Petrah Blueblood is an Ironteeth witch the heir of the Blueblood Clan.
Appearance[]
Petrah is described as not being much older than Manon Blackbeak. She is tall and thin like her mother, with freckled skin as pale as Manon's and braided golden hair – a deep, brassy color. She is beautiful, like so many of the witches, but calm and grave. As the heir to the Blueblood Clan, above her deep blue eyes, she wears a worn leather band in lieu of the iron-star crown. In Empire of Storms, she is seen wearing a cloak of midnight blue hanging from bronze clasps at her shoulders.
Personality[]
As an Ironteeth witch and heir to her clan, Petrah is ruthless and cunning-as seen during the War Games. However, unlike most Ironteeth witches, Petrah is grave and calm, described as always having been odd and living with her head in the clouds. While both Manon and Iskra Yellowlegs could be called cruel and heartless, Petrah seems to be the opposite, even visibly flinching as she watched Titus attack Abraxos. After the death of Petrah’s wyvern, Keelie, it was rumored that her soul had broken and that she wouldn’t rise from bed. There was a hollowness in Petrah’s face that had not been there months earlier. She previously expressed interest in allying herself with Manon and spoke in support of Manon at her trial over the death of Zelta Yellowlegs, and silenced Iskra when she attempted to interrupt the Blueblood heir.
Biography[]
Heir of Fire[]
Petrah came to the Omega site in the Ferian Gap with the rest of the Blueblood witches claiming the uppermost chambers for themselves saying they needed the mountain breeze to complete their rituals every day.
Petrah showed interest in the wyvern Titus, as had the other heirs. However, when it came time to choose she chose a large female she named Keelie. The wyvern was wild, unpredictable, and lethal, nearly Titus’ size. Petrah and Keelie were very close as mount and rider, so close that Petrah approached Manon claiming that Keelie had expressed the desire to share meat with Abraxos. When Manon claimed that the wyverns don’t talk, Petrah simply replied, “Don’t they?”
During the War Games, while the Blackbeak and Yellowlegs witches were engaged in battle, Petrah appeared above aiming to steal the egg while they were distracted only to be caught by Iskra’s bull. The two heirs and their wyverns were locked in battle until Iskra’s bull, at Iskra's command, clamped its jaw down on Keelie’s neck leaving the witch and wyvern to plunge to the ground.
Seeing the still living Blueblood heir falling to the ground, Manon and Abraxos swooped down; Abraxos was too small to save Keelie but could save Petrah. Manon realized that Petrah had passed out from the lack of air, but Keelie was fighting to twist herself and save the witch on her back. Manon leaped from her wyvern to Keelie, cut Petrah from her saddle, and saved the life of the Blueblood heir.
The next day Petrah would not rise from her bed, and rumors circulated that she had been broken in her soul when Keelie died.
Empire of Storms[]
Petrah is present at Manon’s trial for the killing of Zelta Yellowlegs, where she requested the right to question Manon. She asked Manon if she considered her a rival and, if so, why she saved her life during the War Games. Manon admitted that after seeing how hard Keelie fought to save her rider, Manon could not let her death be in vain. Petrah was touched that Manon had remembered the wyvern’s name. Petrah spoke in support of Manon, arguing that Manon had saved a rival’s life once before, so why would she do that only to kill another. She argued that Manon was chosen to be the Wing Leader for her obedience, discipline, and brutality, and the Matrons should not let the anger of Iskra Yellowlegs sully the qualities the High Witches saw in Manon before.
During the fight between Manon and the Blackbeak Matron, Petrah prevented her mother from interfering while protecting her Matron at the same time.
Kingdom of Ash[]
When Manon and the Thirteen arrive at the Ferian Gap, Petrah allows them to land and Manon gives her speech asking the Ironteeth witches gathered there to switch sides to support Terrasen. She tells them to choose a different future than one of war. Asterin works to sway them to their side by sharing her story about what happened to her stillborn witchling. Petrah then allows them to leave.
Petrah and the witches under her command arrive at the Battle of Orynth. Manon and Iskra Yellowlegs are engaged in battle. Iskra's wyvern, Fendir, is attacking Abraxos. Petrah intervenes and begins fighting Iskra. In an amazing act of aerial fighting, Petrah sends Iskra and Fendir plummeting to their death.
After the Thirteen die, Petrah honors them with all the others by placing small white flowers on the area where the witch tower was standing. She urges Manon to sleep and rest. Petrah and her witches continue to fight against Erawan.
Trivia[]
- In Heir of Fire, Manon notes that Petrah smells of myrrh and rosemary.