Oath of the Brotherhood (39 page)

Aine smiled as Conor bent to seal their union with a kiss. The crew whistled and stomped the deck in approval, and she laughed as he led her to the low-slung passenger cabin beneath the forecastle that would be their bridal chamber.

Still, Conor could not help looking back at the ominous storm clouds gathering on the horizon. He felt a brief pang of unease, a warning their troubles could not be escaped so easily. Then he put his worries aside. If he had learned a single lesson from all that had happened, it was that Comdiu was faithful. Whatever their future path held, they did not walk it alone.

1. Conor has three different father figures: Labhrás, Riordan, and Galbraith. How do you think his relationships with these men influences the way he thinks about Comdiu? How do your experiences with your parents, positive and negative, affect the way you relate to God?
   
2. At several points in the book, Conor disobeys those in authority. But the Bible tells us we should obey those set above us (see Romans 13:1-5, Hebrews 13:7, Titus 3:1). When is disobedience acceptable or even required? Why (see Acts 5:17-29)?
   
3. Balians believe that an oath made to man is as binding as an oath made to Comdiu. Yet Conor contemplates breaking his oath as an apprentice, and Eoghan disobeys the brotherhood’s rules to help his friend. Are they right or wrong in these actions? Would God call you to break your word for a “greater good”?
   
4. Most of the characters
    
   —Conor, Aine, Eoghan, and Riordan
    
   —are put in situations where they must follow God’s will while others have different expectations of them.
   Has God called you to do something different with your life than your family, friends, or teachers expect? How can you deal with those pressures in a way that honors God but still respects others’ opinions?
   
5. In Conor’s culture, unless he is a warrior, he is not considered a man. When does our culture consider you to be a man or woman? How does this follow or run contrary to what the Bible teaches? What are your criteria for true adulthood?
   
6. Conor does not want to be a warrior at the beginning of the book. By the end, however, he is a very accomplished fighter. Did he “sell out”? Why do you feel this way?
   
7. In chapter 15, Liam retells the parable of the Talents (see Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27). Do you think everyone has a God-given talent or purpose? What is yours? How do you think you’re supposed to use it for God’s glory?
   
8. Aine is uncomfortable with the renown she gains because she feels she is just being obedient to Comdiu. Is it wrong to want public acknowledgment of our abilities? Why or why not?
   
9. For most of the book, Conor avoids killing, even at risk to his own life. But at the end, he kills to protect Aine, even when the line between self-defense and murder is blurred. Was he justified in those actions? Why or why not?
   
10. Beagan carries out his duties like other trackers, yet Conor sees that “violence lurked beneath his veneer of civility.” Why do you think that distinction is made? What is the author trying to say about motivations and heart attitude? Can two people do the same thing, and in one case, it is permissible, while in the other it is not?
    
11. John 15:13 says, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” How do the characters model this verse in their actions? What lessons can we learn from their examples, considering we are rarely called upon to lay down our lives for one another?
    

Abban Ó Sedna (OB-bawn oh SEN-yah)
 
—commander of southern Faolanaigh forces

Ailbhe (AL-va)
 
—Conor’s céad mate

Ailís (AY-leesh)
 
—Aine’s mother, former queen of Faolán, now deceased

Aine Nic Tamhais (ON-yuh nik TAV-ish)
 
—King Calhoun’s half sister

Alsandair Mac Tamhais (AL-san-dahr mok TAV-ish)
 
—Aine’s father, Aronan clan chief, now deceased

Amanta (ah-MAN-ta)
 
—the island upon which Aron and Gwydden are located

Aran (AHR-an)
 
—mapper for the Faolanaigh forces

Ard Dhaimhin (ard DAV-in)
 
—High City, former seat of the High King

Arkiel (ar-KEEL)
 
—Companion who instigated the rebellion against Comdiu

Aron/Aronan (ah-RUN)
 
—the country of Aine’s birth on the isle of Amanta / its language and people

Balian (BAH-lee-an)
 
—the faith of those who follow Balus; a follower of Balus

Balurnan (bal-UR-nan)
 
—Lord Labhrás’s estate

Balus (BAH-lus)
 
—Son of Comdiu, savior of mankind

Beagan (BOG-awn)
 
—Fíréin tracker

Beancaiseal (ban-CASH-el)
 
—capital of Siomar

bean-sidhe (BAN-shee)
 
—a spirit whose appearance is thought to foreshadow death

Bearrach (BEAR-uhk)
 
—healer at Lisdara; Aine’s instructor

Bodb (bawv)
 
—king of Sliebhan

Cáisc (kahshk)
 
—feast in celebration of Balus’s resurrection

Calhoun Mac Cuillinn (cal-HOON mok CUL-in)
 
—king of Faolán

Canon
 
—the Balian Holy Scriptures

Carraigmór (CAIR-ig-mor)
 
—fortress of the High King and the Fíréin brotherhood

céad (ked)
 
—a company of men; literally, one hundred

Ceannaire (KAN-na-ahr)
 
—leader of the Fíréin brotherhood

Ciaran (KEER-an)
 
—Fíréin sentry

Cill Rhí (kill ree)
 
—Balian monastery

Cira/Ciraean (SEER-ah) (seer-AY-ahn)
 
—largest empire in history, now reduced to a small portion of the continent

clochan (CLO-han)
 
—dry-stone, beehive-shaped hut

Comdiu (COM-dyoo)
 
—God

Companions
 
—the spirit warriors of Comdiu; angels

Conclave
 
—the ruling body of the Fíréin brotherhood

Conor Mac Nir (CON-ner mok NEER)
 
—son of King Galbraith

Cúan (KOO-ahn)
 
—mapper for the Faolanaigh forces

Daigh (dy)
 
—senior member of the Fíréin brotherhood

Daimhin (DAV-in)
 
—first and only High King of Seare

Diarmuid (DEER-muhd)
 
—druid; adviser to King Galbraith

Dolan (DOH-len)
 
—Conor’s manservant

Donnan (DON-uhn)
 
—Niamh’s bodyguard

Dún Eavan (doon EE-van)
 
—crannog fortress; original seat of the king of Faolán

Eames (eems)
 
—village near Faolanaigh camp

Eimer (EYE-mer)
 
—housekeeper at Dún Eavan

Eoghan (OH-in)
 
—Fíréin apprentice; Conor’s best friend

Faolán/Faolanaigh (FEY-lahn) (FEY-lahn-eye)
 
—northeastern kingdom in Seare, ruled by Clan Cuillinn / its language and people

Fergus Mac Nir (FAYR-gus mok NEER)
 
—tanist to King Galbraith; Conor’s uncle

Fionncill (fee-AHN-kill)
 
—village outside of Lisdara

Fíréin (FEER-een) brotherhood
 
—ancient brotherhood dedicated to the reinstatement of the High King

Forrais (FOR-rus)
 
—Aronan town of Aine’s birth, Highland seat of Clan Tamhais

Gainor Mac Cuillinn (GAY-nor mok CUL-in)
 
—tanist to King Calhoun; Calhoun’s brother

Galbraith Mac Nir (GOL-breth mok NEER)
 
—king of Tigh; Conor’s father

Gillian (JILL-yuhn)
 
—elderly Fíréin brother

Glenmallaig (glen-MAL-ag)
 
—seat of the king of Tigh; Conor’s birthplace

Gwydden (GWIH-duhn)
 
—a country across the Amantine Sea

Hesperides (hes-PAIR-uh-dees)
 
—country within the Ciraean empire

Innis (IN-ish)
 
—Fíréin sentry

Iuchbar (OOK-bar)
 
—Balian brother and tutor at Lisdara

Kebaran (keh-BAHR-ahn)
 
—the ethnic group into which Balus was born

Keondric Mac Eirhinin (KEN-drick mok-AYR-nin)
 
—lord of Rathmor; battle captain

Labhrás Ó Maonagh (LAV-raws oh-MOY-nah)
 
—lord of Balurnan; Conor’s foster father

Leannan (LON-nan)
 
—steward of Lisdara

Levant/Levantine (lev-AHNT)(lev-ahn-TEEN)
 
—the country and language of the Kebarans

Liam Mac Cuillinn (LEE-um mok CUL-in)
 
—Ceannaire, leader of the Fíréin brotherhood

Lisdara (lis-DAR-ah)
 
—seat of the king of Faolán

Loch Ceo (lok kyo)
 
—lake within Ard Dhaimhin

Loch Eirich (lok AYE-rick)
 
—lake in which Dún Eavan is located

Loch Laraigh (lok LAR-uh)
 
—lake in northern Faolán; site of a Balian monastery

Lorcan (LUR-cawn)
 
—leader of Aine’s guard

Lughaire (LOO-ree)
 
—Fíréin sword master

Macha (MAH-huh)
 
—Aine’s aunt, chief of Clan Tamhais, lady of Forrais

Máiréad (MAH-red)
 
—Conor’s mother, queen of Tigh, now deceased

Marcan (MAR-kawn)
 
—steward at Glenmallaig

Meallachán (MOL-luck-on)
 
—bard

Melandra/Melandran (mell-AHN-drah) (mell-AHN-drahn)
 
—country within the Ciraean Empire / its language and people

Myles (MEE-als)
 
—Faolanaigh warrior

Nemeton
 
—sacred place of the Seareann druids

Niamh Nic Cuillinn (NEE-uv nik CUL-in )
 
—King Calhoun’s sister

Norin (NOR-in)
 
—the common name of the Northern Isles; origin of the Sofarende

Odran (OH-rawn)
 
—Fíréin tracker

Oonagh (OO-nah)
 
—Aine’s and Niamh’s maidservant

Rathmór (RATH-mohr)
 
—seat of Clan Eirhinin, a minor royal line of Faolán

Reamonn (RAH-mun)
 
—elder Fíréin brother, overseer of fieldwork

Riocárd (rih-CARD)
 
—lord of Tirnall, Galbraith’s champion, captain of the guard

Riordan Mac Nir (REER-uh-dawn mok NEER)
 
—Conor’s uncle, senior member of the Fíréin brotherhood

Rós Dorcha (ross DEER-ka)
 
—old forest bordering Siomar

Róscomain (ros-COM-muhn)
 
—old forest bordering Tigh and Sliebhan

Ruarc (ROO-ark)
 
—Aine’s bodyguard

Seaghan (shayn)
 
—commander of southern Siomaigh forces

Seanrós (SHAWN-ross)
 
—old forest bordering Faolán

Seare/Seareann (SHAR-uh)(SHAR-uhn)
 
—island housing the four kingdoms / its language and people

Semias (SHAY-mus)
 
—king of Siomar

sidhe (shee)
 
—the evil spirits of the underworld; demons

Siomar/Siomaigh (SHO-mar) (SHO-my)
 
—southeastern kingdom in Seare / its language and people

Slaine (SLAHN-yuh)
 
—leader of Conor’s céad

Sliebhan/Sliebhanaigh (SLEEV-ahn) (SLEEV-ahn-eye)
 
—southwestern kingdom in Seare / its language and people

Sofarende (soeh-FUR-end-uh)
 
—seafarers from the Northern Isles (Norin)

Sualtam (SOO-alt-um)
 
—Faolanaigh warrior

tanist
 
—chosen successor of a Seareann king, elected by the kingdom’s council of lords

Tarlach (TAR-lock)
 
—steward at Dún Eavan

Teallach (TOL-lock)
 
—Fíréin spear instructor

Tigh/Timhaigh (ty) (TIH-vy)
 
—northwestern kingdom in Seare, ruled by Clan Nir / its language and people

Tor (tor)
 
—Conor’s céad mate

Treasach (TRAS-ahk)
 
—Balian brother and tutor at Lisdara

Uilliam (WIL-yam)
 
—Faolanaigh warrior

I owe a debt of gratitude to the following people, without whom this book would never have been written or published. You mean more to me than you know.

Fellow writers and friends: Eisley Jacobs, Katherine Goodman, Evangeline Denmark, Brandy Vallance, Amy Matayo, Serena Chase, Beth Vogt, and R. J. Larson. I wouldn’t have made it this far without your support, critiques, senses of humor, and late-night conversations! I’m blessed to know you.

My guardian angel and voice of reason, Lisa Bergren. Really, you have no idea how much I appreciate your friendship and your insight.

Meg Wallin, Brian Thomasson, and the rest of the NavPress crew: Thank you for the warm welcome and unending enthusiasm for this series. I couldn’t imagine a better home for this story, and I’m so thrilled to be part of the TH1NK team.

Reagen Reed, the only person I’ve ever met who has read more fantasy than me. I am grateful for both your sharp insight and your ability to keep me from embarrassing myself. I couldn’t ask for a better editor for this project.

Steven Hutson, for believing in this series wholeheartedly. I will be forever grateful that you gave me my start.

My husband, Rey, for your constant support, encouragement, and
willingness to share your wife with imaginary people. I love you now and always.

My two boys: I like being a writer, but I love being your mom. You’re a big part of why I do what I do.

Mom and Dad, for being my early readers, cheerleaders, and encouragers. You told me I could do anything with hard work, determination, and prayer, and you made sure I believed it. Thank you.