Glossary

Acacia (uh KAY shuh) Pierce —daughter of Tristan Pierce; second Matriarch of Nedé
Ad Artium (ad AHRT tee uhm) —destiny of Nedé specializing in the arts
Adoni (uh DO nee) —leader of the Alexia
Agricolátio (A gri ko LAH tee o) —destiny of Nedé specializing in horticulture
Alexia (uh LEX ee uh) —destiny of Nedé specializing in peacekeeping
Amal (uh MAHL) —southwestern Province of Nedé, meaning “hope”
Angelica —Alexia
Apprentice —the Matriarch’s choice of successor, selected from among four Candidates; trains under the Matriarch for one year, after which time she assumes the Matriarchal role and title
Arena —Alexia training facilities
Bella Terra (BAY yuh TER uh) —Materno finca managed by Leda Pierce; Reina’s home
Bolas (BO luhs) —a hunting weapon made by attaching each end of a medium-length rope to a sphere made of a heavy material; used to capture animals by entangling their legs
Brishalynn (BREE shuh lin) “Bri” Pierce —Succession Candidate representing Amal
Brute —an ungentled male, thought to be extinct
Callisto (kuh LI sto) —Reina’s pinto horse, a Paint and Lexander mix
Calle del Oeste (KAI yay del o ES tay) —Nedéan thoroughfare running north to south along the western border
Candidate —one of four women chosen to compete in the Succession, in which the Matriarch chooses a successor
Cassia (CA see uh) —Reina’s niece; daughter of Jonalyn Pierce
Center for Health Services —aka the Center; facility in Phoenix City responsible for medical and Materno services
Chicha (CHEE chuh) —an alcoholic beverage made from fermenting fruit and/or grains
Ciela (see AY luh) Pierce —Reina’s older sister; lab technician at the Center for Health Services
Dáin (DAY in) —Brute
Divisadero (di vi suh DE ro) Mountains —mountain range marking Nedé’s western border
Dr. Karina Novak (kuh REE nuh NO vak) —doctor; coleader of the Center for Health Services with Leda Pierce
Dr. Ferrelli (fer EL ee) —Tristan Pierce’s psychiatrist
Dom (DAHM) —shortened form of Domina, a title of respect given to women of distinction (adult women who have chosen a destiny) in Nedé
Dom Bakshi (buhk SHEE) —Reina’s tutor; educator of Bella Terra’s Gentles
Dom Russo (roo SO) —advisor to Matriarch Teera
Dom Tourmaline (TUR muh leen) —personal stylist to Matriarch Teera, assigned to Reina during the Succession
Domus (DAHM uhs) —Gentle 37628; major domus (finca manager) of Finca del Mar
Estrella (uh STRAY yuh) —Leda’s horse
Fabricatio (fa bri CAH tee o) —destiny of Nedé dealing with manufacturing
Fallon (FA luhn) —Alexia
Fik’iri (fik EE ree) —northeastern Province of Nedé, meaning “love”
Finca del Mar (FEEN kuh del MAHR) —the Matriarch’s estate
Finglas (FIN glahs) —aka Fin; Brute
Gentles Regimen —destiny of Nedé specializing in Hive oversight and Gentles’ vocational training
Halcyon (HAL see ahn) Sea —body of water marking Nedé’s eastern border
Highway Volcán (vol CAHN) —main Nedéan thoroughfare running east from Phoenix City to Nedé’s western border
Hive —live-in training facility for Gentles ages seven to fourteen
Initus (IN i toos) Ceremony —Nedé-wide celebration at the Arena to commemorate the fourteen-year-old Gentles’ departure from their respective Hives to begin vocations
Innovatus (in o VAH toos) —destiny of Nedé dealing with innovation, particularly repurposing materials and maintaining technologies necessary “to increase convenience without compromising our core virtue of simplicity,” as per Article V of the constitution
Jabiru (JAH buh roo) River —river running from the Divisadero Mountains to the Halcyon Sea, dividing Amal and Lapé provinces from Kekuatan and Fik’iri
Jamara Makeda (juh MAHR uh muh KEE duh) —Succession Candidate representing Kekuatan
Jase (JAYS) —Brute
Jonalyn (JON uh lin) Pierce —aka Jo; Reina’s eldest sister; Materno; finca manager in Kekuatan
Julissa (jyoo LI suh) Pierce —Matriarch Teera’s younger daughter; Reina’s aunt
Jungle —the land outside Nedé’s borders, characterized by unexplored, dense vegetation
Kekuatan (kuh KOO uh tahn) —northwestern Province of Nedé, meaning “strength”
La Fortuna (lah for TYOO nah) —Materno finca belonging to Jonalyn Pierce
Lapé (lah PAY) —southeastern Province of Nedé containing Phoenix City, meaning “peace”
Leda (LEE duh) Pierce —Reina’s mother; daughter of Matriarch Teera; codirector of the Center for Health Services
Lexander (LEX an dur) —breed of horse developed by Lex Sterling; a Criollo-Thoroughbred mix prized by the Alexia
Little Boo —Gentle 85272; nurtured by Leda Pierce at Bella Terra
Marsa Museau (MAHR suh myoo ZO) —aka Dom Marsa, or just Marsa; chef at Bella Terra; second mother to Reina and her sisters
Materno (muh TER no) —destiny of Nedé specializing in the birth and care of children
Melisenda “Mel” Juárez (me li SEN duh HWAH rez) —best friend of Tristan Pierce; lab technician
Merced (mer SED) —Alexia
Midas —Trinidad’s horse
Nari Kwan (nahr EE KWAHN) —Succession Candidate representing Lapé
Nedé (ne DAY) —the haven formed by the Safety Coalition in 2067 for the preservation and protection of women
Neechi (NEE chee) —Gentle 54901; stablehand at Finca del Mar
Nyx (NIX) —Adoni’s horse
Phase-out facility —a place for Gentles who are no longer useful to live out their remaining days
Pippin —aka Pip; Brute
Politikós (po LI ti kos) —destiny of Nedé specializing in politics
Reina (RAY nuh) Pierce —daughter of Leda Pierce; granddaughter of Matriarch Teera; Succession Candidate
Rio del Sur (REE o del SUR) —river running from the Divisadero Mountains to the Halcyon Sea, marking Nedé’s southern border
Rohan (RO hahn) —Brute
Safety Coalition —organization which fought for the safety and survival of women, founded in 2052 by Tristan Pierce
Scientia and Medicinae (see EN tee uh and med uh KEE nee) —destiny of Nedé specializing in science and medicine
Siyah Assad (see YAH uh SAHD) —former operative for the Safety Coalition; first Alexia leader
Solomon —aka Old Solomon; Gentle 29811; major domus (i.e., lead Gentle) at Bella Terra; former preeminent horse trainer for the Alexia
Stinger —slang for a quietus injection, which ends a Gentle’s life. An option for Gentles who are no longer useful and/or who suffer from debilitating pain
Succession —the competition by which the Matriarch chooses a successor from among four Candidates, one from each Province
Teera (TEE ruh) Pierce —Eighth Matriarch of Nedé
Torvus (TOR vuhs) —Brute leader
Treowe (TREE o) —aka Tre (TRAY); Gentle 61749; finca worker at Bella Terra
Trinidad (TRIN uh dad) —Alexia second-in-command
Tristan Pierce —founder of the Safety Coalition; first Matriarch of Nedé
Valya (VA lyuh) —Alexia
Yasmine Torres (yaz MEEN TOR rez) —Succession Candidate representing Fik’iri