I'd like to thank the people who made it possible for me to write this one: Harry Leonard, my favorite quibbler; Kat Martinez, cat-sitter extraordinaire; all the able people at Bulldog Computers; Bob Wallace, for inventing PC-Write; Ron Pastore, who keeps the mill; my agent, Richard Curtis; my new editor, John Silbersack, who has proved himself both remarkably capable and inhumanly patient; and my friend and former editor Sheila Gilbert, who still watches out for me.
As usual, I'm particularly grateful to my cats Bubbles, Squish, and Amy Surplus—who don't understand why—and my wife, Felicia, who does.
This one is for the Student Union Rats:
Marty,
Spring,
Bob,
Frank,
Laurie,
Paul,
Sherry,
Dori,
Harry,
Norm,
John,
Bill . . . and me, for that matter.
Karl Cullinane—Prince of Bieme and Emperor of Holtun-Bieme
Andrea Andropolous Cullinane—wizard, teacher, Princess of Bieme and Empress of Holtun-Bieme, Karl Cullinane's wife
Tennetty—warrior, Karl Cullinane's bodyguard
Ellegon—a young dragon
Garavar—general of the House Guard
Arrifezh, Baron Arondael
Thomen, Baron Furnael—Biemish baron; judge
Beralyn, Dowager Baroness of Furnael—Thomen Furnael's mother
Enrel—Thomen's bailiff
Vilmar, Baron Nerahan—Holtish baron
Kevalun—Biemish general, military governor of barony Nerahan
Ranella—master engineer
Nartham—soldier of the House Guard
Aravam, Bibuz—journeyman engineers
Kethol, Pirojil, Durine—warriors of the House Guard
U'len—chief cook at Biemestren castle
Jimuth and Kozat—U'len's assistants
Jayar—senior journeyman engineer; engineer duty officer at Biemestren Castle
Garthe, Gashier, Danagar—three of Garavar's sons, soldiers
Hivar—Furnael family retainer
Listar, Baron Tyrnael—Biemish baron
Kirling—a minor noble of barony Tyrnael
Yryn—Slavers' Guildmaster
Ahrmin, Lucindyl, Wencius—master slavers
Doria, Elmina—members of the Healing Hand Society
Ahira Bandylegs—dwarf warrior
Walter Slovotsky—part-time farming consultant to King Maherrelen, part-time warrior, full-time smartass
Geveren—dwarf soldier fealty-bound to Maherrelen, assigned to Walter Slovotsky and Ahira
Arthur Simpson Deighton/Arta Myrdhyn—lecturer in philosophy, master wizard
Jason Cullinane—Karl and Andrea Cullinane's son
Louis Riccetti—mayor of Home, the Engineer
Bast—Home resident, journeyman engineer
Petros—Home resident, farmer, deputy mayor
Daherrin—dwarf warrior, Home raiding-team leader
Valeran—semiretired soldier in the service of the Cullinane family; Jason's teacher
Bren, Baron Adahan
Aeia Eriksen Cullinane—Karl and Andrea Cullinane's adopted daughter, part-time teacher
Samalyn, Danerel, Mikyn—warriors on Daherrin's raiding team
Artum, Habel—Wehnest soldiers
Vator—Wehnest hostler
Falikos—rancher
Kyreen, Ceenan—drovers from Wehnest, employed by Falikos