The Dragon's Match

Disclaimer & Pronunciation Guide

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

The Anxious Hearts Series:

🌑 Book 1:The Beastkeeper’s Bride

🌒 Book 2:The Dragon’s Match

🌓 Book 3:The Beastkeeper’s Redemption

🌔 Book 4:The Beastkeeper’s Temptation (WIP)

The books do not have to be read in order and can be read as standalones. There is an overarching plot throughout each narrative and some elements may be best understood if you do read them as a series, but it is not necessary as a summary has been included at the end of this note.

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Author’s Note:

Greetings! As this is the second book in the AAHS world, there are a few things you may miss out on if you haven’t read the first book. Though you certainly do not have to read the first story to understand this one as it serves as a standalone, it may help to clarify a few points if you’d please drop to the end of this page for a brief synopsis of everything that has happened up to this point.

Pronunciation Guide & Glossary

The Dravolese

Aëghan Dranora – Ee / gan Dra / nor / ruh

Enorae – Ann / nor / ray

The Beastkeepers

Blayne Leowyn – Blane Leo / win

Rogane To’ran – Rogan Torn

Kaede C’Lainn – Kade Coo / lain

Caëlhon C’lainn – Keel / lin Coo / lain

The Fae Beasts

Teprouma– furry cattle-like, land-based creatures used for transportation of bulky goods and textiles

Other hounds– canines humans use for scent work / hunting

Bara- stoat-like creatures with luminescent antennae, general pests

Llaelleanoid–spectral being of Hielda, know to covet souls of the dying on battlefields in Draëll (written in Italics as derived directly from Draëllian and the only creature to purportedly act at the behest of god)

Valkyrie– winged creature contained by Aëghan, only one known to have crossed through The Reveal.

Halcoon– cute, rotund canines that live in trees, though not very adept at it.

Wunvil– huge grub, emits putrid mucus when terrified

Púca- shifter, takes many forms to coax a rider

Pixies, trolls, wisps-mischievous tiny humanoids of varying genus

Lipad- harmless amphibian-like creature with the ability to purify begrimed water

What has happened before:

The Reveal occurred over twenty years ago, where the fabric between two planes of existence separated and merged two worlds together. This caused the displacement of the fae and their creatures, merging magical beings with non-magical humans.

Adjustment happened precariously- the fae became ostracized, treated with wariness and skepticism. Rules forbidding the use of magic unless a special permit had been acquired were set in place, along with a wealth of other restrictions that coordinated the living conditions and limitations of faeborn existence in this world.

In the wake of her father’s demise and her older sister’s mysterious disappearance four years ago, Mildred Adams is set to inherit her the dukedom when the machinations of her insidious distant cousin cause her to flee. She marries Blayne Leowyn, one of the infamous beastkeepers and faeborn himself, becoming the first human and Other match.

The beastkeepers protect the remaining creatures from their world, ensuring their survival through means of nurturing and safekeeping in protected areas around England removed from human settlements. When Millie learns of all their work and what they do, she vows to aid them and use her influence to petition for the rights of the fae.

It was during the marked couple’s introductory ball that Lillian’s return occurred, and Millie learned the truth of her sister’s disappearance- that she had inexplicable been drawn into the world of the fae, a realm that no human had ever been known to exist in before.

It was during this night that Blayne was stabbed, his injuries prevailing and enticing Millie to break a rigid law forbidding humans from the use of magic to heal medical afflictions. In order to seek out a healer, she orders Aëghan Dranora to Ravensfield to reveal the location and identity of one who would be of assistance. In return for his services, Millie assents to his presence on Ravensfield, providing sanctuary for his kind and his supporters who were of a lawless nature.

And that’s where we left off...