Tales of the Citadel 9 Her element is fire, her mind is missing memories and a dream master is her keeper. Hahvi’s dance will reshape a world. Hahvi has spent eight years in the dome with other physical talents. Her body is wrapped in a restrictor suit, but she keeps her mind free to dream of possibilities. She is given to the Citadel, and when she meets the dream master, her world and her options shift dramatically. Rackon dreamed of a woman wreathed in flame, dancing across lava. This was the woman his people needed to help them save their city and the last of their civilization. Research pointed to Resicor, and after severe negotiations, she is handed over to them so that they can take on the trouble of her maintenance. Released from the restriction, she is free to use her talent for the first time in her life, unfortunately, she has to pick her outlet carefully or she could kill them all.

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po's friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

A teacher of etiquette and contract law with a fetish for Terran coffee meets a superhero who wants to get into her briefs. Hydrangea has been teaching contract law and other species etiquette in the Nyal Imperium for months. There is nothing to her life but marking, teaching and going for tea with friends. When one of her friends tells her that she knows of a Nyal food that matches coffee on the molecular level, Hydra has to try it out. The diner where the forty-seven-ingredient soup is prepared is a favourite haunt of the Guardians of Deyfell 4, four super-beings who risk their lives on a daily basis. Hydra doesn’t care, she just wants her coffee doppelganger. Starburn notices the strange alien who defies his teammate’s efforts to clear the diner. She has an easy smile and a relaxed attitude that he has not experienced since he became a Guardian. To his surprise she doesn’t know who they are and the ability to introduce himself without the weight of his actions as Guardian is so refreshing, he looks forward to speaking to her again. When the next opportunity proves that she is still as guileless as he thought at first glance, he makes up his mind to keep her and treasure the gentle heart that she shows to one and all. It’s a simple matter to have a teammate bring her to the base, and once she is there, there is no way home.

The Alien War continues. The enemies have raised the stakes by attacking a colony world on the outskirts of known space. Rade and his team of elite warriors join a Marine division to retake the colony while the human fleet battles it out with the alien forces in orbit. This time Rade's platoon is equipped with the fearsome power of the Zeus mechs—war machines that harbor electrolasers capable of discharging a billion volts of electricity per shot. You'd have to be an idiot to stand up to one of these. Tell that to the aliens. During one of his intense sorties into the fallen capital city, Rade makes an important discovery that could completely change the course of the war, not to mention his own life.

Anthony Talbot is in Anchor Point to visit family, but after two days of strife, he needs a break. A local gay bar is calling his name.When Chief Noah Jackson sees that red head stroll into the club, he immediately wants him. They're perfectly matched, and before long, they're burning up the sheets. Noah can't get enough. Anthony can't stay in Oregon for long, but as soon as he leaves, he's counting down the days until he can fly back for more. And between his increasingly frequent visits, there's always phone sex, sexting, webcams...anything they can get.But Noah's got a carefully crafted façade, and Anthony can't help noticing the slowly forming cracks. The scent of alcohol in the middle of the day. The extra drinks at dinner. The hint of red in his eyes. Anthony knows what it means. He doesn't want to believe it, but he's seen this before, and there's no denying it. If Noah doesn't get his downward spiral under control, he's going to lose both his career and...