An Ember in the Ashes

Chapter: 2
evade -- as in: evade the enemy physically avoid or get away from;
or: said of something that is hard
The men in his legions worshipped him to obtain
not only for his courage and cunning but
for his uncanny ability to evade death
even when facing appalling odds.
Appalling shockingly terrible or horrible
I step away, appalled at myself when I
see the terror in her eyes.
mettle the courage to carry on

The Trials are a test of my mettle.

muse -- as in: her musings reflect (think) deeply on a subject
Cooks eyes are quiet, as if shes lost in perhaps aloud
an inner musing.
Rhetoric the use of words to make a point
And well keep the same class schedule
as before, except instead of Rhetoric and
History, we have extra watches on
the wall."
Obscure not known to many people
Pater Aquillus is a jurist, and his library is
filled with everything from obscure law
books to ancient Scholar tomes
on mathematics.
Tome a (usually) large and scholarly book
Pater Aquillus is a jurist, and his library is
filled with everything from obscure law
books to ancient
Scholar tomes on mathematics.
Clarity free from obscurity and easy to
A heated, visceral shock flares through understand; or degree of
me at the clarity of her dark gold eyes. transparency such as the quality of
clear water
Chicanery the use of tricks to deceive someone
You will not engage in cheating,
sabotage, or chicanery.
carrion the dead and rotting body of an
animal; or (more rarely) animals that
The air reeks something horrible, a eat such flesh
combination of carrion, rotting eggs, and
Cadets quarters in high summer.
Desolate empty, providing no shelter or
The land is so pale and desolate that I sustenance
might be standing on a distant, or:
dead moon. feeling very sad and alone
disdain a lack of respect often suggesting
distaste and an undeserved sense of
Shes clad in a loose black robe that superiority
softens the disdain on her masked face. or:
to reject as not good enough
reprieve delay or halt punishment; or a
warrant granting such especially a
Every day he doesnt is a reprieve. death sentence
or:
relieve temporarily
pallet -- as in: loaded the pallet a portable platform for storing or
moving goods that are stacked on it
Inside, its just wide enough to fit a
rope pallet and a crate that serves as a
side table.
elicit get or bring out in response such
as information or a feeling
I have to push and elbow to make any
headway, eliciting grumbles from irritated
merchants and a shove from a hatchet-
faced slaver.
recoil to move backward suddenly
especially:
I wince and recoilmy lashes are
still painful. the backward jerk of a gun or
cannon when it is fired
when a person draws back
from someone or something,
as with fear, disgust, or pain
aloof socially distant often thinking
oneself superior to others
Sanas eyes widen, and even Keenan
looks slightly sick, his aloofness falling or:
away for a moment.
obviously uninterested in something
that interests others often as
though thinking it beneath ones
dignity or distasteful
aghast shocked with feelings of surprise and
dismay (sadness, disappointment,
Sana sounds aghast. or worry)
paltry insignificant in amount or quality

I lick my lips, already thirsty, and hunch

beneath the paltry shade of the Jack tree
to consider my predicament.
meander to move slowly in a winding or
indefinite direction (often said of a
After a mile, a breeze meanders past, river, or path, or conversation)
and for a second, I think I smell smoke
and death.
inexorable unstoppable

But the boy sees, and his clammy fingers

pull mine away from my head
with inexorable force.
insidious not appearing dangerous, but
actually very harmful over time
My doubts rise insidiously from the soil of
my mind like creeping, choking vines. or:

treacherous (dangerous due to

trickery or from hidden or
unpredictable risks)
reverberate when something has a
continuing effect
Night has fallen, and outside the cave,
thunder reverberates.
talon a sharp hooked claw especially on
a bird of prey
Spire vultures are massive birds with
five-inch talons and wingspans that clear
twenty feet.
notorious well known for something bad

Their eggs are the size of a mans head,

their hatchlings notoriously bloodthirsty.
unassailable able to withstand attack;
or: impossible to assail;
But worst of all for Helene, the vultures or: without flaws or loopholes
build their nests above the clouds, atop
the most unassailable peaks.
treacherous dangerous

But the crisp beauty conceals fallen trees or:

and washed-out trails,
hillsides treacherous with mud likely to betray; or guilty of betrayal
and debris.
conjure summon into action or bring into
existence often as if by magic
A nightmare creature conjured by
the Augurs?
assault to attack someone or something
physically or verbally; or to
He fights recklessly, almost frenziedly, threaten violence
and I easily evade his assault.
stanch stop the flow of a liquid

One arm is splayed out uselessly while

she paws at her shoulder with the other,
trying to stanch the sluggish pulse of
blood draining out of her.
sate to indulge a hunger; or fill
to satisfaction
The Rei River stretches out below, slow
and curving like a well-sated python.
dwindle to decrease i0n count or substance

I race past all of them, down Serras

main thoroughfare, through
the dwindling crowds of Execution
Square, and up the cobbled streets of the
Illustrian Quarter.
beckon to summon (call to join) with a
gesture, or to be desirable
Instead, he beckons me to follow him to and inviting
a weed-choked backstreet nearby.
authenticity undisputedly real or true

I offer them the Commandants

remaining letter only to find myself
arguing with them over
its authenticity for ten minutes.
antechamber a smaller room attached to a larger
room typically used as a
The front door opens to an antechamber. reception/waiting room
wrought as in: wrought iron
worked as when iron is shaped to
They are gracefully wrought, each one fit by bending or beating
worked with the same intricate, almost as in: the damage he has
obsessive detail, from hilt to crossbar to wrought
minutely etched blade. caused to happen or occurred as
a consequence
Other:
More rarely, and especially in the
form overwrought or wrought-
up, wrought may mean "excessively
nervous" or "agitated".

intrigue -- as in: she was intrigued cause to be interested, curious,

or fascinated
She doesnt seem to notice, which, of
course, makes her all the
more intriguing.
wield to have or use such as

I scream before I can stop myself, and a to wield an ax to hold or use

second later, the creatures hand drops an ax (especially to handle it
away. feel a presence behind me and well)
turn to find Spiro Teluman wielding the to wield power or influence
most beautiful scim Ive ever seen. to have or exercise power
or influence

pragmatic concerned with practical matters

especially where quick results and/or
Seventeen years of practical experience triumph
Scholar pragmatism protest the existence over theory
of creatures that are supposed to he
nothing but legend.
Insolent rudely disrespectful
"Normally, Id take an eye for
such insolence," the Commandant muses.
abide as in: abide by her decision

I dont abide mistakes." to tolerate or put up with something

initiate to start or begin; or (as a noun)

someone being introduced to
She survived initiation, the wilds, border membership, position, or knowledge
skirmishes, whippings.
incessant continuous often in an
annoying way
His words fall upon my ears like
the incessant caws of a crow.
repulsive -- as in: she found him to cause psychological aversion
repulsive or disgust

You stupid, repulsive demon.

pervasive existing throughout something; or
generally widespread
The pain is all consuming, so pervasive it
feels as if Ive never been without it.
connoisseur an expert who appreciates the fine
points of one of the arts especially
She is a connoisseur of pain the way fine cuisine
others are connoisseurs of wine.
excruciating extremely painful; or tormenting
emotionally or mentally
I move to the back of the house
with excruciating slowness.
indicate to show (point out, demonstrate,
express, or suggest)
The Augurs will not interfere, for we
found nothing to indicate that the
Farrars cheated.
agony intense feelings of suffering can be
from mental or physical pain
Because your thoughts, Zacharias, are a
pit of agony.
whim a sudden desire that arises without
any logical explanation
If you want to be free of him, then why
go along with his every whim?
staccato -- as in: played it staccato in music, the separating notes by
cutting them short and crisp
Whispers ride the air, and I think I hear
the piercing staccato of wild laughter. or:

sounds that are short and crisp

consort -- as in: consort together spend time with especially
spending leisure time with people
Is he saying that my mother considered undesirable; or one of the
is consorting with demons? people with whom time is spent

latent potentially existing but not presently

evident or active
The efrits skill at awakening latent magic
in humans.
chide to tell someone they have done
wrong typically in a gentle way to
You told Lath youd take it to her, Elias, a encourage better behavior
voice chides me.
laborious difficult (requiring hard work)

She staggers, falls to the ground, then

rises laboriously.
assert as in: asserted her opinion that...

My mind roves back to the battlefield and to say that something is true
my first kills assertion: that everyone on especially something disputed
that field will die by my hand.
as in: asserted her authority

to be forceful in exercising rights

baritone the second lowest adult male

singing voice
How strange, that a Mask can sound so
kind, that the deep thrum of (less common meaning(s) at
his baritone can offer comfort. verbalworkout.com)
addle mix up or confuse

My head must be addled from the wound.

grotesque distorted and unnatural in shape or
size especially in a disturbing way
I gaze at them, but they no longer or:
seem grotesque. ugly or gross
abrupt as in: an abrupt change

"There was a woman once," she sudden and unexpected

interrupts me abruptly.

as in: she is abrupt

rude or unfriendly because of using

too few words or moving too quickly

(other common meaning(s) at

verbalworkout.com)
volley -- as in: a volley of... a rapid or simultaneous discharge of
bullets or other projectiles
I want to tackle her in a hug, but instead
I drop to the floor as a volley of razor- or:
edged throwing stars hurtles through the
space where my neck was. a rapid or simultaneous series of
similar (and usually antagonistic)
events such as protests
or criticisms

(other common meaning(s) at

verbalworkout.com)
lithe a graceful, flexible body often
implying thinness
They are lithe and quick, their bodies and
faces wrapped in funereal strips of or:
black cloth.
graceful, flexible body movement

(less common meaning(s) at

verbalworkout.com)
irrepressible impossible to repress or control

She catches my eye, an irrepressible grin

spreading across her face.
dissipate to gradually disappear; or to
gradually waste
The wraith vanishes, the
smoke dissipates, and the barracks go
still, as if the last fifteen minutes
never happened.
remorse a feeling of deep regret (usually for
some misdeed)
Helenes eyes are ferocious slits, and for
the first time, I see her as others must
deadly, remorseless.
feint any distracting or deceptive
maneuver; or the act of making
Marcus feints left with his scim, and when the maneuver
Helene counters, he grins.
jugular veins in the neck that return blood
from the head
Theres black, hopeless rage in her eyes, or:
the type of anger you feel when your amy vital part that is vulnerable
hands are tied and theres a knife at to attack
your jugular.
inordinate beyond normal limits

Silence hangs over Blackcliff, and my

voice seems inordinately loud.
rein -- as in: to rein in their activities to restrain or control as in "rein a
horse"; or a means of control such
My battle rage surges, but I rein it in, as the reins of a horse or of
fighting to wound, not kill. government

rue

Then its too late to fight, because a jut- to feel sadness and regret
jawed brute with arms like tree trunks
tackles rue.

niche a smaller market within a larger

market such as the market for
The aux slides me along the wall to scissors designed for people who are
a niche in the battlements and shoves me left-handed
through, holding me by my neck above
the dunes like a child with a rag doll. or:
a role for which someone is
especially well-suited

or:
a shallow recess, cranny or crevice
tether restraint consisting of a rope (or light
chain) used to restrain an animal;
My body dangles, tethered by a rope or: tie to a spot in a manner that
hooked to my belt. allows little free movement
sheer -- as in: a sheer cliff so steep it is almost vertical

The rope is thirty feet long, and this close

to the base of the watchtower, the cliffs
arent as sheer.
fissure a long narrow crack; or its creation
especially in the ground or in rock
A granite shelf juts out from a fissure a
few feet away. or:
a crack in the unity of a group; or
its creation
plummet fall or decrease suddenly

My hand itches toward a weapon, but I

resistI have to keep hold of the ropes
so we dont plummet to the desert floor.
coalesce to merge or bring different
things together
Before my disbelieving eyes, the particles
weave together, coalescing into large,
manlike shapes with grasping hands and
holes for eyes.
buffet as in: buffeted by

Sand buffets my face, biting at my skin hit against repeatedly

before solidifying into another creature.
brethren brothers or members of the same
group especially members of a
His other brethren form up behind him, religious order
dancing and somersaulting with the zeal
of acrobats at a carnival.
imbue to fill with or diffuse throughout
especially an emotional quality
Rowan puts his hands on either side of
her face and squeezes, imbuing her with
an otherworldly gold light.
heed pay close attention to; or to do what
is suggested especially with regard
No one pays me heed as I make my way to a warning or other advice
through Serra to Telumans forge.
implication as in: the implication is that...

I swallow nervously as the implications of Something that follows from

his words sink in. something else. The thing that
follows could be:

something suggested indirectly

(not said directly)
something that can be
concluded (often a logical
consequence)
something that results from
something else

retinue a group following and attending to

some important person
be arriving with his entire retinue, my
Lord Nightbringer.
subtle -- as in: a subtle difference or not obvious, but understandable by
thinker someone with adequate sensitivity
and relevant knowledge (perhaps
And though his voice is the same, theres depending upon fine distinctions)
something subtly different about him.

jubilant full of happiness and joy typically

because of some triumph or success
Half of me is jubilant, but the other half
is still thinking about the creature the
Commandant called the Nightbringer.
remnant a small amount that remains after
the rest is gone
Skepticism is one of the few remnants of
our bookish past, and most of us hold on
to it tenaciously.
tenacious persistent and unyielding

Skepticism is one of the few remnants of

our bookish past, and most of us hold on
to it tenaciously.
torrent a heavy rain;
or: a violently fast stream of water
Her words come out in a torrent, as if (or other liquid);
shes been hoarding them all for or: an overwhelming number
this moment. or amount
glower to stare angrily

Helene glowers at me, but her hands

shake as she gives me the water.
discreet careful to use good judgment and/or
trustworthy in various senses:
Helenes not a quick tumble or a
nights indiscretion. trustworthy with secrets
careful to avoid causing
offense
careful not to attract attention
trusted to have good judgment

relent to give in; or to be less intense

I wait her out, and she relents, pulling

her fingers from mine and sitting
back down.
purge get rid of things thought undesirable
in various senses including:
He risked imprisonment by doing so
worse than that, if rumors about the get rid of people for political
Black Guard and their purges are true. reasons
clean of impurities
especially in people by
emptying the intestinal tract
make pure or free from sin
or guilt

abound to be abundant or plentiful

The message repeats, and groans and

eye-rolling abound.
hallowed of something declared or believed to
be holy
"Forgive him, oh hallowed Aspirant,"
Tristas intones, blue eyes sparkling. or:

widely respected and revered

over time
intone to speak in a solemn manner

"Forgive him, oh hallowed Aspirant," or much more rarely: to speak or

Tristas intones, blue eyes sparkling. sing in a careful manner as with
rising and falling pitch or in a
particular tone especially the
opening phrase of a Gregorian chant
incredulous unbelieving; or having difficulty
accepting something so unexpected
I stare at her incredulously.
resignation -- as in: submitted her to quit especially a job or position;
resignation or a document expressing such
an act
When the Blood Shrike heard about the
attack plans, he tried to resign his post.
loophole an ambiguity (especially one in the
text of a law or contract) that makes
Its not commonly knownFather says it possible to evade a difficulty
its some odd loophole in Empire law. or obligation
incongruous out of place; or lacking in harmony
or compatibility or appropriateness
The mention of the Scholar girl is
so incongruous to my thoughts that for a
second Im stunned silent, and
Helene stiffens.
mausoleum an impressive building in which one
or more corpses are entombed
The house is silent as a mausoleum.
scanty small in amount often inadequate

A rock path and a scanty one at that. or:

of clothes: barely covering the area

on which they are worn
annex -- as in: annexed the community to take territory such as a city
making land outside of it a part of
The Empire has the city
rightfully annexed this land.

righteousness morally correct

Her righteousness is getting

damn irritating.
tantamount being essentially equal to something

Not telling her is tantamount to aiding

and abetting the enemy.
abet assist or encourage (usually in
some wrongdoing)
Not telling her is tantamount to aiding
and abetting the enemy.
deteriorate become worse
or:
The cliff is pocked with knobs of jutting gradually wear away or break into
rock, some of which deteriorate as soon tiny particles
as I touch them.
vertigo a dizzy sensation or a feeling that
you are about to fall
My foot slips on a particularly crumbly bit
of stone, and I hug the cliff face until
the vertigo sweeps past.
exuberant joyously unrestrained

Smiles greet us as we make our way

through the exuberant crowds.
salutation a greeting such as "Hi", "Dear
John:", or "Ladies and Gentlemen"
Drinks are
offered, salutations exchanged, or:
compliments murmured, sometimes
shouted, to Izzis embarrassment. the act of greeting
amass get or gather together

On one side of her, a torch-juggler

has amassed a large crowd, and on the
other, a Tribal Kehanni spins her tales,
her voice rising and swooping like a bird
in flight.
taciturn habitually reserved
and uncommunicative
They are his other lieutenants, closer to
Keenans age than Mazens and
possessed of the younger
mans taciturn coolness.
Procure get by special effort
Supplies and uniforms need procuring,
guards need bribing.
tempestuous violently emotional

The fiddlers begin a

swift, tempestuous tune, and Keenan
takes my hip in one hand and my fingers
in the other.
perfunctory done without much interest or effort
especially as when dispensing with
"Get back safe." his words a formality
are perfunctory, as if hes speaking to
one of his fighters.
dilate -- as in: dilated eyes become wider (bigger)

After that, I break into an apothecary for

willadonna, a physicians staple that,
when pressed into an oil, dilates the
pupils wide enough for a Martial to pass
as a Scholar or Tribesman for an hour
or two.
disoriented confused

I pull out of the crowds, or:

suddenly disoriented.
lost especially having lost the
sense of direction
unadulterated not mixed with impurities

When I finally am able to push the

thudding to the back of my head, Im
bowled over by the colors and smells
and unadulterated joy around me.
dismal as in: a dismal expression

I cant bring myself to ruin it for them, depressing or gloomy

not when their lives are ordinarily
so dismal. as in: a dismal performance

of terrible quality

incriminate make to appear guilty

She cant tell the Commandant she saw

me here
without incriminating herself too.
sultry as in: a sultry afternoon

I dont think Ive ever met a Tribal hot and humid

woman with such sultry self-possession.
as in: a sultry voice
expressing or arousing sensual desire
especially in reference to a
womans appearance or voice

ballad a song (or poem) that tells a story

The fiddlers are playing a lilting ballad,

and at my nod, the boy takes my hands
as confidently as if weve been friends
for years.
sensual relating to pleasing the bodys senses
(in contrast to the intellect)
Despite his height and the width of his especially of sexual sensation
shoulders, he leads with a grace that is
effortless and sensual all at once.
pensive appearing deep in thought
typically looking sad or serious
I mimic the boys pensive tone.
mirth fun and laughter

Right now, they shine with barely

restrained mirth.
subservient serving in a less important role
sometimes implying
I should show my subservience. excessive submissiveness
competent of people: sufficiently capable

Izzi and I exchange a glance at thathis or:

sheer competence is unnerving.
of actions or things: adequate for
the purpose
reconcile as in: reconciled their
differences
Yet I cant reconcile the image before me to bring into agreement
with the handsome Tribesman I as in: reconciled herself to
danced with. to come to terms with
devoid completely without (lacking)

His voice is louder now, sleek and

menacing and devoid of anything
resembling decency.
proprietary describing something as owned
such as a product protected by
I try to squirm away from him, but he patent or a name protected by
keeps a proprietary arm slung around trademark
my hips.
or:

showing characteristics of ownership

formidable arousing fear or admiration due to
impressiveness or challenge
"Combat against a formidable foe,"
Cain says.
constant unchanging, continuous, or
happening repeatedly
The boys and I tease Tristas
for constantly mooning over his fiance,
but hes one of the finest swordsmen at
Blackcliff, clever and cat-swift.
accompany to travel along with; or to be present
with at the same time and/or location
The thought surprises
me, accompanied as it is by a pulse of or:
fierce desire.
to perform with
flaunt the act of showing off (displaying
something ostentatiously)
She stalks away, muttering about twits
who flaunt regulation.
drudgery hard, unpleasant, and boring work

I dress quickly, hoping to get to her

before Cook sets us to our
daily drudgery.
sheer -- as in: a sheer blouse typically of fabric: very thin and
delicate often transparent
Beside him stands a Tribal girl clad
in sheer, rose-colored robes, their hems
embroidered with tiny round mirrors.
presumption as in: presumption of innocence

Im so angry at something thought of as true

Telumans presumption that I dont think without proof
before I speak.

fervor intense feelings

His hammer is clenched in his hand like a

weapon, his hard-angled face lit with
tightly controlled fervor.
peruse to read or examine

Spiro peruses the folio.

spectacle a notable or unusual sight

Marcus and his brother will enjoy such

a spectacle.
intrusion an involvement, interruption, or
entry typically unwelcome
"The only place youll find a map of
Blackcliff," a raspy voice intrudes, "is in
the Commandants head.
obliterate do away with completely

At scim training, Zak comes at me with

unusual sloppiness, but instead
of obliterating him, I let him knock me on
my ass because Ive caught a glimpse of
blonde across the field.
demean -- as in: demeaned herself by reduce social standing or dignity
being petty

She must hate me for subjecting her to

something so demeaning.
wry -- as in: wry sense of humor understated ironic humor often in
a difficult situation
Youre screwed, Elias, a wry voice
tells me.
infuriate to make very angry or annoyed

Sadness flits across Cains

face, infuriating me further.
parry
to avoid in 2 primary senses:
She tries to switch sword arms, but I jab
my scim at her wrist faster than she to avoid an attack especially
can parry. a physical attack as when
deflecting the thrust of a
sword
to avoid answering a question
with a clever response that
directs attention elsewhere

entangled as in: entangled in the branches

caught in
If Im entangled with her, wont that or:
make it worse? twisted together into a
confusing mass

as in: entangled in local politics

deeply involve; or intermixed with
complications or difficulties

pliant as in: a pliant individual

I ler breath catches, and she melts into able to adjust readily to different
me, her body suddenly, conditions
intoxicatingly pliant.
or less commonly:

susceptible to being led or directed

as in: a pliant material

capable of being bent (or perhaps

shaped) without breaking

brandish the act of waving something or

exhibiting something aggressively
A pair of Masks battles within,
each brandishing two slender scims.
retch an involuntary vomiting spasm, but
generally with nothing coming up
I double over, retching, and his knee
comes up into my forehead.
sadist someone who obtains pleasure from
inflicting pain or others
Then I hear him laughing,
a sadistic chuckle that stokes
my defiance.
stoke to add fuel or stir a fire to make it
burn hotter; or to make
Then I hear him laughing, a sadistic feelings stronger
chuckle that stokes my defiance.
futile effort that is pointless because it is
unproductive or unsuccessful
He lene hands me a threadbare
blanket, and I pull it over the girl,
knowing how futile it is.
impassive having or revealing little emotion
especially under circumstances
The walls of Blackcliff rise around us others would find exciting
like impassive sentinels.
sentinel a person who stands guard or looks
out for something
The walls of Blackcliff rise around us like
impassive sentinels.
rampart an embankment or wall built for
defensive purposes
There is no sound other than the
rhythmic clink of armor as the
legionnaires patrol the ramparts.
venom as in: jealousy-fueled venom

I expect venom, but her voice shakes. intense feelings of hatred or anger

recede to move away or diminish

My eyes grow heavy, and I close them

again as the fire recedes.
devise -- as in: devise a plan to come up with a way of doing
something typically a creative idea
I try to devise some way to help her. or plan

ministrations to help, aid, or treat often in a

minor hands-on way
If Laia survived, its no doubt due to the or:
older womans ministrations.
the work of a religious minister
curt brief to the point of rudeness

Tlic rest of the day is a blur of failed

combat battles, curt conversations, and
narrow escapes from Helene.
waylay to stop someone (without their
forewarning) to attack them or
Told her that Cook sent us to get to talk
crowleaf from the storage room by the
barracks and that Marcus waylaid us on
the way back.
melee disorganized hand-to-hand combat

I turn to look for her and spot Tristas or:

cutting through the melee, coming
straight for me. a disorganized mass of people
possibly all going different directions
and bumping into each other;
or rioting
deflect turn aside from a fixed direction or
line of interest
He flings a saw-toothed dagger at my
chest, and I only just deflect it with
my scim.
abyss a gorge so deep the bottom cannot
be seen often used figuratively to
One of Helenes men sends a mace imply a frightening bottomless pit
whistling toward his head, and he is soon
locked in another battle, jabbing and
lunging as if he hadnt been perched on
the edge of the abyss a minute before.
preside to be in charge; or to head; or to be
the chairperson especially of a
Im Death himself, presiding over formal meeting or ceremony
this butchery.
wretched very bad, in various senses such as:

A wretched part of me wants to do unfortunate or miserable

it stealthily. of poor quality
morally bad

supplant take the place or move into the

position of
Death supplants everything.
unrequited not returned in kind

Leander and his never-to-be-

requited love for Helene.
ultimatum a final demand that carries a threat if
it is rejected
On goes the slaughter, and all the while,
lurking in the back of my head is
Cains ultimatum.
onslaught a powerful attack

Soon, Im fighting in earnest, using every

trick I know to survive her onslaught.
entwined interconnected (not easily separated)
or twisted together
Our bodies are entangled, entwined, but
Helene is foreign to me suddenly,
unknowable as the heavens.
timbre tone color; the quality of a sound
separate from its pitch and amplitude
I think of his face without the mask and
the low, thrilling timbre of his voice when
he whispered in my ear at the
Moon Festival.
malicious wanting to see others suffer; or
threatening evil
"Long ago," she says, "when man knew
not greed, malice, tribe, nor clan, jinn
walked the earth."
creed any system of principles or beliefs

From this ever-changing world arose the

Empire of the Scholars, strongest among
men, dedicated to their creed: Through
knowledge, transcendence.
Transcendent surpassing usual limits of excellence
From this ever-changing world arose the or:
Empire of the Scholars, strongest among beyond the ordinary range of human
men, dedicated to their creed: Through experience or understanding
knowledge, transcendence.
Oration giving a speech to an audience
They sent cunning messengers, raised
to oration the way Masks are raised
to war.
mesmerize to completely hold someones entire
attention
The Augur doesnt break eye contact,
seemingly mesmerized by my anger.
bedlam a state of extreme confusion
and disorder
Cain says nothing of the bedlam in
my mind. (less common meaning(s) at
verbalworkout.com)
profound as in: profound idea
deep or far-reaching in intellect
Marcuss yellow eyes are troubled, his or consequence
lack of malice so profound that I barely as in: profound sadness
recognize him. of greatest intensity or
emotional depth

virulent of disease: very bad perhaps very

contagious
A terrible anger consumes me, virulent as
a sickness. or

harsh or hateful
valor exceptional or heroic courage when
facing danger especially in battle
A reward for their valor.
ominous threatening (suggestive of, or
foreshadowing bad things to come)
The structure rumbles ominously.
cleave as in: cleave through
to split something especially with
His diamond-shaped Blackcliff tattoo is a violent force
dark shadow on the back of his neck, or:
parts of it tinged silver where the metal to cut through something
of his mask cleaves to his skin.
as in: cleave to
to hold firmly to something such
as an object, a person or idea

swindle tricking or cheating someone

usually to get money
Bekkars much smaller and usually filled
with swindling Mercators and
Plebeian drunks.
refute to prove or attempt to prove that
something is false
No, he said Darin was in the death cells
in Bekkar and that the prison provided
Blackcliffs security backup, all of which
Veturius has just refuted.
deceit the act of deceiving (lying to or
misleading someone)
They can sense deceit.
foray a brief venture by a person or
company that is different than the
He speaks for a long time, and his words kinds of activities they usually do
weave a life before my eyes, the life of a
dark-haired, curious-eyed child who
snuck out from lessons so he could go
adventuring, who waited eagerly at the
edge of camp for the men of the Tribe to
return from their merchant forays.
cull to select from among many
usually to reject
Cut off my hair, took my clothes, and put
me in a pen outside with the others for
a culling.
avert prevent from happening

He picks his cloak up from the floor and or:

holds it out to me, averting his eyes.
turn away or aside often to turn
your eyes away from something
profane grossly irreverent toward what is
held to be sacred
It seems profane somehowthe world
clean, the air warmwhen scores of
young men lay cold in their coffins,
waiting to return to the earth.
phalanx as in: a phalanx of riot police

Each name summons an image in my a group standing and moving

heada face, a voice, a formuntil it together especially an ancient
feels as if my fallen comrades are rising Greek military formation
up around me, a phalanx of ghosts.
despondent emotionally depressed especially a
feeling of grief and hopelessness
Instead, they stop before me, after a loss
quiet, despondent.
despair hopelessness

Helene puts her fingers over my mouth,

her anger replaced with something
like despair.
delude to convince someone of a false belief

Shes delusional.
disheveled messy (untidy or disordered)
especially of a persons clothes
Cook comes up behind Izzi, and Im and hair
shocked to see that she too is disheveled,
her eyes red-rimmed.
transpire to happen; or to become known

I am still trying to make sense of what

has just transpired.
abhor to hate or detest something

So easily she asks such

an abhorrent question.
ethereal so delicate and insubstantial that it
barely seems of this world
An Augur waits outsidea woman this often beautiful
timesmall and ethereal.
compel to force someone to do something

You can come willingly to the or more rarely:

amphitheater, or I can compel you.
to convince someone to
do something
gravitas -- (Latin) a dignity or formality in bearing
and appearance
All his gravitas from the Third Trial has
morphed into a poisonous vitriol.
pavilion a large structure separate from a
main structure in various senses
Grandfather sits a few rows behind the such as:
Commandants pavilion with a group of
his personal guard, his eyes on me. a large roofed structure
without walls often found in
parks
a temporary structure such
as a large tent to house
exhibits at a fair, to provide
sports facilities, or to put on a
show
a section of a large hospital or
office complex adjacent to
other parts

stallion a male horse that has not been

castrated (gelded) especially one
Marcus jerks his head around, shocked used for breeding purposes
into stillness as a foam-
coated stallion gallops through the doors
of the stadium.
defer -- as in: deferred the decision postpone (hold off until a later time)

But you faltered when faced with

Vcturius, deferring to his wishes.
travesty an offensive misrepresentation of
what should be expected
Helenes face is white as bone, her mind,
like mine, unable to take in
the travesty occurring in front of
our eyes.
conceit -- as in: confident, but not feelings of excessive pride
conceited

His face goes blank, and he looks down

at Helene without conceit or triumph.