The collection has been revised and has several expanded scenes, but is largely the same. I must note that this book is dark fantasy, with an emphasis on dark. Ancient Ruins: Sistina awakened after millennia of dormancy, her memories in tatters and born anew. Residing in the ruins of an ancient city, she finds herself drawn into a war between two elven nations and the slaver kingdom of Kelvanis when she rescues a princess from slavery. With her domain containing hints of forgotten knowledge, Sistina becomes a dungeon, stronghold, and source of hope all at once. And perhaps, just perhaps, she could finally find love in her new life. Spells of Old: Having successfully driven off an assault and freed captives of Kelvanis, Sistina begins fortifying to defend those she cares about from further attacks. Yet with all her power within her halls, she cannot grant those under her protection true freedom. To truly bring hope to her love, Sistina must delve into who she once was, and bring forth every scrap of magic she has to become a shining beacon of hope. Sadly, Kelvanis' plans are only mildly impeded by her efforts up until now, and they will stop at nothing to bring their ends about. The only question is, whose side is time on? Halls of Power: Having rocked the world via high magic that was believed lost, the dungeon Sistina has shown her power at last, as she has done everything in her power to protect those that she loves. Crowned queen of the new city of Beacon, Phynis Constella is searching for allies as full-scale war erupts between her homeland of Sifaren and the fell nation of Kelvanis. Each side must use everything in their power to defeat the other, but with the threat of the goddess Tyria looming, there can be only one victor. Long-waiting plans at last are rising to a head, and even Sistina is uncertain of whether or not she can survive them. But for her beloved Queen, she is willing to risk anything.

    

    The Witch of Blackbird Pond with related readings.

    The world ends not with a bang but a hiss.Since the Rise of Magic, soothsayer Journi McCutcheon has faced supernatural sycophants, dated zealous zombies, and battled possessed pediatricians, but when an eccentric client hires her to investigate haunted pickles, her day goes from weird to worse.Only demonic dills are the least of her newly acquired problems.What begins as a nuisance call ends in apocalypse when she stumbles across a mass grave and discovers that the cats therein aren't just dead—they're harbingers of extinction.And magic is on the endangered species list.To save her family and Deviants everywhere, she must set aside her feud with all things feline to end the threat.Before it ends her.

    

    New arcanists. The rise of the Second Ascension.Volke Savan has proven himself time and time again, but now the others of the Frith Guild want their opportunity. Illia wants to recover a lost runestone, Master Zelfree hopes to learn the magics of the Mother of Shapeshifters, and Adelgis surprises himself with the new depths of his dreamweaving abilities.But while the Frith Guild prepares for the coming war, the Second Ascension has grand plans for the world. When two more god-creatures are born, dastardly arcanists try their hands at braving the godly lairs. With the Dread Pirate Calisto as a ferry, men like Theasin Venrover will have to outsmart puzzles and traps that put the world serpent’s to shame.Witness stories from the viewpoints of friend and foe alike, all while the world races to find and bond with the remaining god-creatures.

    

    It’s a long novel with episodes and each episode will have a separate title.Its the most different and unique thing I have ever written, or has ever been written in Khawateen Digest."Nemrah Ahmed

    But when her dream theater college rejects her and her best friend dies in a terrible accident, Nanette decides the world would be better off without her. Unfortunately, the afterlife offers something less than a heavenly situation. Trapped between alternating periods of utter darkness and light, Nanette is stuck following a high school freshman around. Soon, she learns she’s a guardian angel, and the only way she can earn her wings is to keep her young charge, Vera, from committing the same sin she did—taking her own life.Unfortunately, Nanette is missing more than just her wings. She has no tangible body or voice, either. Frustrated by her inability to reach out to Vera and haunted by memories of her old life, Nanette wants to give up, but then she sees what happens when another Guardian at the high school turns his back on his charge. The shock is enough to supercharge Nanette’s determination. She’s going to find peace in the afterlife…as soon as she can convince Vera that living is what life is all about.

    Mocked and ridiculed all her life for her appearance, she’s resigned herself to a loveless marriage.Still mourning his father’s death, marriage is the last thing on Cornelius Kingman, the Duke of Nightwell’s mind. Until the day he meets the one woman the ton can’t stop whispering about: Lady Arabella.And while society’s scorn is a thorn in their side, the real monster hides in plain sight.When Arabella’s betrothed is murdered, Cornelius is the prime suspect. Broken glass and the glint of a knife are all Arabella sees before she is taken. With Cornelius’ fate hanging by a thread, she is offered one choice: to drink from the same glass that killed her fiancé...

    Among the Hidden 2. Among the Impostors 3. Among the Betrayed 4. Among the Barrons 5. Among the Brave

    He watched his father ascend the ranks within the academy to become one of the most respected warriors in the kingdom. The only thing he has ever wanted is to become an academy student and follow the path of his father. Unfortunately, only the best can enter the academy and Justan is a horrible fighter. Everyone tells him that he is more suited to scholarly work than swordplay. In desperation he hurls himself into training, eager to overcome the doubters and walk into the academy triumphant, unaware that secretive powers plot to disrupt his plans. Meanwhile, an evil wizard of immense power is using magic to twist the bodies of the creatures of the land and transform them into monsters. With these creatures and the peoples of the wilds, he is building an army . . . Ogres and dragons, warriors and wizards are destined to clash, their fates guided by The Bowl of Souls.

    One shocking discovery leads to another as the animals prove to be intelligent, charismatic creatures with sinister motives. A husband and wife recently parted by adultery, an enterprising sociopath and a thirty-year-old mentally handicapped man all become pivotal to the animals’ cryptic timetable. Each strangely connected character begins to realize they are caught up in a frightening force spiraling toward a bizarre state of authoritarianism. This frenetic story is a fast and immersive read told through letters, journal entries and news transcripts.

    

    What was worse though was being kidnapped, held captive for years, and then being auctioned off to the highest bidder. I thought maybe I had caught a little break when I found out that me and five other girls were being sold to royalty, but I should have known something about that wasn't right either.Under the cover of eternal darkness, and deep beneath the ground, was a whole world I never knew existed, one that promised to be more than anything I could imagine. The people who bought us told us we would have a life of a princess, but there were only two catches...1. We would be competing against each other for the affection of the Prince who would change our whole lives by picking one of us to rule at his side.2. That prince just happened to be a vampire.