Kudshayn

**Kudshayn**, son of Ahheke, daughter of Iztam is a Draconean priest and ambassador. He is Audrey Camherst's closest friend.

## About

### Appearance

Kudshayn, like all Draconeans, is a humanoid dragon with large wings. He stands about two meters tall.

### Personality

Kudshayn is mild-mannered, but fiercely defensive of those close to him, like Audrey and Teslit. When Cora's spying was discovered, he was more willing to forgive her than Audrey was.

### Abilities

Kudshayn is fluent in Draconean and several human languages, including Yelangese and Scirling.

Although Draconeans are not capable of powered flight, they can glide if they start from a high point.

### Professional life

Since Kudshayn's egg was laid outside the Sanctuary, he has some tolerance for warmer temperatures than the cold of the Mrtyahaima mountains (although he still suffers in a Scirling summer, let alone a warm country like Akhia). Because of this, he was chosen to be the Sanctuary's ambassador to the world.

When Audrey Camherst began translating the Draconean epic, Lord Gleinleigh (who knew about Kudshayn from Cora spying on her diary), suggested hiring a Draconean scholar. He paid for Kudshayn to be flown in via caeliger so he could work on-site.

## In the Series

### *Turning Darkness Into Light*

Kudshayn is hired along with Audrey Camherst to translate an ancient Draconean epic written on clay tablets. He is flown to Scirland via private caeliger, but the Hadamists find out and protest his arrival at the airfield. Audrey tries to push through, and they start rioting, which is eventually quelled by the police. Kudshayn lives at Stokesley for the remainder of his time translating. Lady Plimmer invites Lord Gleinleigh, Cora, Audrey, and Kudshayn to a formal dinner at her residence, where Lady Ashworth tries to teach him to dance, with disastrous results. When the heat of the Scirling summer proves to be too much for Kudshayn, Cora has a refrigeration machine installed in a shed at Stokesley, so he can cool down. As they progress in the translation, Kudshayn finds his worldview and religious beliefs shaken, first at the revelation that the Anevrai worshipped more gods than just the earth and the sun, and then at the discovery that the worst tales about his people are true -- they did once practice human sacrifice. This is revealed to be a forgery, however, when Zachary Hallman attacks the Tomphries Museum and tries to destroy the tablets. Kudshayn goes with Audrey to search for Aaron Mornett, who knows where the real tablets are. When she is taken captive by Joseph Dorak and Lady Kefford, Kudshayn glides towards them and hits Dorak with his full weight, knocking him down while Audrey knocks Lady Kefford into the river. At the end of the novel, Kudshayn gives the opening speech before the Falchester Congress, where he speaks about the power of stories and his hope for harmony between humans and Draconeans.

## Relationships

### Audrey Camherst

Kudshayn is Audrey's closest and oldest friend. They have known each other since she was eight and he was fifteen, and he caught her misbehaving in the Imperial Palace of Yelang. They reunite to work on translating the Draconean tablets owned by Lord Gleinleigh.

### Teslit

Teslit is Kudshayn's sister, and the only other member of their clutch to survive hatching. She has severe health problems that prevent her from traveling outside Yelang.

## References

1. ↑ On page 135 of *Turning Darkness Into Light*, Kudshayn says he is 15. This happened 15 years before 5662, when the book takes place.
2. ↑ *Turning Darkness Into Light* p. 383
3. ↑ *Turning Darkness Into Light* p. 175
4. ↑ *Turning Darkness Into Light* p. 196-198
5. ↑ *Turning Darkness Into Light* p. 131