Steel and Fire

Dara Ruminor is a serious young duelist in the mountaintop kingdom of Vertigon, a land of dramatic cliffs and misty peaks where mysterious Fire magic runs through the stones like blood. The secluded kingdom has been peaceful for a hundred years. Swords are used for sport, and successful athletes live like kings as long as the crowds love them. Eighteen-year-old Dara needs to find a wealthy patron in order to duel professionally and avoid a lifetime working in her parents' Fire Lantern shop. Her efforts are disrupted when her coach asks her to train with Prince Siv, an infuriating-if handsome-young man who refuses to take the sport as seriously as she does. But the prince's life may be in danger, and soon Dara will discover that Vertigon isn't as peaceful as she thought. As threats emerge from the shadows, Dara will have to raise her sword to protect Siv-if he doesn't irritate her so much that she decides to run him through herself.

Dara Ruminor takes her new position as a castle guard for the King of Vertigon very seriously. She refuses to allow her feelings for Siv to get in the way of atoning for her parents' actions, no matter how hard it is to keep her distance. But she's keeping secrets from her king-and the one involving a fiery newfound ability is getting harder to hide. When Sivarrion Amintelle ascends the throne of Vertigon, he's condemned to the drudgery of council meetings, strategic marriages, and the maneuverings of ambitious noblemen. There aren't nearly enough sharp, pointy objects involved, and a certain swordswoman still makes him want to sneak away from his duties at every opportunity. But the Peace of Vertigon is over, and unknown foes conspire to end Siv's reign before it truly begins. As their enemies' plots grow more complicated, Dara and Siv will have to enlist help from an unlikely source. But if her secrets get out, Dara will have even bigger problems. And Siv might decide not to trust her after all.

Dara and Siv flee through the treacherous snows of Vertigon, injured and defeated, with enemies in pursuit. They don't know when they'll return to the mountain they love. If they make it to safety, they'll have to figure how to challenge the Lantern Maker and retake Siv's throne. But when one of them disappears, the other must travel into the wild on a desperate rescue mission. Dangers abound in the Lands Below, and this journey is only the beginning. As rumors of war spread across the land, Dara and Siv will have to fight to be together again. But neither one can forget the adversary they left behind-no matter how hard they try. Back in Vertigon, Sora defies the Lantern Maker and his wife as they set dangerous plans in motion. Seeking to expand their dominion, they may unleash an even greater peril. Will Sora and her secret allies be strong enough to stop the coming storm?

Dangerous intrigues and mysterious powers ensnare Dara and Siv in the brutal city of Pendark. Bound to her agreement with Wyla by a magical shackle, Dara helps her study the link between Fire and Watermight. She'll learn more than she bargained for from the cunning Waterworker - if the lessons don't kill her first. Meanwhile, Siv gathers allies and gold to rescue his sister and his kingdom. He can't do it without Dara, and Wyla won't let her go without a fight. Siv isn't letting a little thing like a powerful magic wielder stop him from saving the woman he loves. As the armies of Soole ravage her grandfather's kingdom of Trure, Princess Selivia flees to a distant city full of mysteries. She discovers unexpected troubles in the City of Wind - and a secret that could change everything. When violence erupts in Pendark and beyond, will any of them be powerful enough to withstand the storm?

When the world is torn apart by magical violence, only a Wielder can save it. As the Lantern Maker terrorizes the continent with his Fireworker army, Dara struggles to master her new powers in order to stop him. She doesn't know whether she can bring herself to destroy her father, but she's running out of alternatives - and the fiery devastation is getting worse. She'll have to make a final, terrible choice before the end. Meanwhile, Siv musters a fighting force to retake his kingdom. His sister Selivia offers help in an unexpected form, but his new allies may not be as reliable as he thinks. Siv and Dara are drawn into a battle they didn't anticipate, and trusting the wrong people could cost them the war. Back in Vertigon, Queen Sora learns of a new threat. Even if Siv, Dara, and Selivia make it back to the mountain, they could be too late to save it. As the four of them struggle to overcome the forces of violence, power, and ambition, they are swept toward a final conflict that will determine the fate of every land on the continent. The only way to restore peace is through war - and even that might not be enough.