NCW Libraries

Dr. Timothy Ryan, head of the military psychiatric unit at Grantham Barracks, is meeting a new patient, a woman known as "Prisoner Alpha." As she is being transferred, they are attacked by assassins, barely escaping with their lives. One shooter vanishes, leaving behind a dead companion unlike anyone Ryan has ever seen. But even more baffling is the puzzle of Alpha herself. She speaks in a strange tongue, and doodles in bars, dots, and little pictures....

For nearly a century, he has been a guest of the Emperor, forced into the role of advisor, a prisoner of his own legend. But the war is changing. Mankind is losing. The Cielcin are spilling into human space from the fringes, picking their targets with cunning precision. The Great Prince Syriani Dorayaica is uniting their clans, forging them into an army and threat the likes of which mankind has never seen. And the Empire stands alone. Now the Emperor...

Toby Daye--a half-human, half-fae changeling--has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the fae world, retreating to a "normal" life. Unfortunately for her, the fae world has other ideas.

"The Heralds of Valdemar are the kingdom's ancient order of protectors. They are drawn from all across the land, from all walks of life, and at all ages--and all are Gifted with abilities beyond those of normal men and women. They are Mindspeakers, FarSeers, Empaths, ForeSeers, Firestarters, FarSpeakers, and more. These inborn talents--combined with training as emissaries, spies, judges, diplomats, scouts, counselors, warriors, and more--make them...

"Phoenix was grown and raised among other genetic experiments in New York's Tower 7. She is an 'accelerated woman'--only two years old but with the body and mind of an adult, Phoenix's abilities far exceed those of a normal human. Still innocent and inexperienced in the ways of the world, she is content living in her room speed reading e-books, running on her treadmill, and basking in the love of Saeed, another biologically altered human of Tower...

"Anna May Jones is the daughter of a coal miner, but a sickly constitution has kept her confined to the house for most of her life. Hoping to improve her daughter's health - and lessen the burden on their family - Anna's mother sends her to live with her Aunt Jinny, a witchy-woman and an Elemental Master, in a holler outside of Ducktown. As she settles into her new life, Anna learns new skills at Aunt Jinny's side and discovers that she, too, has...

October "Toby" Daye tries to rescue the mortal and fae children who have been kidnapped by Blind Michael, lord of the Wild Hunt, forcing her to make a choice that could save them all or cause her to fall prey to the Wild Hunt.

A collection of sixteen original stories is set in the magical land of Valdemar where Heralds "chosen" from all walks of life protect their monarch and country with their lives.

"A dozen years of peace have passed in the city of White Gryphon-but the inhabitants of this hard-won haven have not forgotten their struggles, and have trained an elite guard force, the Silver Gryphons, to protect their city. Skandranon, the Black Gryphon, and Amberdrake the healer, have settled into quiet, comfortable lives. But things are not so tranquil for Silverblade, Drake's daughter, and Tadrith, Skan's son. Anxious to prove themselves, and...

Starting a new life on the straight and narrow by buying themselves a shop, the Rynax brothers fall back on their old skills and old friends after the Holver Alley Fire incinerates their plans. They lead their crew of amateurs and washouts to take down those responsible for the fire no matter what the cost.