but where did he come from? Who was Merlin? What part did the Druids play in bringing Arthur to his round table? This is the story that came before, when Britain was just a Shadowland. On the night of Midwinter's Eve, a storyteller takes his listeners back to the Dark Ages and a tale from his youth. `I have lived more years than I can remember, probably more than the sum of all your years combined. Kings have called me friend and brigands have sworn to burn the flesh from my bones, even if they have to search all seven halls of the shadowland to find me.' Deserted by its Roman masters, Britain has been invaded by the Saxons at the invitation of Vortigern, traitorous leader of the Britons. Now, as the tribes unite to reclaim their land, one man must rise to lead them and become their only true king. Shadowland is a young adult story of historical fantasy set in the Dark Ages of Britain; however, it is gathering fans of all ages. .................. Magical and moving, I couldn't put it down - Jacqueline Rodriguez "Shadowland" is a tensely written story about the dark days before the rise of King Arthur. Flawlessly weaving history, legend and imagination - Vered E for Readers' Favorite. Gray has a real gem starting with his subject and carries it through with an excellent delivery - Tom Clementson, Kindle Book Review

    Arrested as an accomplice to the crime, Gibson must work fast to find out what really happened and clear his name before his still-living friend pays the ultimate price.

    Not intended for young audiences.] Forbidden Forest Shape Shifter/Elf hybrid, Forest lives by the sword, fighting for respect in a world that hates her for being a Halfling. Assigned a black ops mission in a time of war, Forest must protect her enemy, the vampire prince, Syrus. Through the danger, Forest and Syrus learn how thin the line is between love and hate. But it doesn't matter what they feel. Forest is forbidden. Forest Fire Banished to Earth. Hunted by the Queen's assassins. Forest must fight to find a way back to Regia. Lonely and brokenhearted, she waits for Syrus to break through her banishment. Forest must face the horrifying truth of her father's identity and how her very existence is rooted in one of the Rune-dy's darkest secrets. Verdant A month after taking the throne, King Leramiun grows restless confined to the castle by his new responsibilities. After receiving reports about a mass grave in the forests, Leramiun makes a rash decision to investigate by himself. Instead of finding death, he finds Shi, a goddess of life. One stolen kiss…sets in motion the destruction of an entire race. Dark Soul The fate of Regia's new republic hangs in the balance as a new enemy arises, backed by a group of violent insurgents bent on destroying everything Forest has worked for. Desperate for intelligence about the terrorist group, Forest learns the leader wants not only to claim the throne, but also her life. Burning Bridges The deadly game continues…Kidnapped, tortured, and used as bait, Forest’s life hangs in the balance as Copernicus moves forward to claim the throne. In the shadows, an army of slaves, waits to deal Regia’s new republic a killing blow. Blood Lock After her sister’s brutal murder, Sabra swore vengeance. But now, her brother has sold her as mate to the highest bidder. Defiant of the custom, and unwilling to submit, dangerous trouble lies ahead. In order to survive, she’s forced to accept the help of her mortal enemy. Lightning Flower Under constant attack, the blood lock begins to break. Regia will die in the wizard's wrath. Forest's daughter, Tesla, searches other worlds for salvation, but the wizard king hunts her everywhere she goes. She finds hope in a necromancer who might steal her heart as well as her soul.

    Long ago, magical and non-magical creatures lived together in harmony on both worlds, but as life on Earth evolved in the direction of science and technology, the use of magic deteriorated and soon magical creatures and sorcerers became the subject of myths and legends.Meanwhile magic flourished on Terah, and as sorcerers became more powerful, they became more influential, and soon they were the heads of government. The Council of Sorcerers became the ruling body, with the chairman, the Master Sorcerer, the highest position on Terah, a position that comes with tremendous responsibility and formidable enemies.When Master Sorcerer Badec realizes that his unborn son, Myron, will be his one and only heir, he protects the child by arranging for him to grow up on Earth. Myron is scheduled to be returned to Terah on his twenty-fifth birthday, at which time he’ll learn who he is and begin to study magic as well as everything else he’ll need to know in order to assume his role as Terah's next Master Sorcerer.For twenty-three years, things go as planned, and Myron goes about his life as Kevin, a typical nerd, who is more comfortable with computers than with people. Then Badec becomes quite ill and the decision is made to bring his son home early. One morning Kevin is an accountant living and working in Omaha, and the next he is in the middle of a field with six complete strangers, surrounded by huge stones and a forest. Before the day is out, Kevin learns that he is actually a sorcerer named Myron and that he’s next in line for the Master’s Chair. While he’s still reeling from that bit of information, he finds out that due to his father’s illness, he has a little less than one year to learn enough about sorcery to be able to defend his life and chair against sorcerers who have been practicing their craft longer than he’s been alive.Welcome to Terah.

    Each year, on the same day, the necromancer kills. And today marks the eighth anniversary. But after dying at the killer's hand, Ruby discovers something strange: the day repeats over and over, in an endless time loop starting at midnight. The killer has something much bigger planned for today. And Ruby, as the only one capable of seeing the necromancer's endless time loop, must stop the psychotic necromancer from obtaining unlimited power. But the world outside the fence has changed, the supernatural forced to live in sprawling slums lying just outside gleaming cities. And in this uneasy new world, there might be threats even greater than serial killers lurking in the shadows...

    An angel and a demon have been given a challenge by Management. One or the other must win Cash over. To the good, or to the bad. And when supernatural beings battle, any filthy trick and subterfuge is permitted. Winner take all. With seven deadly sins to play with, it’s going to get creative. And Management may not approve. Contains bad behavior, hot m/m action, and a lot of sweaty leather. Approx. 16,500+ words plus bonus material.

    They are all a lie.Healing is a hanging offense, and Ena is done risking her neck to watch her patients die. Fleeing a future of blood and death, Ena braves the dark unknown. Life taught her the cruelty of the world. But she never imagined the dangers of her journey.As evil surrounds her, Ena is threatened with a fate worse than the one she escaped. Legends and dark magic stand between her and the future she dreams of. A future that will cost more than pain.When innocent lives depend on her mercy, Ena must face an enemy with the power to set the sky on fire.A life of romance and adventure wait for Ena, if she can survive the road ahead…

    He beat and choked her to death. I'm told that he was found hanging from a homemade noose in his cell. I want to know why he waited so long to do it." Sydney Brennan isn't sure how to answer her client's question, short of holding a séance, and the Tallahassee detective has some questions of her own. Why does Noel Thomas remember so little about her childhood? Why is she delving into her father's suicide now? And, most importantly, why isn't Noel telling her the truth?Sydney crisscrosses the Florida Panhandle, reconstructing the tragic Thomas family history. The violence that destroyed the Thomas family connects to a present-day web of deceit and corruption through a desperate man willing to do anything to keep his secrets safe. To discover his identity, Sydney must go Back to Lazarus, back to the town where Noel's beautiful but troubled mother began her inevitable descent over twenty years ago. But by following in the footsteps of the murdered woman, does Sydney risk sharing her fate?Rooted in bars and back roads and Panhandle prisons, forgotten towns and forgotten people, at its heart Back to Lazarus is about stories: the stories people tell us, the stories we tell ourselves, and what happens when we realize it's all a lie.

    Most citizens are immune to it, but a few, always born with physical disabilities, can bend it to their will. For fifty years, the ruling Eagle Knights, who fly on the back of giant birds, have killed these Imperfects, fearing the return of the old royal family, who used icefire to cut out people's hearts, turning them into ghostly servitors. Across the border in steam-age, science-focused Chevakia, people have built barriers against the radiation, against which they have no resistance. Chevakia also harbours the old southern royal family’s only surviving members, and they are planning revenge and their return to power, taking both countries to the first war in fifty years.

    So what is Maryann Flemming's obituary doing on Page 4 of the Fiddly Falls Citizens Gazette? Folksy and fun, this 7,000-word short story is a quick read featuring Christian themes and a touch of romance. Download it now to enjoy during your next coffee break or at bedtime. (Goes great with cookies!) Brenda Coulter's first four novels were published by Harlequin's popular "Love Inspired" imprint; one was a finalist for Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA Award (Best Inspirational Romance). Her first self-published work, Her Minnesota Man, is a longer Christian romance novel that's getting rave reviews at Amazon and elsewhere online. "Living it Up in Fiddly Falls" is her first short story. Read long excerpts from all of Brenda's books at http://BrendaCoulter.com

    This was the Elven Kingdom’s most ironclad rule. They are about to defy that law.When her parents cast her out for possessing a power they could not understand, Arshé learned the world was cruel. When her lover betrayed her, it taught her happy endings were a lie. On the run with a bounty on her head, the elven oracle vows never to let anyone exploit her ability to see the future—or her heart—ever again.As her enemies close in, Arshé finds an unlikely ally in Rekki, an ogre mercenary on a mission to retrieve a priceless treasure stolen by the elven king. Offering protection in return for her aid, Arshé has no choice but to accompany the handsome warrior on his perilous quest.But Rekki has no intention of parting ways with her when the treasure is back in ogre hands. For he was born under a prophecy foretelling he will become king of the ogres and unite his people’s fractured clans. When Rekki looks at Arshé, he sees the queen destined to rule at his side. If he cannot teach her reluctant heart to trust again, they will not survive the dangers ahead.

    No idea shifters and demons walk in the shadows. And Kai prefers to keep it that way.That is, until she discovers the body of a murdered shifter. The discovery quickly embroils her in a world of supernatural drug-dealing and renegade shifters who leave a trail of blood and mayhem wherever they go. When Logan Westin, paranormal investigator and super-hot human, begins investigating the same murder, Kai refuses to allow her feelings to control her. Humans are off-limits, no matter how sizzlingly sexy they are. But can Kai keep him at bay? And does she even want to?In the blink of an eye her comfortable life is gone, a dear friend murdered, and shifters are disappearing around her. To survive and to save her loved ones, Kai must allow herself to trust Logan, to give her scarred heart to someone again.

    The house takes them, flies in the web, and won't let them go. The house is beautiful and silent as a tomb. There are children at play, pretending to live as their souls are sucked out of them. There is no way out. The doors are locked and the windows hammered shut. Some have been there for years, their minds warped into insanity by the fear and pain. Curt is new and can't understand why no one speaks and why the only sounds come from the night. He wonders what it is that comes out of the basement when the sun goes down. There is no way out until you are cold and stiff. What the readers say about The Punished: "I did not expect the chilling supernatural story that is The Punished." "...and I will never forget this one. Five stars, 100%, I give it the highest praise I have to offer." "...and it left me spinning in my chair. There’s more to it than horror; there’s mystery and nail-biting suspense."

    As the Structure tips deep into darkness, a new leader is needed to prevent conflict among the Houses from escalating. Ollie could be the key to finding the next leader, but her family comes first. However, as power hungry factions hunt for Ollie, she will do whatever it takes to protect her loved ones.

    The Winter God has gone mad, dragging the world into an eternal blizzard. Can a band of strangers fulfill a broken prophecy or will the prophecy break them and all they hold dear?