Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 231436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1157(@200wpm)___ 926(@250wpm)___ 771(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 231436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1157(@200wpm)___ 926(@250wpm)___ 771(@300wpm)
A very, very long time ago, even before Primals and gods and certainly before my time, dragons existed in both the mortal realm and the Land of the Gods. When the gods came to be, Eythos, the Primal God of Life, befriended the dragons. He wanted to learn their stories and histories, so he offered to give them mortal form. Those who agreed became known as the draken.
Aurelia
Preternatural appearance: Greenish brown scales. Long neck. Wings the length of her body. Larger than Nithe and Thad but smaller than Reaver. Rows of horns and frills around neck.
Background: One of only three females of the awakened twenty-three draken. Pointed out each of the draken to Poppy so she knew which was which.
Basilia
Background: Attes’s draken
Crolee
Preternatural appearance: Black and brown scales.
Family: Distant cousins = Ehthawn and Orphine †
Davina †
Hair: Long and honey-brown.
Eyes: Vibrant blue.
Facial features: Reddish brown skin.
Preternatural appearance: Small. Reddish brown scales.
Other: Most call her “Dav.”
Personality: No one knows if she likes them or is seconds away from setting them on fire.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Wears a slender, black-bladed dagger on her forearm and another on her thigh.
Background: Brought Sera meals. Killed when Kolis sent his draken.
Family: Older sister who died long ago.
Diaval
Hair: Long, wavy, and blond.
Eyes: Ruby-red.
Facial features: Handsome but smug.
Background: Kolis’s draken.
Ehthawn
Preternatural appearance: Large. Onyx-hued scales.
Family: Twin = Orphine †.
Iason
Hair: Dark.
Background: Kolis’s draken.
Jadis
Hair: Dark.
Preternatural appearance: Greenish brown scales. Long neck. Oval-shaped head.
Personality: Fearless. Inquisitive.
Background: Taken prisoner by the Blood Crown.
Family: Father = Nektas. Mother = Halayna †.
Naberius
Preternatural appearance: Black with red-tipped scales. Wide jaw and broad, flat nose. Horns sprout from head and curve back—as long as a mortal leg. Wide wingspan and spiked tail.
Background: Kolis’s draken.
Nektas
Hair: Long, black hair streaked with red (becomes streaked with silver).
Eyes: Blood-red with vertical pupil (become sapphire blue with vertical pupil).
Body type: Tall. Long legs.
Facial features: Copper skin. Broad, proud features.
Distinguishing features: Ridges on skin that resemble scales.
Preternatural features: Black and dark gray scales. Spiked tail. The size of three large horses. Long, graceful neck. Head is half the size of a horse’s body. Flat, broad nose. Wide jaw. Pointed horns on head like a crown. Body is at least twenty feet.
Personality: Quiet. Reserved. Sage-like.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Extraordinary hearing. Can manifest clothing.
Background: Was Eythos’s bonded draken, the very first—was close to him even before he was given his dual nature. Created the first mortal with Eythos. When Eythos died, it severed the bond, and he ended up bonded to Nyktos by choice.
Family: Daughter = Jadis. Mate = Halayna †. Distant relative = Thad. Bonded Primal = Eythos and then Nyktos.
Nithe
Hair: Soft, blue-black waves to just below his jawline.
Eyes: Sapphire blue with vertical pupil.
Body type: A few inches over six feet. Broad shoulders. Thick thighs. Toned waist and hips.
Facial features: High cheekbones. Chiseled, square jaw. Plush lips.
Distinguishing features: Chin divot. Ridges on skin that resemble scales.
Preternatural appearance: Scales the color of ash. A little larger than a horse (smaller than Reaver and Aurelia but larger than Thad). Wings the color of midnight. Rows of horns and frills around neck.
Personality: Strong, silent type.
Orphine †
Hair: Long and dark.
Eyes: Crimson with a vertical pupil in the time of the gods.
Body type: Tall. Rounded hips. Looks soft.
Facial features: Pale skin.
Preternatural appearance: Large. Onyx/Midnight-hued scales.
Other: Looks to be in her twenties.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Likes to read.
Family: Twin = Ehthawn. Distant cousin = Crolee.
Reaver
Hair: Blond. Shoulder-length.
Eyes: Crimson with vertical pupil in the time of the gods. Blue with vertical pupil in recent times.
Body type: Long legs.
Facial features: Sand-colored flesh. Sharp, strong, chiseled jaw. Wide-set eyes tilted down at the inner corners. Full, bow-shaped lips. Not classically handsome but interesting and striking.
Distinguishing features: Faint but distinct scale pattern on skin.
Preternatural appearance: Purplish black scales. Large but not as big as Nektas. Smooth, black horns starting in the middle of the flattened bridge of his nose and rising up the center of his diamond-shaped head. The ones around his eyes are smaller but lengthen into sharp points that jut out from his frills as they travel up his head.
Other: Gruff voice. Can change his teeth and breathe fire while in his god form.
Personality: Aloof. Sarcastic. Easily irritated.
Background: Was young when what Kolis did came out. Was hidden away with the other younglings. First draken to emerge after Poppy summons Nyktos’s guards.
Sax
Background: Kolis’s draken.
Thad
Hair: Fair.
Eyes: Crimson with vertical pupils.
Facial features: Pale. Soft features.
Preternatural appearance: Brownish black scales. Long neck with rows of horns and frills.
Other: Appears a few years younger than Sera.
Personality: Accepting.
Background: Sera is forced to kill him and then brings him back to life.
Family: Nektas = Distant relative.
NOTE: Seventeen of the twenty-three draken Poppy summoned were killed in the Primal storm that Vessa conjured.
DIARY ENTRY ~ FIRSTS OF FLESH AND FIRE
Dearest Diary,
Tonight was a night for firsts, and you know I don’t have many of those anymore—though not for lack of trying.
This entry is dedicated to the new Queen of Atlantia, for without her, this never would have happened. Though I do feel a little bit bad reveling in the moment here when the reason it did happen stems from some pretty harrowing and quite unbearable circumstances. Alas, it was a splash in the pond of time, a moment of pleasure stolen amidst a multitude of chaos, and thus deserves to be celebrated.