The Sunbearer Trials: Chapters 1–3

by Aiden Thomas
This first book of the duology introduces seventeen-year-old Teo, son of the goddess of birds, who must compete for the honor of either carrying an elixir to the temples or being sacrificed to refuel the Sun Stones that protect the people of Reino del Sol.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–3, Chapters 4–7, Chapters 8–13, Chapters 14–19, Chapters 20–26
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. humble
    low or inferior in station or quality
    Eventually, Sol and Tierra grew tired of shaping gods. Sol went down into the earth and planted their heart deep beneath the ground, to be closer to their beloved. Sol’s heartsblood mingled with the humble dirt and, unexpectedly, humans were born.
  2. stewardship
    the position of someone who manages the affairs of others
    Agua took stewardship of the oceans and all the life within. Pan Dulce guarded the hearth and gave her name to the mortals’ favorite treat, sweet and soft and colorful.
  3. stint
    an unbroken period of time during which you do something
    Finally released from his usual stint in detention, Teo was eager to put the plan he’d spent the last two days concocting into action.
  4. flank
    be located at the sides of something or somebody
    Flanking Brilla were other past Sunbearers, recognizable by the golden sunburst crowns they wore on their heads.
  5. haphazardly
    without care; in a slapdash manner
    I’m getting good at this! Pico said, repeatedly banging his head on the nozzle as he sprayed light blue paint haphazardly across the beaming faces of the Gold semidioses.
  6. intersperse
    place between or among
    Teo jogged through jungle trees interspersed among buildings draped with vines.
  7. inextricably
    in a manner incapable of being disentangled or untied
    Here, people and nature were intimately and inextricably linked.
  8. causeway
    a road that is raised above water, marshland, or sand
    Teo pushed through the crowd as he crossed a pedestrian causeway that went over one of the many canals where merchants hawked their goods from boats and canoes.
  9. refined
    freed from impurities by processing
    “Dios Maize doesn’t allow ‘refined sugar and processed garbage’ in Sol Temple.”
  10. wistfully
    in a pensively sad manner
    “Man, what I wouldn’t give to go to Sol Temple,” Chavo said, sighing wistfully as he stroked his goatee.
  11. impending
    close in time; about to occur
    “All I’m gonna do is explore the Gold cities, eat as much food as I can, and blow all my money on souvenirs.” He grinned, the impending sights and travels sending his heart racing.
  12. billow
    rise and move, as in waves
    Down the street, thick, black plumes billowed from where the panadería sat. All at once, the birds’ voices became clear.
    FIRE! FIRE!
  13. placid
    not easily irritated
    Teo would’ve preferred sarcasm, annoyance, or even anger instead of his infuriatingly placid response.
  14. tentatively
    in a hesitant manner
    The girl looked up and tentatively took the doll from him.
  15. painstakingly
    in a very careful manner
    He normally loved looking at the larger-than-life mosaics of tropical birds, painstakingly crafted with colorful tiles, but today they seemed to loom over him as he hurried toward the courtyard.
  16. lament
    express grief verbally
    “Ugh, Teo!” the priest lamented.
  17. perpetually
    everlastingly; for all time
    Huemac was tall and angular with sun-wrinkled skin and a perpetually exasperated expression that seemed to deepen whenever Teo entered the room.
  18. glyph
    a symbolic character, especially one carved or incised
    “Planets,” Huemac corrected, adjusting the chunk of jade engraved with the Quetzal glyph that hung around his neck.
  19. regalia
    especially fine or decorative clothing
    “We’ll meet you there with your regalia.”
  20. indignantly
    in a manner showing anger at something unjust or wrong
    Teo had tried to talk Huemac into installing an escalator but the head priest had just sniffed indignantly and cited tradition, the sanctity of the ancient temple, and blah blah blah.
  21. undulate
    move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion
    It was too bright to look at it directly, but before Teo burned his retinas, he could catch a glimpse of the smooth surface that seemed to undulate with light, giving off tiny flares.
  22. adorned
    decorated or dressed up to be more beautiful or distinct
    The bodice of Quetzal’s dress was adorned with scarlet macaw feathers and the rest was made of bright green, cyan, and sapphire blue plumage.
  23. dysphoria
    abnormal depression and discontent
    As if that weren’t bad enough, his wings were also the source of Teo’s first experiences with dysphoria.
  24. plumage
    the covering of feathers on a bird
    They weren’t the brilliant blue and green of male quetzals, but grayish-brown with hints of green like the females’ plumage.
  25. molt
    cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers
    At nearly the same time Teo realized he was a boy, his wings started molting.
  26. salve
    a preparation applied externally as a soothing remedy
    He did not want to have this discussion again, especially in front of Huemac, who at least had the manners to busy himself with applying a salve to the burn on Teo’s arm.
  27. substantial
    fairly large
    The most substantial piece was the pectoral. The centerpiece of the collared necklace was Quetzal’s glyph painted in gold onto a huge chunk of jade adorned with smaller bits of jade, turquoise, and gold beads. The weight of it made Teo sway as Huemac secured it in place.
  28. curtly
    in an abrupt and discourteous manner
    “We already packed for you. The boat is ready,” Huemac replied curtly, following the other priests toward the stairs.
  29. errant
    moving in an uncontrolled, irregular, or unpredictable way
    It was made of wood and painted with intricate designs in Quetzlan’s distinctive vibrant colors, with a curved roof that would protect them from the blistering sun and errant downpours as they traveled through the microclimates of Reino del Sol.
  30. sequester
    keep away from others
    Jade semidioses were sequestered in their own cities and didn’t mingle much.
  31. clique
    an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose
    Niya had told him how the highest-ranked Gold semidioses were their own clique, never associating with the lower-ranked students.
  32. flounce
    a strip of pleated material used as a decoration or a trim
    Xochi’s black off-the-shoulder outfit had rows of flounces made entirely of real flowers, while Atzi’s light blue ensemble featured a high collar and ruffled skirt trimmed with silver ribbons that formed a star around her hips when she spread the hem apart.
  33. incense
    a substance that produces a fragrant odor when burned
    Suddenly, the scent of sweet apples, copal incense, and must tickled Teo’s nose.
  34. tawny
    having the color of tanned leather
    Her butterfly companions rested on her clothes like tawny orange brooches.
  35. brooch
    a decorative pin
    Her butterfly companions rested on her clothes like tawny orange brooches. One sat at her temple, holding back her dark wavy hair and showing off the bright marigold blooms that hung from her ears.
  36. harbinger
    something indicating the approach of something or someone
    While Muerte was the harbinger of death, Fantasma was the gentle caretaker of the dead.
  37. meekly
    in a humble manner
    Fantasma meekly waved, the Chupa Chup in the iron grip of her free hand.
  38. poised
    marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
    “I’m writing a piece on the Lumbre twins,” Verdad said, notebook and pen poised at the ready.
  39. mogul
    a very wealthy or powerful businessperson
    Chisme was the tabloid mogul known for getting the inside scoop before anyone else while Verdad preferred heavy-hitting reporting that focused on politics and current events.
  40. casually
    in an unconcerned manner
    “I wouldn’t recommend it,” Mala Suerte said, casually lifting an upturned palm.
Created on Sun Feb 04 13:41:22 EST 2024 (updated Mon Feb 05 09:27:52 EST 2024)

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