Once upon a time, a grieving sultan made an edict: he would marry a new bride every night and kill her the next morning, before she could betray him. 

Sutaita, daughter of the Sultan’s vizier, planned on a life of quiet study. But when she learns she and her sister must be the next two brides for the bloodthirsty Sultan Shahryar al’Mamun, Sutaita decides to change their fortune. Staying alive by telling stories every night, she must buy enough time to solve the mysteries surrounding the Sultan’s edict.

Shahryar has hidden a dark secret from all the history records. If discovered, it could cost him his empire and his life. But meeting Sutaita changes everything. Intrigued by the magic of her stories, he cannot find it in his heart to kill her, a heart he had hardened long ago against any sort of love. 

In this retelling of the Arabian Nights frame story, can Sutaita slip past the walls around the Sultan’s heart and soul? Or will she end up like so many brides before—with her head on a chopping block?

There is no lover for you in all of Carum Sound.

Prophecy or not, Princess Conora refuses to accept a life of celibacy—especially not after meeting the suave and sensual Prince Calosandros from beyond Carum Sound. Their similar Gifts even provide a connection: he can speak any language, and she can talk to animals. So, when he proposes marriage during their first meeting, Conora sees an opportunity to regain control of her life and impulsively accepts the offer.

But can she trust his seduction, or are his promises of passion and freedom too good to be true? Between clashing cultures, imposing families, and tightly-held secrets, this convenient marriage may cost them more than they bargained for. 

When librarian Madeline Hayes wakes up in the front yard with no memory of why she's there, her simple life in a small town becomes more complicated than she ever imagined. Strange things start happening: her father heals an injury with a touch, her elderly neighbor seems to become younger, and everyone starts getting this strange blue light in their eyes—and in their veins. 

And then people start dying. 

Can Madeline unravel this mystery and stop the strange transformations before it's too late?