Tiger Bound (32 page)
Authors: Doranna Durgin
“I found this guy by the side of the road,” she said, in something of a determined rush. “The vet says he’s fine, but...I thought if you had time...I was wondering if you’d look him over.”
Katie drew a sharp breath, bit her lip on the renewed sting of tears. It was easy to feel Maks stiffen, ready to protect her, even in this small way. “It’s okay,” she told him, squeezing the hand she still held. “It’s good.”
He was slow to let go of her hand as she rose, but as she reached out for the young dog, his fingers slipped from hers, if only to trail down her calf for one final squeeze.
“I’ll watch for you,” he said.
And he did.
* * * * *
Sentinels Mythos/Glossary
Long ago and far away, in Roman/Gaulish days, one woman had a tumultuous life—she fell in love with a druid, by whom she had a son; the man was killed by Romans, and she was subsequently taken into the household of a Roman, who also fathered a son on her. The druid’s son turned out to be a man of many talents, including the occasional ability to shapeshift, albeit at great cost. (His alter-shape was a wild boar.) The woman’s younger son, who considered himself superior in all ways, had none of these earthly powers, and went hunting other ways to be impressive, acquire power. He justified his various activities by claiming he needed to protect the area from his brother, who had too much power to go unchecked...but in the end, it was his brother’s family who grew into the Vigilia, now known as the Sentinels, while the younger son founded what turned into the vile Atrum Core.
Sentinels
An organization of power-linked individuals whose driving purpose is to protect and nurture the earth—as befitting their druid origins—while also keeping watch on the activities of the Atrum Core.
Vigilia
The original Latin name for the Sentinels, discarded in recent centuries under Western influence.
Brevis Regional
HQ for each of the Sentinel regions.
Consul
The leader of each brevis region.
Adjutant
The consul’s executive officer.
Aeternus contego
The strongest possible ward, tied to the life force of the one who sets it and broken only at that person’s death. In
Jaguar Night,
Meghan Lawrence places one of these on Fabron Gausto, reflecting any workings he performs back on himself.
Vigilia adveho
A Sentinel mental long-distance call for help.
Monitio
A warning call.
Nexus
The Sentinel who acts as a central point of power control—such as for communications, wards or power manipulation.
Atrum Core
An ethnic group founded by and sired by the Roman’s son, their basic goal is to acquire power in as many forms as possible, none of which is natively their own; they claim to monitor and control the “nefarious” activities of the Sentinels.
Amulets
The process through which the Core inflicts its workings of power on others, having gathered and stored (and sometimes stolen) the power from other sources.
Drozhar
The Atrum Core regional prince.
Septs Prince
The Atrum Core prince of princes.
Septs Posse
A drozhar’s favored sycophants; can be relied on to do the dirty work.
Sceleratus vis
Ancient forbidden workings based on power drawn from blood, once used by the Atrum Core.
Workings
Workings of power, assembled and triggered via amulets.
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ISBN: 9781459235212
Copyright © 2012 by Doranna Durgin
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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