Here There be Dragons (Book 4 in the Twilight Court Series) Read online

  Here There be Dragons

  Amy Sumida

  Copyright © 2016 Amy Sumida

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-10: 1535514914

  ISBN-13: 978-1535514910

  More Books by Amy Sumida

  The Godhunter Series(in order)

  Godhunter

  Of Gods and Wolves

  Oathbreaker

  Marked by Death

  Green Tea and Black Death

  A Taste for Blood

  The Tainted Web

  Series Split:

  These books can be read together or separately

  Harvest of the Gods & A Fey Harvest

  Into the Void & Out of the Darkness

  Perchance to Die

  Tracing Thunder

  Light as a Feather

  Rain or Monkeyshine

  Blood Bound

  Eye of Re

  My Soul to Take

  As the Crow Flies

  Beyond the Godhunter

  A Darker Element

  Out of the Blue

  The Twilight Court Series

  Fairy-Struck

  Pixie-Led

  Raven-Mocking

  (Here there be Dragons)

  Other Books

  The Magic of Fabric

  Feeding the Lwas: A Vodou Cookbook

  There's a Goddess Too

  The Vampire-Werewolf Complex

  Enchantress

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  Pronunciation Guide

  Aideen: Ay-deen

  Ainsley: Ains-lee

  Aodh: Ee

  Balloch: Bal-lock

  Baobhan sith: Baa-vahn-she

  Basmhor: ba-svar (Gaelic for deadly)

  Beag: big(k)

  Bean-sidhe: ban-she

  Buinne: Bwa-nyah

  Cailleach Bheur: CALL-yack Burr or COY-ick Burr

  Catan: KAH-tan

  Cliona: CLEE-oh-nah

  Criarachan: CREE-are-rock-ahn

  Craos-Teine: Cr-oo-SH Cheh-nah (Gaelic for a blazing red hot fire)

  Cúl tóna: cool tone-ah (dickhead in Gaelic)

  Dathadair: Dath-ah-dare (death omen in Gaelic)

  Deithir: Dah-heer (to make haste in Gaelic)

  Dhoire: Doy-rah

  Diocail: JU-kel

  Duergar: Doo-ay-gahr

  Each-Uisge: Ech-oosh-kee-ya

  Eadan: Ae-dan

  Ewan: You-win

  Fir Darrig: Fear-durg

  Gancanagh: Gon-cawn-ah

  Ghillie-Dhu: Gill-ee-doo

  Glastig: Clee-stickh

  Gradh: Grah

  Greer: Gree-air

  Gwyllion: Gwith-lee-on

  Iseabal: Ish-bal

  Keelut: Kray-ee-oot

  Keir: Keer

  Latharna: LA-ur-na

  Lonnegawn: lonny-goon (forest dwelling plant-person)

  Lorcan: Lore-cawn

  Mairte: Mahrj-tah

  Marcan: MOR-kawn

  Mo ghaol bith-buan: Mo gurl beeth boo-ahn (my eternal love in Gaelic)

  Moire: Moy-rah

  Mór: Mo-ore

  Mufasa: Moo-fah-sah

  Nighean: Na-yee-in

  Nuckelavee: Nuke-ah-lah-vee

  Qalupalik: Kah-loo-pah-look

  Rayetayah: Rah-yay-tah-yah

  Raza: Rah-zah

  Reòthadh: Roar-ath ( Gaelic for the act of freezing)

  Ryvel: Rival

  Searc: Sherk

  Seelie: See-lee

  Seren: Sare-rin

  Seudachan: Shay-da-kan (jewel box in Gaelic)

  Sorcha: SORE-sha

  Tiernan: Teer-nin

  Torquil: Tore-quill

  Tursa: Ture-sah (a type of fairy bear)

  Uisdean: OOSH-jan

  Unseelie: Un-see-lee

  Character List

  There was a request made for a character list for my other series, so I thought I'd do one for the Twilight Court too. I'll try to keep it as updated as possible but be prepared for it to get long. Please just skim it and use it as a reference.

  Abigail Teagan: Extinguisher. Seren's close friend.

  Aidan: Pack witch, Alpha of Missouri, werewolf.

  Aideen Evergreen: Twilight dryad. Works at Gentry Technologies.

  Ainsley: Twilight sidhe, knight, and member of the Star's Guard.

  Akhila Trivedi: Flame elder, witch.

  Alan Murdock: Head of Human Council House in San Francisco. Brendan's father.

  Albert Fremond: Quake witch who got thicker and taller after visiting Fairy.

  Alby: Twilight knight and member of the King's Guard.

  Alex Kavanaugh: Extinguisher, telepath and twin brother to Alexis.

  Alexis Kavanaugh: Extinguisher, telepath, and twin sister to Alex.

  Aluki: Unseelie qalupalik.

  Amanda: Human girl Seren saved from Unseelie.

  Aodh Silvereed: Seelie sylph and brother to Nighean.

  Arran: Unseelie corrigan caster.

  Balloch: Unseelie shellycoat Seren rescued from Seelie, friends with Raza.

  Bambam: Unseelie bunyip, Lord of Australian rath.

  Barran: Twilight sidhe and hunter.

  Baxia: King of the Court of the Nine Sons, sea dragon.

  Beatrix: Unseelie corrigan caster.

  Beixi: King of the Court of the Nine Sons, sea dragon. And yes, I know these sea dragon names are really similar to each other but I didn't come up with them, these are the names from the myths.

  Bian: King of the Court of the Nine Sons, sea dragon.

  Bixi: King of the Court of the Nine Sons, sea dragon.

  Breasal: Twilight knight and member of the Star's Guard.

  Brendan Murdock: Extinguisher. Grew up with Seren and had a crush on her until she rejected him. Now he's a bit of an ass.

  Bress Thorn: Unseelie sidhe, Marquess, and Seren's cousin.

  Brett: Unseelie sidhe, knight, and member of the King's Guard.

  Briana Sloane: Head of Human Council House in New York.

  Cailleach Bheur: Unseelie hag who caused a bit of trouble with her staff in Pixie-Led.

  Cat(riona); Seren's best friend and twilight puka.

  Catan: Head of Twilight Council House.

  Chad: King Chiwen of the Court of the Nine Sons, sea dragon.

  Chantelle Robinson: Elder of Tide, witch.

  Chaofeng: King of the Court of the Nine Sons, sea dragon.

  Cliona Timberstride: Seelie sidhe and Tiernan's ex-wife (AKA that bitch who broke Tiernan's heart).

  Conri Shatterhowl: Twilight bargest and knight, on Seren's Star's Guard (and is a horrible flirt).

  Corc: Twilight sidhe. The dungeon guard when Moire came for Bress.

  Crispin Arterbury: Elder of Bite, witch.

  Daiyu: Queen of the Court of the Nine Sons and sea dragon.

  Diocail Shadowcall: Seelie sidhe and Tiernan's father.

  Dylan Thorn: Unseelie sidhe, duke, heir to Unseelie, and Seren's uncle.

  Effie: Unseelie qalupalik.

  Elena: Twilight sidhe and lady-in-waiting.

  Digby: Twilight knight and member of the Star's Guard.

  Eadan Gale: Lord of the Wild Hunt, unseelie sidhe.

  Ed Teagan: Extinguisher: Worked on the Cailleach case with Seren.

  Ewan Sloane: Extinguisher, raised Seren. He believed himself to be her father until the truth of his wife's adultery came out.

  Frederick: Storm witch who grew tiny dragonfly wings after visiting Fairy.

  Gabriel Alegre: Elde
r of Beckoning, witch.

  Gradh: Twilight sidhe, knight, and the only female member of the Star's Guard.

  Greer: Councilman of the High Fairy Council, seelie sidhe.

  Haoxian: King of the Court of the Nine Sons, sea dragon.

  Hana: Unseelie dragon-djinn, countess, and Raza's cousin.

  Horacio: Unseelie duende, hunter stationed in Hawaii.

  Iain: Twilight sidhe, knight, member of the Star's Guard.

  Illarion Maksimov: Elder of Storm, witch.

  Iseabal Bloodburn: Queen of the Seelie, seelie sidhe, and Keir's mother (Seren's grandmother).

  Ivor: Unseelie corrigan, caster.

  Jake Sloane: Worked on the Cailleach case with Seren.

  James: Seelie keelut.

  James Penderson: Human politician caught up in Cailleach's schemes (Pixie-Led).

  Jared Turner: Elder of Quake, witch.

  Jarne Vinter: Elder of the Pack, witch

  Jason Murdock: Extinguisher. Worked on the raven-mockers disappearance with Seren.

  Jeb Murdock: Councilman out of the San Francisco House.

  Jiaotu: King of the Court of the Nine Sons, sea dragon.

  John Sullivan: Human councilman in Tulsa.

  Justine: Aidan's beta in the Missouri pack, witch, werewolf.

  Karmen Simmel: Extinguisher. Grew up with Seren, a very close friend.

  Kate Teagan: Extinguisher. Works at Tulsa Council House.

  Keir Bloodthorn: King of Twilight, the first twilight sidhe, and Seren's biological father.

  Kevin Chepaney: Unaligned witch, shaman, discovered raven-mockers.

  Koko: Unseelie qalupalik.

  Latharna Shadowcall: Seelie sidhe and Tiernan's sister.

  Lewis: Selkie from the Court of the Nine Sons, meets Seren on a turtle.

  Lorcan Timberstride: Councilman of the Fairy High Council, seelie sidhe, Cliona's father.

  Luava: Unseelie qalupalik.

  Mairte: Twilight brownie and Seren's maid.

  Marcan Luminary: King of the Seelie, seelie sidhe.

  Mark Sloane: Extinguisher. Worked on locating the missing raven-mocker plane with Seren.

  Moire Thorn: Unseelie sidhe, marchioness, Bress' mother, and Seren's aunt (we hate her).

  Mufasa: Unseelie djinn.

  Neala Silvereed: Seelie sylph and mother to Nighean and Aodh.

  Nessa Buinne: Unseelie water sidhe.

  Nighean Silvereed: Seelie sylph who Seren rescued from Bress.

  Pulao: King of the Court of the Nine Sons, sea dragon.

  Qiuniu: King of the court of the Nine Sons, sea dragon.

  Rachel Forester: Councilwoman out of the San Francisco House.

  Ralph: Unseelie adlet.

  Randy Sullivan: Extinguisher. Worked on the Cailleach case with Seren.

  Rath: Pixie who Seren meets on her first approach to Twilight Castle.

  Ray Teagan: Councilman out of the San Francisco House.

  Rayetayah: Twilight fairy, raven-mocker, and Raza's son.

  Raza Tnyn: Unseelie dragon-djinn and Seren's ardent admirer.

  Reginald Murdock: Head of the Human High Council House.

  Rose: Seelie buttery sprite who Seren rescued from Unseelie.

  Rue Reòthadh: You're about to find out.

  Ryvel: Seelie hunter once on Tiernan's team. AKA the jackass who has it out for Seren.

  Sarah Jacobson: Beckoning witch, Vex of the East.

  Searc: Twilight cat-sidhe and stable boy.

  Seren Sloane: Extinguisher, fairy princess, and ambassador. Our heroine (I hope you already know this).

  Shane Luminary: Prince of the Seelie. Seelie sidhe, and Seren's uncle.

  Sorcha Silverlight: Seelie sidhe and Tiernan's mother.

  Suanmi: King of the court of the Nine Sons, sea dragon.

  Taotie: King of the Court of the Nine Sons, sea dragon.

  Ted: Seelie merman (technically without a court).

  Ted Teagan: Head of Human Council House in Tulsa.

  Tiernan Shadowcall: Seelie sidhe, seelie count, Lord of the Wild Hunt, member of the Star's Guard, and Seren's main squeeze.

  Tom: Aidan's beta in the Missouri pack, witch and werewolf.

  Torquil: Twilight sidhe, knight, and member of the Star's Guard.

  Tristan Lightheart: Beckoning witch changed into a dullahan hybrid and made a high councilman on the Isle of Danu, by Danu herself.

  Uisdean Thorn: King of Unseelie, sidhe, and Seren's evil uncle.

  Wesley Dearheart: Alpha of the Alaskan Pack, witch, werewolf.

  William Sehoka: Flight witch.

  Yazi” King of the Court of the Nine Sons, sea dragon (general asshole).

  Yuki Shinsato: High Councilwoman, seelie kitsune.

  Zhayu Sin-Eater: King of the Court of the Nine Sons and sea dragon.

  Chapter One

  “I'm actually a little excited about seeing the Dragon Court,” I said to Tiernan as I joined him in front of our bedroom's fireplace.

  Tiernan Shadowcall looked up from the book he'd been reading and frowned. He closed the leather-clad tome and placed it on the small table beside him. I knew that look, a lecture was coming. I swear, sometimes being with Tiernan was like dating a college professor. A really old college professor who was still really damn hot.

  Tiernan was way older than any living human professor and also way smarter, which could be way more exhausting. I kept trying to get his age out of him but he adamantly refused to tell me. I think he thinks I'll take it badly. He should know that my imagination is probably much worse than the truth. In my head, I placed his birth around the same time as Christ's.

  “Seren,” he started and I nearly groaned. “The dragon courts are volatile vortexes of violence.”

  “Sheesh,” I rolled my eyes as I took the seat beside his. “Alliteration much?”

  “Sometimes I feel like I have to make my warnings lyrical so that they'll stick in your memory,” he smirked.

  “I'm gonna stick something in your memory, Lord Hunter,” I growled.

  “Seriously,” he took my hand. “You need to be prepared for extreme acts of violence. The dragons are eternally snapping at each other and not in a verbal way. You saw how Raza behaved when he was in dragon form.”

  “Yeah,” I whispered, thinking back to the destruction Raza had wrought before I talked him down... on several occasions.

  “These dragons are far worse,” Tiernan said grimly. “They are full-blooded water dragons which makes them both feisty and unpredictable. They turn like the tide and they may not breathe fire but they have other ways of making you sorry you're alive.”

  “Well now I'm really excited,” I said sarcastically.

  “I don't mean to scare you,” he leaned forward and kissed me quickly. “We'll handle it together. I just don't want you to go into this thinking that it's going to be a vacation. You'll have to be very careful of what you say to dragon kings or what you say around them for that matter. Dragons aren't afraid of the Sluagh. They'll kill a fairy royal without batting a reptilian eye.”

  “That's why my dad is so upset,” I sighed.

  King Keir Bloodthorn, First King of Twilight, had been downright pissed when I'd announced that his brother had coerced me into joining him in the underwater Court of the Nine Sons. He'd nearly started a fight right in the middle of a party that was meant to be a meet and greet between us and the newly discovered witches.

  A royal argument could have threatened the new truce between the Councils and the witches. So Keir had postponed it and fought with Uisdean later. Thankfully, it hadn't escalated to blows; magic or otherwise. Uisdean was a smooth talker and he managed to convince Keir that he was well within his rights to ask me to act in my role of Ambassador. It was part of my job requirements to mediate a meeting between him and the dragons. Keir had given in but he was still pretty upset. You couldn't really blame him for being suspicious of his brother; Uisdean had tried to kill me... twice.

  Uisdean had vowed that he was ov
er the whole wanting me dead thing, especially since he couldn't kill me now without bringing the Sluagh down on his head. The Sluagh were the monsters of Fairy and one of their main jobs was to kill anyone who tried to murder a fairy royal. When I had accepted the crown, Uisdean had to accept that I was here to stay.

  Except now it looked as if he may have found a loophole.

  “Do you think Uisdean is counting on a dragon killing me?” I asked Tiernan.

  “It has crossed my mind,” Tiernan grimaced. “And your father's.”

  “Why didn't it do any crossing of my mind?” I scowled.

  “Because you're starting to let Danu influence your perceptions,” Tiernan smiled gently. “She loves all of her children and she wants you to love them too but Danu can afford to love us all, she's a goddess. You however, may be immortal but you are not indestructible and you must be more careful of whom you trust.”

  “I never said I trusted Uisdean,” I squished up my face petulantly.

  “No, but you're doing as Danu asked and you're opening your heart to him,” Tiernan sighed. “It's good that you're listening to her and really, we shouldn't ignore Danu's wishes,” he paused and a strange look came over his face. “But perhaps you should remember what else she said to you.”

  “To watch my step,” I nodded. “I'll go one better and watch my back too.”

  “That's what you have me for,” Tiernan grinned. “And I don't care what Uisdean says, he had no right to ask you to leave your personal guard behind. You may be acting in your capacity as Ambassador but you're also a fairy princess and you're allowed to bring your Star's Guard with you wherever you go... even and especially into the dragon courts.”

  “But don't you think he'll just make me leave them behind?”

  “Then threaten to stay behind with them,” Tiernan shrugged. “They go with us or we don't go at all.”

  “I like that,” I smirked. “Either way works for me.”

  “I'd hope for being left behind,” Tiernan grimaced, “but there's not a chance of that happening. Uisdean will allow the Star's Guard to accompany you. He needs you too much.”

  “I don't see what my presence is going to do for him,” I grumbled.

  “At the very least, it will give him someone to throw at the dragons as he swims for his life,” Tiernan rolled his eyes.