Autumn in New York promises a turn in the seasons as we kick off the next stage of our lives. Colorful leaves falling, dropping temperatures, and the first days of classes loom even as the lingering summer heat and humidity make the city stifling. Summer was a time to get away, to just be us, and what a magical time it was, but we can only run away from our lives for so long. We have family, careers, friends - new and old - as well as commitments waiting for us.

My name is Emersyn Sharpe. Until a few months ago, I was the lead performer for a traveling show finishing up a contract. I had been beaten, but never broken. Then they took me. I didn’t belong in their world. Still, they took me and I didn’t know why. They promised to protect me and to keep me safe, but they had to know I’d run. They had to know.

It’s not true. It can’t be. Four DNA tests. Only one positive. The man claiming to be my father is quite literally the worst option imaginable. This isn’t happening to me. For the first time in my life, I know who I am and where I want to be and, in the blink of an eye, everything is spinning so utterly out of control. I thought the fight with Maddy was the worst thing I faced. It’s not. I’ve grown up in a house of lies, and it’s all crashing down on the five of us, and I have no idea how to protect the ones I love best from the fallout.

Just as we were finding a way to get past our difficulties, the stars have torn us apart. Can I fight against the will of the heavens, or does fate have something unforeseen in store for me now? While we're reeling from the wheel of fate and trying to find a way to move on with our lives, our enemies are only growing more powerful. Felix Oscura is haunting Alestria with his bloodthirsty need to steal the power of the clan he was never destined to rule over. And, the illusive King is growing closer to their goal of taking control of the entire city and maybe even beyond.

You know, I never imagined having one boyfriend, much less four. Jake, Archie, Coop, and Ian are still my best friends. They’re also even more entrenched in my life than I ever imagined. They’ve been my rocks, but I’m not the only one with issues. We’re fighting our way to a new normal. I’m in therapy. Ian and I are dating. Archie introduced me to his grandfather. Both Coop and Jake’s moms refer to me as their son’s girlfriend. I don’t know how much our parents know about our relationship, but I also don’t care. Not anymore.

Emersyn Sharpe doesn’t belong in our world. In fact, the very last place she should be is with us. But someone is hurting her. We’ve all seen it. We tried to ignore the warning signs. We tried to trust the people around her. We tried to believe in her world. Too late. When she nearly died in front of us, we had to act. We took her. She doesn’t belong in our world, but I’ll be damned if someone lays a finger on her under my watch. I’ll kill them first.

Welcome to the Midnight Fae world. It’s bloody. Dark. And led by an ancient vampire who needs to die. My days as a pawn in this war are over. I’m taking over as queen on this board, and in my version of the game, everyone bows to the queen. Even Constantine Nacht. He thinks he’s clever by roping me into these ascension trials, all meant to kill me and my mates. But I’m going to prove him wrong. We’re stronger than he thinks. And we’re going to make him bleed. Earth Fae are all about life. Midnight Fae prefer death. I’m a mixture of both.

I spent 18 years as a victim. Eighteen years where I was broken, shattered, pried apart, and carelessly thrown back together. Now, the glue that keeps my fractured soul from rupturing needs to hold firm, or the four fierce lycans who swore to protect me will die to keep me safe.... The Assembly is no place for a human. Especially not one standing trial. Surrounded by lycans who'd like nothing more than to see me dead, forced to participate in lethal games, and hunted by enemies shrouded in shadows, my world is unravelling. 

Jensen, Finn, Christian, and Rhys. One is my protector, another my best friend, the third my betrothed, and the fourth...something else entirely. And I want them all. I never thought I'd fall for more than one man, but then again, I didn't think I would wake up on my birthday the queen of the Shadow Court, hunted, in danger, and unable to control my newfound fae powers. Which seem to get stronger the more I give in to my need for these men. In order to claim my title, I have to complete a set of trials with my men at my side. But a dark force is out to kill me.

No good deed goes unpunished. I learned that lesson the hard way when I agreed to help my friend Justin with a favor. My platonic friend Justin. A favor that helped him with his reputation but turned mine into the trending topic at my school. The whispers, the stares, and the constant gossip could bring me down, but I’m tired of hiding in the dark, covering up my anxiety and being alone. I decide to take on the bullies and find a few surprising allies along the way; the Allendale Four. 

Jake, Archie, Coop, and Ian were my best friends, and three of them still are - but they’re also now my lovers, my boyfriends, and pretty much the anchors keeping me from getting washed away. I’ve had great moments, and I’ve had horrible ones. One thing is for sure, I’ll never forget my senior year. It’s the year everything changed. It’s the year I found them. I lost one, and now he wants me back, but I have no idea how to trust him again.

When the year started, I had one goal - make my AP classes count and keep my grades up. Both my focus and my grades started wobbling. Dating my best friends came with perks like hugs, kisses, and invitations to dances, but it also came with cons in the form of vindictive posts, hate mail, and vandalism of my car. I asked if it could get any worse, and I guess I got my answer. 

One-hundred-seventy some odd days left in my senior year, and everything has changed. I went from untouchable to dating my best friends to making out to being betrayed. Why can’t they understand humiliating and controlling me doesn’t say I care?

A transformation has taken hold of my body, my soul, the very center of who I am as a witch. I’ve loved, and I’ve lost, but I refuse to accept that this is the way it ends. When a prophecy changes and my life amplifies to a new level of chaos, I’ll have to learn to harness my new magic and lean on those around me. 

Ariel Kimber has settled into life with her family and coven. Everything seems to be as it should, and she finally feels like she's exactly where she needs to be in her life. Her dad is awesome, and she loves getting to know him. Her guys are the best, and she falls deeper in love with them by the day. Her job at Fortunes for the Unfortunate does not suck, and she's more than happy to spend her days there. Her guardians have become family to her, and she finally thinks she's living the good life. But, like everything else in Ariel's life, that goodness does not last.