But before she is ready to take her place, the unthinkable happens. Rhybac's king is dead; the kingdom is in chaos. War breaks out and their enemies out of the Sands are circling for the kill. She chooses to become a Qi'advisor, although still untried.As Qi'advisor to a duke, she must risk her life to negotiate with the greed, the treachery one of the dukes, and the desperation that fuels the war in order to reveal what others cannot or refuse to see. The fate of Rhybac, its people, and even its enemies are in her young hands.

    She is surrounded by all the grandeur and respectability money can buy – but without the furnishings of affection.Robert Fitzbolton, a young aristocrat, is the companion of her lonely childhood, her comfort through family tragedy and the heartache of young love. But is the support of Robert’s friendship enough?Together they flee to Florence searching for freedom and fulfilment. Robert finds what he is seeking, but Jessica is a true Hawthorne and is drawn – inevitably – back to Melbury, to her destiny…. The Hawthorne’s Heritage is a compelling historical romance of betrayal, love, and friendship perfect for fans of Lily Graham and Natalie Meg Evans.

    But when Ilan, Terrac, and the Fists in their command enter Skeltai territory through a magic portal, they find themselves in more danger than they bargained for. Their only hope of returning home alive may lie in sacrificing the thing Ilan values most -- her enchanted bow. * * * * *Book 5: Journey of Thieves -- Upon leaving Dimmingwood, Ilan thinks she has finally escaped the influence of her old enemy, the Praetor. But the secrets of her past catch up to her when she and her friends are trailed across the provinces by a mysterious assassin with a haunting connection to her childhood. * * * * *Book 6: Rule of Thieves -- Returning home, Ilan finds nothing is as she left it. After a year of peace, Skeltai raiders are once again threatening the province, even as the Dimmingwood thieves find themselves betrayed by the praetor. From within the castle in Selbius Ilan must guard against an unknown enemy plotting her assassination, while uncovering a mage's secret that could help her protect the province. When old friends turn against her, will a new alliance prove powerful enough to defend against the dark magic of the enemy? Or will the coming battle be Ilan's last? --- Books 1, 2, and 3 sold separately --

    From its passionate people, to its mystic wildlife, the outback becomes its own character in Elizabeth Haran's novel about learning how to thrive in the face of adversity.London 1954: When Estella is abandoned by her lawyer husband, James, her life of luxury crumbles. Not only had he left his job and frittered away their savings, James was cheating on Estella - with her cousin Davinia. But the family secrets didn't end there.Heartbroken, Estella turns her back on England. Her distant uncle Charlie beckons her to Australia, where she accepts a new position - village veterinarian. She had studied veterinary medicine, but she'd never had a real job. As Estella sets off for the outback, she carries secrets of her own: she is pregnant with James' baby.Day one in the bush brings the young Londoner to tears. Kangaroo Crossing, population thirteen, was not what Estella had expected. Sweltering. Dusty. Fly-infested. From the gruff propeller plane pilot to the perpetually drunken town doctor, the locals eye the newcomer with suspicion.After a series of harrowing events, Estella strives to prove herself capable of the job. Just as the villagers of Kangaroo Crossing start to accept Estella - and a romance starts to blossom - her past catches up with her. She's been hiding things from them.Back in England, James has gotten wind of the baby. His new wife, Davinia, can't have children - but her lavish inheritance depends on an heir. James will stop at nothing to get what is his. Can Estella save her baby - and herself - from the wild Australian bush? Will she ever learn to love again?

    

    An army of darkness marches from the north, crushing all who oppose it under its muddy black boot. The drums of war echo throughout Kraawn as the struggle between light and dark teeters in the balance, fueled on the one hand by the greed of the Forsworn, and on the other by the ultimate desire for all that is good to survive.Tarsis, the last city in the north, is laid waste, decimated by Malbeck’s army. Kromm, the King of Tarsis, battles for his life as the dark hunters of Malbeck relentlessly pursue him through the Tundren Mountains. His mighty army has been destroyed and its remnants are now scattered throughout the lands. But he is not alone. He is surrounded by his elite guard, along with Addalis, his court wizard, and Allindrian, the half-elf Blade Singer. But will that be enough to thwart that which hunts him?The road to Finarth is now open and few are left to stop the Dark One. The hope of the land rests in the combined power of its last remaining heroes. Jonas Kanrene, cavalier to Shyann, has been given his next mission. He must find King Kromm and bring him to Finarth. The bow of Taleen, cavalier to Bandris, and the sword of Fil Tanrey, warrior of Finarth, accompanies Jonas on this perilous task. Their quest is fraught with death, sacrifice, and courage. But will their courage see them through their mission? Can Jonas and his companions prevail against the Forsworn and protect the king? These are questions that can only be answered by the strength of their blades, and more importantly, the courage in their hearts.

    However, with Pandora on her side, who is going to win if they argue with them?Whether it is possible or not, plenty try. How much of what Katie does is due to her recent heartache? In the end, the enemy steps up their efforts to bring down these sisters in heart and deed. Do they finally have the answer?  Others need legal documents, these two women have a Sacred Pact. The World is in Good Hands... Ok, one set of good hands, one set of mischievous hands.

     Not until she woke up with one trying to kill her. But now she knows the truth. The paranormal world is real and all sorts of weird magical beings like vampires, elves, werewolves not only exist but live among us. In fact, she is one of those weird paranormal beings. Now with the help of her new friends in the Magical Bureau of Investigation she'll learn how to use her magical powers and hopefully survive the next attack.

     Arianne Leone, a mountain lion shapeshifter, owns an art gallery in Deep Ellum, a popular tourist attraction and haven for musicians for decades. Together, they are charged with guarding the one who bears the Hermit's Stone, an ancient artifact that has held worlds together—and kept them separate—for eons. Possession of the stone falls to Ari's friend and art student, nineteen-year-old Nico Garcia. When Nico's parents are killed in an attempt to destroy him, Ari and Mac must set aside their differences and work together, protecting Nico at all costs…

    But there is treachery afoot, and Cyrus's life is in danger. When Darius, dispossessed prince of the Royal House of Parsa, tries to save the King of Kings, he is arrested and falsely condemned for treason.In a fast paced tale of love, betrayal, war and revenge, Blood of Kings sweeps the reader up on an epic journey from the mud brick cities of Ancient Persia to the burning heart of Pharaoh's Egypt.Packed full of dramatic and authentic battle scenes, it recreates the sweat, blood and fear of ancient warfare, as Persia smashes Egypt's army and brings the reign of the Pharaohs to a violent end.But it is also a book that will delight Herodotus fans, bringing the ancient Greek historian's characters to life like never before, as it follows the doomed 'lost army of Cambyses' into the Libyan Desert, marching towards a fate that would baffle archaeologists for millennia to come.

    But her life is about to be turned upside-down and inside-out when her grandmother commits suicide, leaving her alone and vulnerable, confused and overwhelmed, and surrounded by danger. And her grandmother's wonderful gift maybe be a curse and the ruination of her life. The one future see can't see—her own.

    A Valdemar story about a character who does not become a Herald--he has other talents.This story originally appeared in the anthology UNDER THE VALE in December 2011.

    Eight years ago, he lost his wife and child at the hands of a killer known only as Mr. Gray. But now, Mr. Gray is back, and with strange powers that allow him to appear anywhere at will. Scott must protect a new family – a woman and her autistic son – from the madman's attacks. All they can do is run...and try to find the secret behind THE MERIDIANS.

    The young witch and the fierce red dragon, Leander are heading out into the wide open world.Raven is taking on the responsibilities of a WarMage – just like her mother - and has joined the corps.Time to get ready for whatever the world throws at her and the kingdom of Lomberdoon.Something is affecting the dragons, wild and tame. A few have turned up crazed, spitting fire and ice, right before they die. Did the creepy crawly monsters of her childhood leave one last poisonous gift behind?Can Dr. Welby find out what’s causing it and create a cure before it’s too late?And Raven’s grandfather, Connor, is still missing. Can the frenemy, Bella and her private company track him down for Raven – in exchange for a favor, of course.Things are changing in the land of Lomberdoon and battles may be on the horizon. Who will stand with Raven and Leander?

    Joined now by a team of Special Forces operators from an alternate and skewed timeline with their own agendas and motivations, Hunter now finds himself without direction. Since escaping Ancient Rome four years earlier, his only goal was to survive long enough to enact his scheme to remove Agrippina from power and place Vespasian, a once and future emperor of Rome, on the throne in her place. But all his well laid plans came to a fruitless end when he and his friends narrowly escaped a grisly fate at the hands of Agrippina. However, there was one thing that survived Hunter’s encounter with the empress to focus his mind. The orb. He has often thought on it, but has never really understood it, yet now comes the moment when he must come to grips with the fact that only by understanding its nature will he be able to harness its power and send everyone home. The orb should have been his sole source of focus from the very beginning, but it was only after his recent failure to apprehend Agrippina that this fact was fully realized. Found in the rubble of Agrippina’s villa was a note left for him by his deceased friend Marcus Varus, tasking him with a mission to track down ancient Druids who may be able to help him. Now, after years trapped in Antiquity, Hunter must finally seek answers to the central mystery that has plagued him since becoming history's first recorded time traveler. Armed with fresh clues and a final destination, Hunter and his company embark on a new quest, one that will take them beyond the boundaries of the Roman Empire in search of centuries old information about a relic few even know exists. But a darkness accompanies them. While the orb is a powerful tool, it is also a deadly device in the hands of those who underestimate or do not understand its dark potential. With its ability to grant certain users the ability to manipulate time, also comes a degenerative property that can reduce an individual into a simpering, doddering fool, or warp him into a tyrannical despot. The orb’s ability to do this is well documented in both Caligula and Claudius, and perhaps Agrippina too, but it is Hunter who should be most concerned by its influence. He has interacted with it far more than anyone else, and as he and his friends begin their odyssey, his challenge will be greater than simply discovering the truth about the orb’s origins, but overcoming and surviving its ill effects as he struggles to maintain control of his mind.