Hearts in Cups (57 page)

Creon

Ruling family: d' Aurilac

Head of House: Lord Branwilde Kayn d'
Aurilac, Duke of Creon

Lady Dierdre Grainne ap Derwan, Duchess
of Creon, Branwilde’s wife

Lord Owen d' Aurilac, son of Branwilde
and Dierdre, heir to House Creon

Lord Gareth d' Aurilac, second son of
Branwilde and Dierdre

Lady Angharad d' Aurilac, daughter of
Branwilde and Dierdre

Lady Alainne de Thurin, Dowager Duchess
of Creon, Branwilde’s mother

Tuenth

Ruling family: ap Halberstad

Head of House: Lord Gunnar Tobald ap
Halberstad, Duke of Tuenth

Lady Tammara Annela de Dalin, Duchess of
Tuenth, Gunnar’s wife

Lord Hywell ap Halberstad, son of Gunnar
and Tammara, heir to House Tuenth

Lord Torval ap Halberstad, second son of
Gunnar and Tammara

Lord Blaise ap Halberstad, third son of
Gunnar and Tammara

Lord Cluim ap Halberstad, fourth son of
Gunnar and Tammara

Lady Alyce ap Halberstad, daughter of
Gunnar and Tammara

Sir Giles Benet, seneschal of Rengard
Castle

Mirvanovir

Ruling family: de Brennin

Head of House: Lord Niall Alcuin de
Brennin, Duke of Mirvanovir

Lady Rashara Clemential de Sharonara,
Duchess of Mirvanivir

Lord Galen de Brennin, son of Niall and
Rashara, heir to House Mirvanovir

Lord Oswith, Commander of Niall's
northern army

Lord Raney, Commander of Niall's
southern army

The Minor Houses of the
Pentarchy

The Inner Ward

Ruling family: Brescom

Lord Larth Brescom, Earl of the Inner
Ward

Pentarell

Ruling family: Danane

Lady Laurin Miriel Danane, Countess of
Pentarell

Treves

Ruling family: de Chantalcalm

Lord Colin de Chantalcalm, Viscount
Treves

Lady Dinea Caterin de Rommel,
Viscountess Treves

Daffyd ap Blewyns, apprentice bard

Gresha

Ruling family: Glendark

Lord Lewys Glendark, Earl of Gresha

Lady Maire Cadfell, Countess of Gresha

Thurin

Ruling family: Ravenspur

Lord Aidan Ravenspur, Viscount Thurin

Lady Caitlan Grainne ap Derwan,
Viscountess Thurin

The Pentacle War
Continues!

The Pentacle War:
Book Two

Swords and Wands

The field across which they fought had
become a nightmarish scene of devastation. Uprooted trees lay haphazardly where
they had been tossed among the broken bits and pieces of what had once
comprised two large, well-equipt armies. Trying to escape destruction amid the
detritus of the battle huddled the men who had not so long ago been the
soldiers of those armies. No longer aware of the existence of those they had
led onto the battle-field, the two men responsible for this carnage stood upon
their twin hills and raged at one another. The battle had become a duel and the
motivation had slipped to one of primal forces. Taking form from the ancient
spells that originally bound and sealed them, great sheets of water rained down
from the wings of a monstrous black swan while from the golden boar's nostrils
a maelstrom blew. The human agents of these competing powers were oblivious of
everything except being the focus for these tremendous energies. Lit by a
shimmering crepuscular light, Branwilde and Niall were the only beings clearly
visible as the prince and his three followers came within sight of the actual
battle plain.  Brian drew rein and silently surveyed what lay before him.
At his side, Hollin shivered and pulled her cloak more closely about herself.

Against the odds, Hollin of Langstraad and her
sworn paxman, Daffyd, have found the missing prince and brought him back to the
Pentarchy.  However, as they ride into the kingdom from the north, they
find the once united realm torn asunder by civil war. 

In Tuenth, the duke and one of his sons lie
dead at the hand of a traitor, while Hywell, the duke’s heir, condemned for the
murders, flees for his life only to find himself being hunted as an outlaw

In Langstraad, young Ian de Medicat, his wife,
Angharad, and their allies wait behind the besieged walls of Castle Lir keeping
watch on the army of the Inner Ward until an unexpected move breaks the
stalemate.

In Creon, Branwilde D’Aurilac has sent his call
to the Heads of the Great and Minor Houses to gather under his banner as he
prepares to go to war. While his allies struggle to bring their armies to join
him, he finds himself being lured into playing Niall’s game.

In Mirvanovir, Niall de Brennin, goaded by
pride and the lust for power, has led his followers into acts of treachery,
betrayal and murder. Having drawn his sword and set his armies in motion, Niall
is intent on gaining a crown by ruthlessly destroying any who stand against
him. 

 And in the capital city of Pentarin, the
lovely and dangerous Rashara discovers that genies cannot be forced back into
their bottles. The power that she conjured and sought to wield comes with a
terrible price. As the city falls deeper under the evil spell of Rashara’s
powerful ally, those few individuals willing to contest it must make alliances,
joining the traditions of old and new arcana in their effort to eradicate the
darkness.

To Be Released
Summer
2013