Fifteen-year-old Tomas Torres, the son of an immigrant family who are just barely making it, gets picked up by the police for doing some work for the local padrone (collector). For this work, Tomas has made $1000 a week, a lot of money by anyone's count. But what is the work? What is Tomas arrested for? Arson, but arson that cannot be explained. Tomas has a most unusual gift: he is a fire-starter—he can start fires with sheer force of will that flame from the tips of his fingers. More, he can will fireballs to hurl at his enemies or opponents, and he can incinerate any evidence. But the courts decide they have enough to convict young Tomas and send him off to a school (which Tomas believes to be a kind of jail): St. Rhiannon's School for the Gifted and Exceptional Student.At St. Rhiannon's, Tomas soon finds that he is not alone. St. Rhia's, as they call it, is a school for students of all ages with "gifts" like Tomas's: students who are pre-cogs, storm-callers,...

FROM THE AUTHORS OF NYT BESTSELLER WHEN DARKNESS FALLS, NYT BESTSELLER THE PHOENIX TRANSFORMED, AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER TO LIGHT A CANDLEThey thought the war was over. They were wrong.Runacarendalur Caerthalien has been a master of battle for hundreds of years, but he found himself on the wrong side—the losing side—in the last war. Betrayed by his brother, trapped in a prophecy he does not understand, Runacar flees the battlefield.Yet Runacar is no coward. In a twist he could never have imagined, the Elven War-Prince finds himself leading a new army into battle—a force of centaurs, merfolk, gryphons, minotaurs, and talking bears who can perform magic. For centuries they have been trying to reclaim their lands from Elven invaders. With Runacar at the helm, they just might manage it. Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory's first collaboration, the Obsidian Mountain trilogy, introduced readers to a brilliant, continent-spanning...

In March 1987, Mercedes Lackey, a young author from Oklahoma, published her first novel, Arrows of the Queen. No one could have envisioned that this modest book about a magical land called Valdemar would be the beginning of a fantasy masterwork series that would span decades and include more than two dozen titles.Now the voices of other authors add their own special touches to the ancient land where Heralds "Chosen" from all walks of life by magical horse-like Companions patrol their ancient kingdom, dispensing justice, facing adversaries, and protecting their monarch and country from whatever threatens. Trained rigorously by the Herald's Collegium, these special protectors each have extraordinary Gifts: Mindspeaking, FarSeeing, FarSpeaking, Empathy, Firestarting and ForeSeeing, and are bonded for life with their mysterious Companions. Travel with these astounding adventurers in these original stories.

The Heralds of Valdemar are the kingdom's ancient order of protectors. They are drawn from all across the land, from all walks of life, and at all ages—and all are Gifted with abilities beyond those of normal men and women. They are Mindspeakers, FarSeers, Empaths, ForeSeers, Firestarters, FarSpeakers, and more. These inborn talents—combined with training as emissaries, spies, judges, diplomats, scouts, counselors, warriors, and more—make them indispensable to their monarch and realm. Sought and Chosen by mysterious horse-like Companions, they are bonded for life to these telepathic, enigmatic creatures. The Heralds of Valdemar and their Companions ride circuit throughout the kingdom, protecting the peace and, when necessary, defending their land and monarch.Now, twenty-three authors ride with Mercedes Lackey to her magical land of Valdemar, adding their own unique voices to the Heralds, Bards, Healers, and other heroes of this beloved fantasy realm. Join...

Mags returns to the Collegium, but there are mixed feelings--his included--about him actually remaining there. No one doubts that he is and should be a Herald, but he is afraid that his mere presence is going to incite more danger right in the heart of Valdemar. The heads of the Collegia are afraid that coming back to his known haunt is going to give him less protection than if he went into hiding. Everyone decides that going elsewhere is the solution for now. So since he is going elsewhere--why not return to the place he was found in the first place and look for clues? And those who are closest to him, and might provide secondary targets, are going along. With Herald Jadrek, Herald Kylan (the Weaponsmaster's chosen successor), and his friends Bear, Lena, and Amily, they head for the Bastion, the hidden spot in the hills that had once been the headquarters of a powerful band of raiders that had held him and his parents prisoner. But what they find is not what anyone expected.**

This story is about Kerowyn, granddaughter to the sorceress Kethry. Kerowyn wanted to raise and train horses but that dream was shattered when her brother was injured and his fiancee was kidnapped. She was forced to find her grandmother and the SwordSworn Tarma and train in the ways of the Sword. After facing her foes, Kerowyn becomes an outsider in her own land. She then becomes bound by the magical sword Need and goes on to become to legendary captian of the mercenary company, the SkyBolts. She also becomes Chosen which transforms her title to Herald-Captian Kerowyn. Queen Selenay also find love in this book because of Kerowyn.

Two novels of elvish lore and modern noir brought together for the first time by bestselling Mistresses of Urban Fantasy Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill.Beyond World's End Sieur Eric Banyon, Knight and Bard to the court of the Queen of Elfhame Misthold, moves back to the Big Apple to take care of unfinished business. Mostly, he just wants to finish his interrupted education at Julliard School of Music and settle down to a normal life. However, a normal life doesn't seem to be in his immediate future as he quickly discovers his Manhattan apartment has unique features, including a living gargoyle named Greystone and four Guardians who have sworn to protect New York from evil.  And soon Eric discovers that unscrupulous researchers have created a drug that unlocks magical powers in humans – a drug that is 100 percent fatal over time.  And now something evil from Underhill has other plans and seeks to use the temporary human powers to dominate World Above.  But this is one bard who is going to let no such thing happen.Spirits White as LightningEric Banyon has more to worry about than passing his courses at Julliard. The evil elf lord Aerune, whose love was killed by mortal men, is determined to destroy the human race. Eric's only hope of stopping Aerune is to trap him inside a magical maze, from which there is no escaping. But for the plan to work, Eric and his friends must cross the land of chaos and survive, then travel undetected through a gate between worlds straight into the heart of Aerune's realm and trick the elf lord into entering the maze. Stopping Aerune once before was difficult. This time, the quest seems nothing less than impossible.About Beyond World's End and Spirits White as Lightning:“[T]his accessible blend of the urban and the whimsical will appeal to those who wonder whether the phantasmagoric walk city streets. . .” –Publishers Weekly on Beyond World's End“[A]t times at times fast and completely absorbing. . .you can't keep a good series down, and this is a good series.” –Booklist

This stand-alone novel in the Valdemar series continues the story of prickly weapons-master Alberich. Once a heroic Captain in the army of Karse, a kingdom at war with Valdemar, Alberich becomes one of Valdemar's Heralds. Despite prejudice against him, he becomes the personal protector of young Queen Selenay. But can he protect her from the dangers of her own heart?

NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR. ENTRY #9 IN MERCEDES LACKEY'S CELEBRATED SERRATED EDGE URBAN FANTASY SERIES!  Teenager Staci's father has just remarried, and now she finds herself being shunted aside by her new stepmother.  Shunted all the way to the run-down and dying Maine town of Silence, in fact, and the custody of her alcoholic mother.It gets worse.  Silence seems to be stuck in the proverbial stone age. There's no cell phone service except at the very top of a bluff outside of town, no internet except dialup, and not one familiar franchise or business. Staci's mom seems to have gotten even worse since the last time Staci lived with her. The only bright spots in the whole place are a friendly waitress at the diner, and a bookstore where she meets a gaggle of geeks and gamers. But all is not as it seems in Silence. There are strange things moving beneath the shabby surface, terrible plots in play, and deadly players in the game, and Staci is about to find herself caught up in the middle of it all. SERRAted Edge SeriesBorn to Run (#1) by Mercedes Lackey and Larry DixonWheels of Fire (#2) by Mercedes Lackey and Mark ShepherdWhen the Bough Breaks (#3)  by Mercedes Lackey and Holly LisleChrome Circle (#4) by Mercedes Lackey and Larry DixonStoned Souls (#5) by Mercedes LackeyElvendude (#6) by Mark ShepherdSpiritride (#7) by Mark ShepherdLazerwarz (#8) by Mark Shepherd The Chrome Borne (omni contains Born to Run and Chrome Circle) by Mercedes Lackey and Larry DixonThe Other World (omni contains When the Bough Breaks and Wheels of Fire) by Mercedes Lackey, Mark Shepherd and Holly Lisle **