Reading Companion

From the back cover

Long-buried secrets of her past have stirred, and she has set her will upon uncovering them. Assassins' blades seek her life and claim those closest to her.

Book 1 · A Flight From Shadows

Daughter of Baron Arnam Umari and Baroness Sha'Ara. She was ten when her mother died. Confined by the premier Corvin, she watches her Treken friends burned, finds her mother's journal, uncovers the secret of blood binding, and loses her father after the attack at Glenn Heights. She flees as 'Zoyeta' toward Samunis.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

At Samunis she trains with Alandar, finds the hidden library, is sister-bonded to Athandra, and binds Alandar. She is tried, sentenced, and strapped, then secretly commands Alandar to escape. She leaves Samunis in exile, bound for Shenza in Perome.

From the back cover

At Samunis, she and To'Ara seek sanctuary and the long-kept secrets of the Al'Kari.

Book 1 · A Flight From Shadows

Assigned to the princess through Corvin's handmaid plan. She becomes To'Ara's confidant, swears to the dying baron to stay by her side, and flees with her as 'Ventra'.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

At Samunis she discovers the wood song and keeps an Inari seed pod. After the sister bond she is birched in To'Ara's place and stripped of her house name, then left to recover with Shilran and Pim while Grethan arranges a caravan to Tendal.

From the back cover

As conflict rages, Captain Ethran's normally flawless strategy is not working, and House Umari is paying the price.

Book 1 · A Flight From Shadows

Rescues the Treken youths, stands between To'Ara and Corvin, and gives her Jefram's dove ring.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

Secretly sends To'Ara to Samunis, survives Lorana's betrayal, then defeats House Duvrain in the field and captures Baron Garold and Captain Elishand. A cease follows.

Book 1 · A Flight From Shadows

The premier who confines To'Ara, has the Treken youths burned, and gives her Tralen's dagger at dinner. The epilogue shows he hired the men who attacked Ethran and faked an attempt on the princess, then killed the hirelings.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

As interim baron he plants doubles of the princess and her handmaid, sets Geldrin to plan the coronation, sends Rylan and Fenor hunting, and orders Fera's death.

Book 1 · A Flight From Shadows

Governess to the princess and manager of the Umari household.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

Keeps the house running around a false princess, and knows it.

Book 1 · A Flight From Shadows

A courtly advisor met at the Bronze Palace in Glenn Heights.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

Present at the trial and the punishment. He arranges Athandra's caravan, helps To'Ara reach Alandar, and is the only other person who knows her last command. He rides with her into exile.

Book 1 · A Flight From Shadows

An Al'Kari fighter shown at the games by the guild men Narvosh and Bertrand.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

Born in 12162 to Sarlinja at the Scaroth birthing house. Brought to Samunis to train with To'Ara, he is bound to her, sentenced to Bachari, and given her secret command.

Book 1 · A Flight From Shadows

Mistress of the house in Scaroth that Alandar came from.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

Scaroth is 'the most magnificent of the eight great cities of the Empire of Perome'.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

Comes to Samunis for the trial. After it she holds the seven daggers and Darnab Idaria's collection, and means to extract To'Ara's secrets.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

An old drow living among the old ones of Samunis, who knew To'Ara's mother. At the trial she reveals she is Shar Hazin and is speared; a guard reports her dead. Her last words to To'Ara: 'Burn them down.'

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

A merchant's daughter planted at Tredok as the princess. She sends her lover Rajain to kill To'Ara, kills Brenard after he murders Fera, and flees west with the jewels and the tiara.

Book 1 · A Flight From Shadows

Governs Avalonia for 'over two-hundred years'. After the attack at Glenn Heights he dies of his wounds, but first makes Athandra swear to stay by To'Ara's side.

Book 1 · A Flight From Shadows

More than two hundred years old when she dies; Dorinda, at fifty, is 'barely even a quarter' of her age. She leaves her daughter a journal that points toward Samunis.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

Years earlier she had brought young To'Ara to Edith, and the resonance stone.

Book 1 · A Flight From Shadows

Arrests the Treken youths.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

Becomes Venya's lover, kills Fera on Corvin's written order, and is killed by Venya.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

Long a guest at Umari manor. Defeated in the field and captured by Ethran, a cease follows; afterwards he plans to remove Ethran from Tredok before the princess's coronation.

Book 1 · A Flight From Shadows

Hired with Ballor. He 'wasn't supposed to keep going after her, but he just wanted to hear her so badly.' Once he is captured, To'Ara asks that he be given to the questioners. He escapes, leaving the gaoler Marris slashed, and kills the warden Vilnor.

Book 2 · To Bind With Blood

With Fenor he kills Ethran's real watchers at Samunis; as 'Feldric' he kills Rajain and Armin and is wounded, and the two let To'Ara believe they are Ethran's men. They deliver the letters to Corvin.