The Thirteenth Scroll (51 page)

Urlar is the central and capital Province; it was inherited by Liam II, who became High King upon his father’s death. The
Provinces are counted in this order:

Urlar
, “the level place,” First Province and House, House of Roetah;

Tievebrack
, “the speckled hillside,” Second Province and House, House of Gathelus

Kilgarriff
, “the rough wood,” Third Province and House, House of Lidahanes

Dromkeen
, “the beautiful ridge,” Fourth Province and House, House of Caethal

Camlough
, “the crooked lake,” Fifth Province and House, House of Nuinseann

Sylaun
, “place of sallows,” Sixth Province and House, House of Niamh

Farnagh
, “place of alders,” Seventh Province and House, House of Ragenald

Lininch
, “the half island,” Eighth Province and House, House of Baoghil

Rathreagh
, “the gray fort,” Ninth Province and House, House of Cionaod

Barons of Aghamore
:

Urlar
: Central and Capital Province, direct rule of the High King

Tievebrack
: Baron Phelan Gradaigh, House of Gathelus

Kilgarriff
: Baron Giraldus DeMarcoe, House of Lidahanes

Dromkeen
: Baron Curran OhUigio, House of Caethal

Camlough
: Baron Oran Keogh, House of Nuinseann

Sylaun
: Baron Ardal Mulconry, House of Niamh

Farnagh
: Baron Thady Cathain, House of Ragenald

Lininch
: Baron Einar Maille, House of Baoghil

Rathreagh
: Baron Hueil Ruairc, House of Cionaod

Bishops of Aghamore

Urlar
: Archbishop Colm apBeirne

Tievebrack
: Bishop Mago Reamonn

Kilgarriff
: Bishop Elon Gallivin

Dromkeen
: Bishop Awnan Baroid

Camlough
: Bishop Dwyer Tuama

Sylaun
: Bishop Gairiad apMadain

Farnagh
: Bishop Tavic Laighin

Lininch
: Bishop Sitric Annadh

Rathreagh
: Bishop Bresal Ciardha

Pronunciation Guide to Cryf Words
: The Cryf language is phonetic; if a letter is there, it is pronounced. The Cryf alphabet and sounds are as follows:

A, soft as in apple

B, as in boy

C, always hard, as in cat

Ch, breathy back of the throat sound as in Scottish
loch

D, as in dog

Dd, soft ‘th’ as in bath

E, long “A” sound, as in able

F, “v” sound, as in very

Ff, “f” sound as in friend

G, hard, as in goat

H, as in heard

I, hard “e,” as in east

L, as in long

LI, breathy sound made by placing tongue behind front teeth and blowing air out the sides

M, as in man

N, as in nice

O, long as in open

P, as in peace

R, rolled

S, as in safe

T, as in toy

Th, long, as in bathe

U, soft “e", as in every

W, double “oo” sound, as in moon

Y, soft “i” sound, as in inch

Writing is, by its very nature, a solitary profession. No one else can pick up the pen for me or turn the idea in my mind
into written form. But outside that immediate solitary circle, there exists a web of support without which this writer could
not function. It is, therefore, from the deepest truth of my heart that I give my respect, my gratitude, and my affection
to all those who have granted me the gift to call them
Friend
.

I wish I could name you all, individually, but that is something time and page constraints will not allow. However, there
are a precious few I must acknowledge, for without them this book would not exist:

To Jenn, my wonderful agent, who is a joy both to work with and to know;

To Betsy, my equally wonderful editor, who applies her skill to give encouragement—and humility;

To Kata, healer and compassion-made-flesh, who has gotten me through some difficult times and whose skill at the healing arts
is out-measured only by the beauty of her soul;

To Steve B., whose concern, encouragement, and respect are precious jewels I treasure more than I can say;

To Mike and Ellen, who have helped me with both friendship and information;

To Diana, whose gifts of music and laughter bring me much needed respite;

To Lori, Tristan, and Mario, for all the friendship, pets, purrs, moments of silence and of companionship;

And to those whose presence gives purpose, strength, and joy not only to my work, but to my life:

To Donna, dearest friend of my heart, who reads and rereads, shares the triumphs and disasters, the laughter and the sorrows,
and who, through the years, has given me more than any paper has room to hold or any words the skill to express;

To Mary, who also reads and rereads, who has blessed my life in countless ways for over four decades, and is the living proof
that a sister can also be a dear and beloved friend;

And most of all, always and all ways, to Stephen, husband, truly the other half of my soul, without whom all that I am would
not exist—the past two decades are only the beginning, for only an eternity can hold my love for you.

To all of you, named and unnamed, you are the steady rock upon which the house of my life is built. I give you all my continual
and everlasting thanks… and all my love.

-R-

R
EBECCA
V. N
EASON
is the author of the bestselling STAR TREK: The Next Generation novel,
Guises of the Mind
, as well as two HIGHLANDER novels,
The Path
and
Shadow of Obsession
. She also has published numerous non-fiction articles which, along with her poetry, have been featured in regional, national
and international publications. In 1988 she was awarded a Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Literary Merit by the
Pacific Northwest Writers Conference, and she is a graduate of the Clarion West Writers Workshop. A frequent speaker at science
fiction conventions, Ms. Neason also lectures on pre-Christian through Medieval British History, Middle English, and the development
of English as a written language.

Ms. Neason lives on ten wooded acres in rural Washington, sharing her home and her life with a husband and a large number
of cats and dogs, all of whom are rescues—a cause to which Ms. Neason is extremely dedicated.

THE THIRTEENTH SCROLL

In the grand tradition of Andre Norton and Katherine Kurtz, here is a thrilling adventure in a world of fantasy and magic . . .

WOMEN OF THE PROPHECY

Nine barons vie for the throne of Aghamore, but the sorceress Aurya believes that the secrets encoded within an ancient, enigmatic text will make her lover, Giraldus, the next High King. The prophecies in the forbidden Thirteenth Scroll of Tambryn the Heretic suggest that whoever seizes the throne must first dispose of a child it names the Font of wisdom.

Meanwhile, in the distant Great Forest, a blind healer names Lysandra, who wields a mystic inner
Sight,
is suddenly beset by dark dreams. Guided by the Scroll, Lysandra and two companions find themselves compelled to seek and save the unknown child—before Aurya can plunge the kingdom into a future of unending darkness.