walk
from the southwestern edge of Caldot.

— Kentish – Home to the Liputs, a four-and-a-half-day walk
from the southern part of Caldot.

— Northern foothills – Home to the Krystics, northern edge
of Caldot and lead to massive mountains farther north.

— Stipol – Home to the Raptans, a four-day walk from Caldot,
just northeast of Kentish.

— Zolei – World on which the story takes place.