Hers to Claim (33 page)

Adalay
—[
a
′ da lay]—high mountain range to the east of Sylvan Mintoth and part of the region considered under the governance of House DeHelios.

Aether
—[ee′
thur
]
—
The spiritual realm attained by highborn medical practitioners that allows them to address the seven centers of bodily life and by all other
magistrae
to communicate with the Great Mother.

A
nima
—
[
ah′
nee mah]—soul, spirit, internal essence of life.

Arcobaleno—
[
ark′
oh bah
lay′
no]—The color that the
diamantorre
in the sigil towers blaze indicating the highest amount of energy is being transferred, absorbed and transmitted. The color is a pure white at the furthest end of the light spectrum.

Ari—
[ah′
ree
]—
Conte Aristos Camliel DeTano, Primo Signore of the Second Tetriarch, High Lord of Verdantia and the Queen Fleur de Luna Constante’s husband and consort.

B
ás dtost
—[
bas′
toast] – “the silent death” Hel’s nickname given to him by the Haarb.

Chambre Cristalle
—[
shaam′
brah*
kris′
tall]—the name of the ritual chamber in a sigil tower where the Great Rite is performed. This is the only place the Great Rite is performed. Every sigil tower in Verdantia has a
Chambre Cristalle
.

C
hital
—[
she
′ tall]—a spotted antelope-like creature with lyre shaped horns. They travel in herds and occupy the open grasslands.

DeCorvus v
s Corvus
—
In
Hers To Claim
, Adonia is introduced at various times with the last name of “Corvus” and “DeCorvus”. In Verdantian society, the “De” prefix indicates the bearer is of one of the thirty-two noble houses originally founded. In the case of Adonia Corvus, her family dropped the “De” prefix when they joined the Mother’s Acolytes. Hel introduces Adonia as “Adonia DeCorvus,” properly giving her the aristocratic prefix.

Diamantorre
[Dee
ah mahn
tor]—
An immense block of diaman crystal that serves as the central dais in the
Chambre Cristalle
of each sigil tower. This block of crystal stores the energy of the Great Rite and releases it into the surrounding atmosphere. In an outward display of extravagance, the entire city of Nyth Uchel, its surrounding walls, and the white tower, Torre Bianca, were built of diaman crystal. As such, the overflow of energy is absorbed by the very building stones to the extent that all of Nyth Uchel is haloed with a soft, luminescent light giving the entire city an appearance of magickal enchantment. 

Doral
[
Doh
rall′]—
Visconte Doral Celestia Agentio DeLorion, Segundo Signore of the Second Tetriarch, lover to Ari and Fleur. While neither Hel nor Doral realize it, they are distantly related. In fact, the entire Second Tetriarch is distantly related to Hel as their bloodlines cross repeatedly. This was not by accident. After the schism between Nyth Uchel and Sylvan Mintoth, the High Enclave Elders spent centuries quietly trying to duplicate the genetic makeup of the DeHelios line.

F
ell
wolf—
A genetically engineered hybrid of a large, predatory canine and a giant lizard, similar to Earth’s Komodo Dragon. They are the size of a large pony and have acute senses of smell, hearing and vision. At some point in time, someone added nano-bots to their genetic structure which makes them heal incredibly fast. It takes beheading or a shot to the brain to put one down. They are highly intelligent and controlled through the use of pulse collars which can be set in varying degrees of severity from mild to stun. They are a favorite of the Haarb.

Fleur
—[
Fler
]—
Queen Fleur de Luna Constante, supreme monarch of Verdantia. Her last name does not contain a “De” as she and her father and mother were of questionable nobility. It is the source of one of Hel’s reservations about the legitimacy of the Second Tetriarch.

Fricki
—
[frick′
ee
]—
an elusive, elk-like creature living in the mountain regions of Verdantia. They are snow-white in color and very rare. Lore has it that the sight of one of these exotic, shy creatures indicates the active presence of the Great Mother and is very good luck. To kill one is a criminal offense.

Magister
—[ma
gis′
tur] – a High Enclave-bred and trained nobleman with a specific genetic link to “Her.”

Magistra
—
[ma
gis′
tra] – a High Enclave-bred and trained noblewoman with a specific genetic link to “Her.”

M
agistrae—
[ma
gis′
tray]—plural form of
magistra
or
magister
—gender inclusive. More than one
magistra
or
magister
.

M
ela
—[
may′
la]—a tart, lime green, oval fruit similar to an apple.

Nyth Uchel
—[
nith′
oo chel′] – “High Aerie” – the DeHelios family seat – A large palace with a once-prosperous city below. Nyth Uchel was the original capital of Verdantia.

Plains of Vergaza
—a vast open grassland west between Sylvan Mintoth and the desert wastelands of the Oshtesh.

Senzienza
—[
sen
′ zee
en
′ za]—the Planet of Verdantia’s sentience. Also referred to as
She
or
Her

Signore
, Primo—
[
pree′
mo*
sig′
nor eh] – “First gentleman” – the first male in the
Tetriarch

Signore
, Segundo —
[
sah′
gun do*
sig′
nor eh]—“Second gentleman” – the second male in the
Tetriarch

Tetriarch
—
[
tet′
tree ark]—A trio of nobles formed by the Senzienza to rule Verdantia. They wield extraordinary mystical power with joined with Mother Verdantia. There have been only two in the five hundred year history of Verdantia.

Torre Bianca
—[tore
bee′
ahn ka]—the “White Tower”—a sigil tower above
Nyth Uchel
. Torre Bianca is the first, and greatest, of all sigil towers in Verdantia. Her construction, as with all the sigil towers in Verdantia, was accomplished by the First Tetriarch, Hel’s ancestors. She is the only sigil tower constructed entirely of diaman crystal.

Other books by Patricia A. Knight

Hers to Command, Verdantia, Book 1

Love triangles often spell personal disaster for those involved, but for the unlikely members of the tetriarch, worldwide disaster is imminent without the successful bonding of their trio.

The inhabitants of the sentient planet, Verdantia, are poised on the precipice of extinction following a brutal invasion of an off-world, nomadic horde. Verdantia’s capital, Sylvan Mintoth, must have its failing energy shield restored, or it is doom for the planet. The planet’s elders know the shield can draw energy from only one thing—a very arduous and grueling coupling of two specific people who were pre-chosen by the planet Herself and promised to each other in a marriage contract when both were in their youth.

Upon learning of the contract, wild teenage Conte Camliel Aristos deTano, the dark and brutally handsome “Ari,” had fled the planet, only to be summoned back years later to save Verdantia. His contractual bride, Princess Fleur Constante, is the beautiful future queen, who was but two years old when the contract was conjured. Though young and inexperienced, she is willing to risk everything, including her own sanity, to save her planet.

Verdantia draws strength from the duo, but She whispers to Ari that a third is necessary…the third being his right-hand man, Visconte Doral deLorion, an angelically handsome skilled assassin who silently surrendered his heart to Ari long ago.

All three must struggle to make this surprising partnership harmonious, pushing through barriers of pride, past abuse, inexperience and distrust. Will Verdantia be saved, or will their individual weaknesses prove more powerful than the strength of their whole?

Hers to Choose, Verdantia, Book 2

Mentally scarred from her years as prisoner to the off-world invaders, Lady Sophillia
 Glorianna DeLorion, doubts she can be a fit sexual partner for any man – even one whose passionate green eyes make her remember what it is to desire.

Commander of the Queen’s Royal Guard, Eric DeStroia had grown up watching the corrosive, soul-killing effects of arranged, aristocratic marriage and vowed to remain alone. But
 under his hardened military exterior, Eric has a kind heart. When the second 
Tetriarch
 suggests he marry a noble woman rescued from the enemy, Eric reconsiders, consoling himself with visions of sheltering a wounded dove under his mighty arm. Instead, he discovers a fierce falcon that refuses to stoop to his lure.
In the aftermath of their resounding defeat, a survivor from the enemy camp plotted a return to Verdantia to exact retribution. His
 
first objective is the recapture of Lady Sophillia DeLorion. She had been unreachable until she went to the 
Oshtesh
. Now, only Eric DeStroia stands in his way.

Hers to Cherish, Verdantia, Book 3

W
hen Ramsey DeKieran, disgraced nobleman and accused murderer, is offered a pardon Ram knows there'd be a catch. The High Lord of Verdantia offers him a clean slate in exchange for the off-world rescue of a Verdantian noblewoman – a suicide mission that has already cost the lives of good men. The one redeeming feature is the assistance of the stunning captain of Verdantia’s elite mercenary team.

For Captain Steffania Rickard, assisting DeKieran in the rescue of a woman critical to the future of Verdantia will be difficult enough. The rouge trips all her triggers – good and bad. Infinitely worse, to fit into the culture of Vxloncia, she must pose as Ram's sex slave. The sexually dominant Ramsey is nothing if not perceptive and Steffania doubts her carefully disguised and deeply hidden desires will remain concealed.

Their mission takes on new meaning when they unmask a heinous program of enslavement, long cloaked in secrecy. Together they must find a way to overcome their initial animosity and recover a woman vital to the future of their race. Together, they would have to bring a malicious entity to justice. In the maelstrom of sex, savagery, domination and submission, Ram and Steffania will need all their wits and strength to survive.