* Mystical mercenaries who sell their spells.
* Separated into five castes: warrior, healer, enchantress, conjurer, and seeress.
* Led by Mariketa the Awaited.
THE WRAITHS“…their origin unknown, their presence chilling.”
* Spectral, howling beings. Undefeatable and, for the most part, uncontrollable.
* Also called the Ancient Scourge.
THE TURNING“Only through death can one become an ‘other.’ ”
* Some beings, such as the Lykae, vampires, and demons, can turn a human or even other Lore creatures into their kind through differing means, but the catalyst for change is always death, and success is not guaranteed.
THE ACCESSION“And a time shall come to pass when all immortal beings in the Lore, from the Valkyrie, vampire, Lykae, and demon factions to the phantoms, shifters, fey, and sirens…must fight and destroy each other.”
* A kind of mystical checks-and-balances system for an ever-growing population of immortals.
* Occurs every five hundred years. Or right now…
Some secrets can never be known. They go to
the grave with you like children never born.
— LUCIA THE HUNTRESS,
Valkyrie of mysterious origin,
world’s most skilled archeress
If I have to scour the entire earth, I’ll hunt her
down. I will no’ falter. One day I will bring
my female back to my home—back to my
bed…. She was born to be found by me.
— GARRETH MACRIEVE,
king of all Lykae
Prologue
Thrymheim Hold, the Northlands
Home of Skathi, goddess of the hunt
In ages long past…