Backed by an army of undead, Geoffrey ae'Magi, master of illusion, threatens to devour Aralorn's peaceful kingdom of Reth... — The ae'Magi is corrupt and yet irresistibly charismatic, the horror at his core shaded by a spell-cast mask of regal charm. Only a few have the will to resist his evil domination... like King Myr, dragon blessed, Wolf, driven by immortal rage, and Aralorn, weaponsmistress of the shapeshifting race. Captured and brought to the Archmage's castle, Aralorn faces slow death by torture unless faithful Wolf can find her in a labrynth of power and shadows.

A SLAVE ON THE RUN When Rialla was young, slave traders from Darran ambushed her clan, killing all the men and enslaving the women and children. For years, Rialla lived in bondage, serving her master while waiting for a chance to escape. When that chance came, she made the best of it – and fled to the mercenary nation of Sianim... A SPY IN TRAINING Now she can strike back at her former masters. A lord in Darran seeks to outlaw slavery – but there are plots to kill him before he can. Rialla is chosen by the spymaster of Sianim to prevent the murder – and is plunged into a world of deadly magic, where gods walk in human form. Where her most trusted companions are not what they claim. And where Rialla could be enslaved again... A CHANCE FOR VENGEANCE As a spy, Rialla realizes the danger of her mission. As a former slave, she realizes she has no choice.

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME Shamera had spent most of her young life as sorceress and thief, stealing from Southwood's nobility to survive. Now Sham must face the greatest test of her skills... A killer has struck Southwood, claiming the lives of nobles. Lord Kerim, Reeve of Southwood, turns to Sham for help. Posing as his mistress, she delves behind castle walls to find the killer. But this murderer is no mortal and Sham must use all of her magical wisdom to send the demon away. Because the city of Southwood has nowhere to hide—and no time to run...

The exciting follow-up to New York Times #1 best-selling author Patricia Briggs' Masques features the further adventures of the shapeshifting mercenary Aralorn. Aralorn's dangerous existence has taken her far from her aristocratic roots and kept her from her homeland for more than a decade. Now, she must return home to mourn the death of her father, the Lyon of Lambshold. But when Aralorn and her companion Wolf arrive, they discover that home is gone forever and they must take on an old enemy more sinister than they ever could have imagined.