Alianne must call forth her mother's courage and her father's wit in order to survive on the Copper Isles in a royal court rife with political intrigue and murderous conspiracy.

When tragedy strikes--and the Emperor's elder daughter, Jamur Rika, is summoned to serve as queen, Inspector Rumex Jeryd focuses his immediate attention on the grisly murder of a councillor--and to an obscene conspiracy that threatens the lives of Rika, her sister, her dashing teacher, and the future of Villjamur itself. But in the far north, where the drawn-out winter has already begun, an even greater threat appears---a threat from another world....

"When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she's lived by one rule: don't let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city. Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore's job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore's power is revealed,...

"His identity now revealed, Damen must face his master Prince Laurent as Damianos of Akielos, the man Laurent has sworn to kill...Forced into an uneasy alliance the two princes journey deep into Akielos, where they face their most dangerous opposition yet. But even if the fragile trust they have built survives the revelation of Damen's identity can it stand against the Regent's final, deadly play for the throne?"--Provided by publisher.

Vidia works as a spy for the Crown, but when she learns her spymaster thinks she is a double agent, she must use all her skills to stop a war and save herself from the hangman's noose.

"Valentina Serlast has reluctantly traveled to the royal city to witness her brother Darien be crowned the king of Welce. A hunti woman with an affinity for the forest, Val is much more comfortable living in isolation on her country estates, almost forgotten by everyone. When Darien convinces her to extend her stay, she is drawn into an unfamiliar whirl of activity, meeting with ambassadors from other countries, becoming friends with the unpredictable...

"Mags was a Herald of Valdemar. But he had once lived the brutal life of a child slave. When he was Chosen by his Companion Dallen, his young life was saved, and he slowly adjusted to being well fed, educated, and treasured as a trainee in the Herald's Collegium at Haven. Singled out by the King's Own Herald, Mags would thrive in his secret training as a spy. His unusually strong Gift--an ability to Mindspeak and Mindhear anyone, not just others who...

"Askia became heir to the Frozen Crown of Seravesh because of her devotion to her people. But her realm is facing a threat she cannot defeat by sheer will alone. The mad emperor of the Roven Empire has unleashed a horde of invading soldiers to enslave her lands. For months, her warriors have waged a valiant, stealth battle, yet they cannot stop the enemy's advancement. Running out of time, she sets sail for sun-drenched Vishir, the neighboring land...

In the sequel to To the King a Daughter, foolish Prince Florian assumes the throne after the death of the old king, while his mother, Queen Ysa of the House of Oak works to protect her unworthy son, deals with her husband's illegitimate daughter Ashen, and copes with the barbarian Sea-Rover clan and a new threat from the North.