After three years in exile Kestra Dallisor has been summoned back to Antora by her father, right-hand man of the seemingly immortal king, Lord Endrick, but she is intercepted and kidnapped by the Coracks who want to use her to get the Olden Blade, which they believe can be used to kill the despot--Simon, one of the rebels with his own grudge against the Dallisors, is assigned to accompany her, but Kestra has her own plans and she does not intend to let anyone get in her way.
Seventeen-year-old ZeĢlie, her older brother Tzain, and rogue princess Amari fight to restore magic to the land and activate a new generation of magi, but they are ruthlessly pursued by the crown prince, who believes the return of magic will mean the end of the monarchy.
Ben Carver returns for the spring semester at the exclusive Natick School in Massachusetts determined to put his relationship with Rafe Goldberg behind him and concentrate on his grades and the award that will mean a full scholarship--but Rafe is still there, there is a girl named Hannah whom he meets in the library, and behind it all is his relationship with his distant, but demanding father.
Bone Criers alone can keep the dead from preying on the living, but their power to ferry the spirits of the dead into goddess Elara's Night Heavens or Tyrus's Underworld comes from sacrifice. The gods demand a promise of dedication-- the Bone Criers' one true love. Ailesse has been prepared since birth to become the matriarch of the Bone Criers. But first she must complete her rite of passage and kill the boy she is destined to love. Bastien's father was slain by a Bone Crier and he has sought revenge ever since. When he take Ailesse captive, her friend Sabine will do whatever it takes to save her-- and to break the bond between Ailesse and Bastien.
Sisters Stella and Ellie Steckler are both determined to win a scholarship and escape their stifling small town, but their plans are upset when a new girl joins the cross country team and then disappears.
