The Sunbearer Trials: Chapters 14–19

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
40 words 8 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. vindication
    the justification for some act or belief
    But Teo’s vindication didn’t last long when he saw the way Diosa Lumbre’s burning eyes slid to her son.
  2. placate
    cause to be more favorably inclined
    Xochi’s goat was still tied up but had been placated by the bundle of vines Xochi fed him.
  3. haggard
    showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
    Atzi—looking haggard and worse for wear—was entirely empty-handed.
  4. steadfast
    marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
    When it ended, Teo wanted to find Aurelio so they could go play on the steps of the temple, but his mom held steadfast to his hand.
  5. tangent
    a message that departs from the main subject
    He waited until Xio went back to poking at his plate of food with a fork and Niya was off on a tangent about the dream she had last night to steal a glance down the table at Aurelio.
  6. fleeting
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    Teo held his breath, but the glance was fleeting.
  7. satiate
    fill to satisfaction
    They each had their own agenda—Teo would use Aurelio’s advice to perform better in the trials so he could help himself and Xio. And he was only doing it to help satiate whatever moral reasoning he needed to feel like his success in the trials was earned.
  8. incorporate
    make into a whole or make part of a whole
    Xochi was struggling to find a way to incorporate flowers into her outfit, and Ocelo’s hat was too small for their big head.
  9. stark
    complete or extreme
    Judging by the way she held herself, with her hands clasped behind her back, Teo got the vibe that she was pretty serious, which was in stark contrast to her sister.
  10. insulate
    surround with material to protect from heat, cold, or noise
    “We care for and respect animals here,” Fauna said. “Including their sacrifices. We honor animals by making use of every part of them, in our clothes, our textiles, our food. Our winter coats are made of fur and insulated with feathers. We even use dried dung to fuel our fires.”
  11. sinew
    a band of tissue connecting a muscle to its bony attachment
    “They’re sewn together with needles made from bones and sinew used as thread. The buttons are made from antlers, the belts are rawhide, and your shoes are tanned leather. Even the sombreros are made from horse and rabbit hair.”
  12. balk
    show unwillingness towards
    “Even your hollow bones, Teo, would make beautiful flutes.”
    Teo balked as everyone turned to look at him.
  13. throng
    a large gathering of people
    When it was time to walk to the arena, the citizens of Opal Oasis came out to support their semidiose in throngs.
  14. gangly
    tall, thin, and awkward
    While Aurelio was tall and broad with that heroic stoicism, Teo was gangly and messy-haired and severely lacking in valor.
  15. condescension
    showing arrogance by patronizing those considered inferior
    “What are you gonna do, tear the tree down?” Teo asked, condescension dripping from his voice.
  16. deftly
    in an agile manner
    Auristela threw balls of fire at Niya, who deftly jumped out of the way before slinging a golden spear like a javelin.
  17. inconsequential
    lacking worth or importance
    Teo knew there were other people around, but through the fog in his head, he didn’t care about them. They were nothing but shadowy figures, completely inconsequential, until he turned and Dezi came into sharp focus.
  18. quell
    overcome or allay
    Instantly, the sleepy contentment quelled the rising pain and panic.
  19. bemused
    perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements
    Teo looked back to where Dezi was on the ground, still frozen but now with a bemused expression on his face.
  20. deluge
    a heavy rain
    Marino had chased Aurelio into the clearing, relentlessly blasting him with water. Aurelio threw his arms up in an attempt to shield himself, but it was useless against the deluge.
  21. discreet
    not easily noticeable
    Diose Guerrero narrowed their eyes at him suspiciously, but Dios Tierra, the kindhearted man that he was, flashed Teo a discreet thumbs-up.
  22. render
    cause to become
    “While you were indeed rendered unconscious for the end of the trial, Niya,” Diosa Luna said before anyone else could voice their objections, “You were never tagged out and you did tag two of your competitors.”
  23. rubric
    category name
    “This isn’t a scored test like you’d take at school,” Diosa Luna told them all in a cool tone. “There isn’t a grading rubric or numerical value assigned that determines your rank.”
  24. petulant
    easily irritated or annoyed
    “This is so annoying!” Xio grumbled, stuffing his hands into his pockets with a petulant scowl.
  25. fathom
    come to understand
    Teo couldn’t fathom a situation where Dios Tierra wouldn’t be thrilled to see his daughter.
  26. earnest
    characterized by a firm, sincere belief in one's opinions
    “I like your wings,” he said, simple but earnest.
  27. nonchalance
    the trait of remaining calm and seeming not to care
    Teo cleared his throat, doing his best to put on a facade of nonchalance and composure.
  28. escapade
    a wild and exciting undertaking
    As punishment for his escapades the previous night, Teo wasn’t allowed to go to the soccer match that Diose Guerrero had arranged for them to attend.
  29. haunch
    the upper part of the leg of an animal, often used for food
    But Niya was too busy laughing to do anything while the cub sat back on its haunches, swatting playfully.
  30. unprecedented
    novel; having no earlier occurrence
    “I think this is a trials full of the unprecedented and unexpected.”
  31. briny
    slightly salty
    The air smelled briny, like sea salt.
  32. reverberate
    ring or echo with sound
    The crowd erupted in screams, shouts, and whistles. They thundered so loudly, Teo could feel it reverberate deep in his chest.
  33. resounding
    unmistakable; clearly revealed to the mind or judgment
    Garbled words slowly filled the air until it became one resounding chant.
  34. cumbersome
    difficult to handle or use, especially because of size or weight
    Since his wings were too cumbersome to allow him to carry his backpack on his back, Teo wore it on his chest to avoid the hassle.
  35. keen
    having or showing great excitement and interest
    “Looked like a hand,” Xio said with keen curiosity as he squinted at the now closed door.
  36. versed
    thoroughly acquainted through study or experience
    He clearly wasn’t as well versed in the history of the betrayer gods as the Golds were.
  37. chasm
    a deep opening in the earth's surface
    He fell back, sliding across the stone toward the chasm that had opened up in the floor.
  38. shaft
    a column of light
    Small shafts of light cut through cracks in the stone, which was a relief.
  39. foothold
    a place that provides support for standing or climbing
    Anchoring himself on footholds Teo couldn’t even see, Dezi smiled triumphantly as he reached for a stone.
  40. ashen
    pale from illness or emotion
    His handsome face was ashen as he stared back at Teo, looking just as terrified as he felt.
Created on Sun Feb 04 13:42:19 EST 2024 (updated Mon Feb 05 12:47:22 EST 2024)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.