Can be read at any time during the original Thirteen Realms trilogy, but make sure you’ve read it before you start Thirteen Realms: Thief of Souls, as it has some background information for that trilogy that will add to your reading experience After her mother died, Sage’s fae father lost interest in his half-human child. He dumped her at the Spring Court, where she found an unexpected friend in the lonely Willow, daughter of the Court. The magicless half-breed and the heir to the power of Spring made an odd pair, but they quickly became inseparable. Now Sage’s father is back from his mysterious wanderings, but he seems more interested in Willow than his own daughter. When he makes his move, it’s up to Sage to thwart her father’s dark ambitions. Without magic, how can she hope to prevail? But Willow’s life is on the line, so prevail she must, or lose the person she loves most in all the world.

An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here. Most nights you’ll find me at the pub, playing guitar in a band with my fae friends and drinking beer. But tonight, I’m stalking an ice-cold fae assassin. I’m on a mission to avenge my murdered friend. I’m only half fae, but my lack of magic won’t stop me. When I’m caught spying in the assassins’ stronghold, they give me a choice, according to their ancient custom: become one of them or die. As if that isn’t sucky enough, my new instructor, Ash, is the beautiful, cold-eyed killer I followed here. But the longer I’m with him, the more he intrigues me. Now my acting skills are facing their greatest challenge: convincing my brooding instructor that I’m a happy little recruit, while working to bring down the assassins’ guild from the inside. That’s a hell of a job, but my survival depends on it.

Most estranged fathers would send an email. Mine sends a zombie. The infamous dagger known as the Thief of Souls is now mine. Its seductive power comes with a catch—the blade is determined to control me, and I’m losing the battle. Ash wants to free me from its clutches. He’s an ice-cold fae assassin who bizarrely seems to care for me, but can I trust his motives? A little voice inside me is screaming yes, but I can’t even trust my own thoughts anymore. So of course dear old Dad picks this moment to crawl out of whatever hole he’s been hiding in for the last five years. He’s a dangerous necromancer, and he wants the dagger, but maybe I can use him. Because he’s the key to what I want most in all the world—if I can bring myself to pay the price.

Accidentally becoming a necromancer was NOT on the to-do list. Oops. Today was meant to be all about destroying the assassins who have plagued the Realms of Faerie for centuries. Instead, the assassins are a no-show and I’m fighting ghosts that I shouldn’t be able to see. Somehow, I’ve ended up with some of dear old Dad’s necromantic power. He’s the kind of guy who gave necromancy its bad name, and I’d give his tainted magic back in a heartbeat if I could. But he’s disappeared along with the assassins and the sinister dagger known as the Thief of Souls. That’s a triple threat that could smash the Realms into dust. When all that power is turned on my best friend, my only option is to embrace the deadly new magic I despise. And that’s a choice that could destroy me.