Tomb of Heart and Shadow

By Cara N Delaney

Their marriage was a simple bargain. Love was not supposed to complicate things.

When her reputation-obsessed family issues her an ultimatum - get married or be disinherited - Saria seizes upon what seems like a most convenient solution. She strikes a deal with a stranger - marriage and a child in exchange for freedom and security, away from her manipulative family. That her bride is a sorcerer from the mysterious city of Neeth is not a problem. Or so Saria thinks.

Divorced after a personal tragedy, Taleysin doesn't expect much from her second marriage. A child and heir to carry on her sworn duty to the city of Neeth, and more importantly, a wife who won't ask too many questions. The deal with Saria seems to be everything she wants - and nothing more. She will have her heir, and Neeth will remain safe for another generation.

But as the newly-weds slowly get to know each other, their resolve over their practical decision begins to crumble. While Saria becomes ever more curious about Neeth's magical secrets, Taleysin finds herself growing closer to a woman who was supposed to be nothing more than a means to an end. When a mysterious assailant begins to hunt Neeth's sorcerers, endangering its secrets and the safety of all, Saria and Taleysin must find a way to work through this shift in their relationship - to save both their marriage and the city.