After Bieja flees her home in the village of Chemestúk, burned to the ground in a civil war, she soon realizes she has only one place left to go. Her niece, Magiere, owns a little tavern in the port town of Miiska—which is unfortunately a long journey away on the west coast. Bieja has never traveled more than a few leagues from her hut in all of her life.Undaunted all the same, she sets off through her war-torn homeland with what she could scavenge from the blackened remains of her village. All too soon, she finds herself on unfamiliar paths and facing the risk of both deserters and conscripted soldiers who are as desperate as she is. She has always been independent, but she might not survive this journey alone... until happenstance trips her up with a most unusual guardian.The problem is, this guardian might be as dangerous as anything else Bieja will have to face.About "Tales from the world of the Noble Dead Saga"...No knowledge of the Noble Dead Saga or related works is necessary to read and enjoy these stories. They are written for fantasy enthusiasts in general and not just our established readership. Readers new to this world can step into it through any of these short works.Tales are organized into “collections” where all stories therein share a theme and/or premise. When one or more link together, subsequent stories will mention “sequel to…” on their covers to guide you. Even so, each is self-contained enough to be your first adventure into this world.—Barb & J.C. Hendee **

Ever since raiders from the north began attacking villages, Lady Nicole Montagna has known that defending her people would come at a cost. The betrothal of her sister Chloe to a neighboring lord seems the perfect solution, forging a powerful alliance. But shortly before the wedding, Nicole is shocked to discover that her sister is with child—and not by her husband-to-be. Now she must make a choice. She has just hours to decide . . . ~Should she tell her soldier brother—who will take swift, ruthless action to ensure the family's safety? ~Should she hold her tongue, let her sister deceive her husband into believing the child is his—and then hope Chloe can get away with the lie? ~Should she tell her family, hoping they will know the right thing to do? With the help of a magic mirror, Nicole lives out each path, fighting to protect herself and those she loves with the weapons she has: wits, herbs, and fortitude. But no matter her...

From USA Today bestselling author, Megg Jensen... *Forget prophecy. Make your own destiny. * Sheltered from the outside world with no hope for escape, slave girl Reychel dreads her fifteenth birthday - when her master’s symbol is burned on the back of her bald scalp. Her best friend disappears the night before, leaving her to face the branding ceremony alone. She soon discovers nothing is as it seems when people desperate for freedom beg for Reychel's help. Can Reychel learn to believe in herself? Other Books by Megg: The Initiate - a novelette bridging the Cloud Prophet Trilogy and The Swarm Trilogy Cloud Prophet Trilogy: Anathema Oubliette Severed Pick up the story 20 years later with: The Swarm Trilogy: Sleepers Afterlife The Sundering **Review "Megg Jensen has created an engaging, richly detailed read." - Brutally Honest Book Reviews "I recommend you run, not walk, to get yourself a copy of this wonderful book!" - The Caffeinated Diva "I was sucked in from start to finish." - Can't Find a Bookmark About the Author Megg Jensen is all sorts of strange things: medieval history buff, Ren Faire goer, fairy garden builder, swing dancer, and lover of movies everyone else hates. She spends too much time waiting for The Doctor. 

Wynn journeys to the mountain stronghold of the dwarves in search of the "Stonewalkers," an unknown sect supposedly in possession of important ancient texts. But in her obsession to understand these writings, she will find more puzzles and questions buried in secrets old and new-along with an enemy she thought destroyed...

Magiere and Leesil must rescue Wynn Hygeort from her captivity in the Guild of Sagecraft. But Wynn doesn't want to give up access to the ancient scrolls that may help them locate the last of the magical Orbs coveted by the Ancient Enemy.

"Any list of the best writers of vampire novels working today must include the dynamic duo of Barb & J.C. Hendee."     —Rambles “A mix of The Lord of the Rings and Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” the Noble Dead Saga has won legions of readers with its epic adventure, bloodthirsty evil, and imaginative characters. At last, long sought secrets will be revealed... and old scores settled.* For many months, Magiere and Leesil have searched for a forgotten artifact, even though its purpose has been shrouded in mystery. All Magiere knows is that she must keep the orb from falling into the hands of a murdering Noble Dead: her half brother, Welstiel. And now dreams of a castle locked in ice lead her south, on a journey that has become nothing less than an obsession... Accompanying Magiere and Leesil are the sage Wynn; their canine protector, Chap; and two elven assassins-turned-guardians who must fight their distrust of this sister of the dead. For forces more powerful than they — some may even say fate — are rallying around Magiere, arming her for the conflict to come, because finding the orb may be just the beginning of the challenges that await her. New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson "Interspecies distrust, grand ambitions, and the lure of dangerous secrets protected by the undead drive the action in this neat mix of horror with more traditional fantasy elements."     —Publisher's Weekly

Desperate to free his mother from a caste of ruthless elven assassins, Leesil joins his beloved Magiere, the sage Wynn, and their canine protector, Chap, on a difficult journey through mountains and harsh winter. Should they survive the hardships of wilderness, they still face the perils of the mysterious Elven Territories. Unbeknownst to them, they've been united at the command of Chap's Fay kin to forge an alliance against the forces of dark magic. But now Chap must guard his companions from enemies and allies-not always certain which is which. And as they uncover the truth, they discover just how close the enemy has always been.

An adoptee raised in a foreign land, sixteen-year-old Lianne was content with her life as handmaiden to the queen, until a spell cast on her at birth activated. Now she's filled with uncontrollable rage and access to magic she thought had been bled from her people years ago. Even her years of secret training in elite hand-to-hand combat and meditation can’t calm the fires raging inside her.Her heart is torn between two boys, the one she’s always loved and the one who always ignored her. But when the kingdom threatens to tear itself apart due to rumors surrounding the queen’s alleged affair, who will Lianne protect and who will she destroy?Book One in The Swarm Trilogy.

SUMMARY:On the heels of DHAMPIR, Barb and J.C. Hendee's acclaimed Fantasy debut, comes THIEF OF LIVES, the new novel featuring Magiere and Leesil, Slayers of the Undead.... Magiere the dhampir thinks that her nights of hunting vampires are over. After settling down in her newly adopted village of Miiska — now vampire-free, thanks to her and her half-elf partner, Leesil — she looks forward to quiet days tending to her tavern. But far away in the capital city of Bela, a prominent councilman's daughter has been found dead on her own doorstep... and all signs point to a vampire. Knowing that the battered and burned village of Miiska could use an infusion of cash, Bela's town council offers a generous bounty to the dhampir if she will slay their vampire. Magiere resists, wanting nothing more than to forget her past and ignore her half-vampire nature. Only Leesil can persuade Magiere to follow her destiny — before more innocent lives are claimed by darkness.

Eleisha Clevon has the face of a teen angel, but she is no angel. Unlike most vampires, she doesn't like to kill, but self-preservation comes first. When an old friend destroys himself by walking into sunlight right in front of her, Eleisha is shocked. And what she finds afterwards points to how very sick of his existence her friend had become — piling drained corpses in the basement and keeping records of other vampires' real names and addresses. That's a problem. Because now, there are policemen on the case: two very special humans with some gifts of their own. They know who Eleisha is, and, even more dangerous, what she is.

From the New York Times bestselling author of, A TERRIBLE LOVE, comes a suspenseful novelette serial of war, passion and acquisition of rare female hybrid humans by their male counterparts....

Kara, as a ward with no parentage and no future, has been raised knowing nothing outside her lady's chambers. Until Royce Capello, a visiting nobleman, is struck by her ice-pale looks, and demands her as payment for the land the family needs. With barely time to protest, Kara is sold and packed off for a life as a concubine—until a raiding party descends on Royce's company and she's kidnapped for the second time in as many days. Whatever happens, Kara will be alone in the world, inexperienced and fearing even the vast unfamiliar sky. But one raider gives her a choice—and a magic mirror appears to show her where each path will lead... ~She can leave with her protector Raven and journey with his performing troupe, competing for his mercurial affections. ~She can flee the raiders' settlement, and return to Royce's manor, chattel among devious nobility. ~Or she can stay in the settlement, bound to firm, silent Caine, who is as gentle as he is staid and...

King Raymond is betrothed to Princess Ada of a neighboring sphere in an arranged match not of his choosing. Travelers from a parallel world have bargained to save the future of his people and he cannot refuse their offer. Raymond does not believe that an alliance with the Savages would result in a life-altering experience. He soon finds himself overwhelmed when an entanglement of emotion and love conspire to undermine his vow in the most unlikely place. Rowenna, warrior female of the Band, is a much sought-after female select. When her kin agree to an offer that will unite the races of their future, they do not realize what the sacrifice will cost her. Can the two peoples of separate societies survive the prejudicial position that has been hoisted on them? Will their sacrifice afford a future of liberty, or will heartbreak be the only consequence of their love?