Blessem: The Blessed Fields. Rich farmland lying south of Rionnagan, ruled by the MacThanach clan.

blizzard owls: giant white owls that inhabit the snowy mountain regions. Sorcha the Murderess had a blizzard owl as her familiar.

Blue Guards: The Yeomen of the Guard, the Righ's own elite company of soldiers. They act as his personal bodyguard, both on the battlefield and in peacetime.

The Book of Shadows: an ancient magical book which contains all the history and lore of the Coven.

Brangaine NicSian: the daughter of Gwyneth NicSian's younger sister. She is named banprionnsa of Siantan in the Second Pact of Peace.

Bright Soldiers: name for members of the Tirsoil-leirean army.

Bronwen NicCuin: young daughter of Jaspar Mac-Cuinn, former Righ of Eileanan, and Maya the Ensor-cellor. Was Banrigh of Eileanan for one day.

Brun: a cluricaun.

Buba: an elf-owl; Isabeau's familiar.

Candlemas: the end of winter and beginning of spring. Carraig: Land of the Sea Witches, the most northern county of Eileanan. Ruled by MacSeinn clan, descendants of Seinneadair, one of the First Coven of Witches. Clan has been driven out by Fairgean, taking refuge in Rionnagan.

Cave of A Thousand Kings: the sacred cavern of the Fairgean royal family.

Celestines: race of fairy creatures, renowned for em-pathic abilities and knowledge of stars and prophecy.

Circle of Seven: ruling council of dragons made up of the oldest and wisest female dragons.

Clachan: southernmost land of Eileanan, ruled by the MacCuinn clan.

claymore: a heavy, two-edged sword, often as tall as a man.

cluricaun: small woodland fairy.

coh: Khan'cohban word for the universal life-death energy.

craft: applications of the One Power through spells, incantations and magical objects.

Cuinn Lionheart: leader of the First Coven of Witches. Descendants called MacCuinn.

cunning: applications of the One Power through will and desire.

cunning man: village wise man or warlock.

Cursed Peaks: what the Khan'cohbans call Dragon-claw.

cursehags: wicked fairy race, p.r.o.ne to curses and evil spells. Known for their filthy personal habits.

dai-dein: father.

Daillas the Lame: sorcerer and headmaster at the Theurgia.

Dide the Juggler: a jongleur.

donbeag: small, brown shrew-like creature that can fly short distances due to the sails of skin between its legs.

Donncan MacCuinn: eldest son of Iseult and Lachlan. Has wings like a bird and can fly.

doom-eels: sea-dwelling eels with phosph.o.r.escent tails that deliver an electric shock if touched.

dragon: large, fire-breathing flying creature with smooth, scaly skin and claws. Named by the First Coven for a mythical creature from the Other World. Since they are unable to adjust their own body temperature, they live in the volcanic mountains, near hot springs or other sources of heat. They have a highly developed language and culture, and can see both ways along the thread of time.

Dragonclaw: a tall, sharply pointed mountain in the northwestern range of the Sithiche Mountains.

Isabeau and Meghan lived by a small loch at its foot, in a secret valley. Called the Cursed Peaks by the Khan'cohbans.dram: measure of drink.

Duncan Ironfist: the captain of the Yeomen of the Guards.

Dun Gorm: the city surrounding Rhyssmadill.

Ea: the Great Life Spirit, mother and father of all.

Eileanan: largest island in the archipelago called the Far Islands.

Elemental Powers: the forces of Air, Earth, Fire, Water and Spirit which together make up the One Power.

Elfrida NicHilde: exiled banprionnsa of Tirsoilleir.

elf-owl: the smallest of all the owls, about the size of a sparrow, with a round head and big yellow eyes.

Elsie: a scullery maid at Lucescere Palace.

elven cat: small, fierce wild cat that lives in caves and hollow logs.

Enit Silverthroat: a jongleur; grandmother of Dide and Nina.

equinox: when the sun crosses the celestial equator; a time when day and night are of equal length, occurring twice a year.

The Fair Isles: a group of lush tropical islands to the south of Eileanan.

Fairge; Fairgean: fairy creatures who need both sea and land to live. The Fairgean were finally cast out of Eileanan in 710 by Aedan Whitelock when they refused to accept his authority. For the next four hundred and twenty years they lived on rafts, rocks jutting up out of the icy seas, and what small islands were still uninhabited. The Fairgean king swore revenge and the winning back of Eilea-nan's coast.

Fand: slave in the Fairgean king's court.

The Fang: the highest mountain in Eileanan, an extinct volcano called the Skull of the World by the Khan'cohbans.

Faodhagan the Red: One of the twin sorcerers from the First Coven of Witches. Particularly noted for working in stone; designed and built many of the Witch Towers, as well as the dragons' palace and the Great Stairway.

The Fathomless Caves: the sacred system of caves and grottos that riddle the Isle of the G.o.ds.

The Fiery Womb: cave deep within the Isle of the G.o.ds where the Fairgean believe the G.o.ds were born.

Finn the Cat: nickname of Fionnghal NicRuraich.

Fionnghal NicRuraich: eldest daughter and heir of An-ghus MacRuraich of Rurach; was once a beggar-girl in Lucescere and lieutenant of the League of the Healing Hand. Has strong searching and finding powers.The Firemaker: honorary term given to the descendants of Faodhagan (see First Coven) and a woman of the Khan'cohbans.

First Coven of Witches: thirteen witches who fled persecution in their own land, invoking an ancient spell that folded the fabric of the universe and brought them and all their followers to Eileanan. The eleven great clans of Eileanan are all descended from the First Coven, with the MacCuinn clan being the greatest of the eleven. The thirteen witches were Cuinn Lionheart, his son Owein of the Longbow, Ahearn Horse-laird, Aislinna the Dreamer, Berhtilde the Bright Warrior-Maid, Foghnan the Thistle, Ruraich the Searcher, Seinneadair the Singer, Sian the Storm-Rider, Tuathanach the Farmer, Brann the Raven, Faodhagan the Red and his twin sister Sorcha the Bright (now called the Murderess).

frost giant: lives on Spine of the World.

geal'teas: long-horned, snow-dwelling creatures which provide Khan'cohbans with food, milk and clothing. Their very thick white wool is much prized all over Eileanan.

geas: an obligation due to a debt of honor.

Gita: a donbeag; Meghan's familiar.

The Great Crossing: when Cuinn led. the First Coven to Eileanan.

The Great Stairway: the road which climbs Dragon-claw, leading to the palace of the dragons and then down the other side of the mountain to Tirlethan.

Gwilym the Ugly: one-legged sorcerer who spent the years of Maya the Ensorcellor's rule in Arran but who escaped the autocratic rule of Margrit NicFogh-nan to help Lachlan win the throne. Was rewarded with the position of court sorcerer.

harlequin-hydra: a rainbow-colored sea serpent with many heads that lives in the shallow waters near the coast of Arran. If one head is cut off, another two grow in its place and its spit is deadly poisonous.

Haven: large cave where the Pride of the Red Dragon spend their winter.

Heloise Macf.a.ghan: baby daughter of Khan'gharad Dragon-laird and Ishbel the Winged, twin sister of Alasdair and younger sister of Iseult and Isabeau.

Iain MacFoghnan: prionnsa of Arran.

ika: a potent Khan'cohban drink brewed from berries.

Isabeau the Foundling: apprentice to Meghan of the Beasts, twin sister of Iseult. Also called Khan'tinka.

Iseult of the Snows: twin sister of Isabeau, banrigh of Eileanan by marriage to Lachlan the Winged. Also named Khan'derin.

Ishbel the Winged: windwitch who can fly. Mother of Iseult and Isabeau.Isle of Divine Dread: island in the far north of Eileanan; traditional stronghold of the Priestesses of Jor.

Isle of the G.o.ds: island in the far north of Eileanan; traditional home of the Fairgean royalty. It was invaded and occupied by the MacSeinn clan in the early history of the Coven and not regained by the Fairgean until after the Day of Betrayal.

Jaspar MacCuinn: eldest son of Parteta the Brave, former Righ of Eileanan, often called Jaspar the Ensor-celled. Was married to Maya the Ensorcellor.

Jay the Fiddler: a minstrel and apprentice to Enit Silverthroat. Was once a beggar-lad in Lucescere and lieutenant of the League of the Healing Hand.

jongleur: a traveling minstrel, juggler, conjurer.

Jor: the G.o.d of the Sh.o.r.eless Seas, a major Fairgean deity.

Kani: the Mother of the G.o.ds in the Fairgean cosmology, the G.o.ddess of fire and earth, volcanoes, earthquakes, phosph.o.r.escence and lightning.

The Key: the sacred symbol of the Coven of Witches, a powerful talisman carried by the Keybearer, leader of the Coven.

Khan: Khan'cohban word meaning "child." All young, uninitiated Khan'cohbans are called "child" until after they have successfully won their name and totem in a dangerous journey of initiation.

Khan'bomet: Scarred Warrior of the Fire Dragon Pride and Isabeau's teacher in ahdayeh.

Khan'cohbans: Children of the G.o.ds of White. A fairy race of snow-skimming nomads who live on the Spine of the World. Closely related to the Celestines, but very warlike. Khan'cohbans live in family groups called prides, which range from fifteen to fifty in number.

Khan'deric: Soul-Sage of the Fire Dragon Pride.

Khan'derin: twin sister of Isabeau. Also named Iseult.

Khariderna: First of the Scarred Warriors of the Fire Dragon Pride.

Khan'fella: twin sister to Khan'lysa, the Firemaker.

Khan'gharad the Dragon-Laird: Scarred Warrior of the Fire Dragon Pride, lover of Ishbel the Winged, father of Isabeau and Iseult.

Khan'katrin: Isabeau and Iseult's cousin, and heir to the Firemaker's position.

Khan'lysa the Firemaker: Isabeau and Iseult's great-grandmother.

Khan'merle: Isabeau and Iseult's aunt, and heir to the Firemaker's position.Lachlan the Winged: Righ of Eileanan.

Lament of the G.o.ds: river in Tirlethan.

leannan: sweetheart.

Linley MacSeinn: the prionnsa of Carraig.

loch; lochan (pi): lake.

Lodestar: the heritage of all the MacCuinns, the Inheritance of Aedan. When they are born their hands are placed upon it and a connection made. Whoever the stone recognizes is the Righ or Banrigh of Eileanan.

Lucescere: ancient city built on an island above the Shining Waters. The traditional home of the MacCuinns and the Tower of Two Moons.

Mac: son of.

MacAhern: one of the eleven great clans; descendants of Ahearn the Horse-laird.

MacAislin: one of the eleven great clans; descendants of Aislinna the Dreamer.

MacBrann: one of the eleven great clans; descendants of Brann the Raven.

MacCuinn: one of the eleven great clans, descendants of Cuinn Braveheart.

Macf.a.ghan: descendants of Faodhagan, one of the eleven great clans, newly discovered.

MacFoghnan: one of the eleven great clans; descendants of Foghnan the Thistle.