Melissa Gunther

After what happened at school last year, Celia Fincastle is looking over her shoulder, wondering what might happen next. She's convinced people are following her - at Aunt Agatha's, at camp, even at school - but no one believes her, not even her advisors. Celia's friends tell her she's imagining things, but once they're on their class trip, they soon learn that everything can change in a flash.

Justin Wilson is convinced Allie Flanders is going to marry him. Allie is convinced he's lost his mind.After all, why would she even consider marrying someone she just met? She's not buying the story about picking wives for each other, but the Wilson brothers - all five of them - are insistent, because that's the way it's worked for all the rest of them, right down to the awkward first impressions and constant chance encounters. At least Justin didn't open a door into his nose like his oldest brother did.Still, as absurd as the whole idea is, Allie has a hard time walking away, especially as she starts hearing about what happened with each of Justin's brothers when they met their future wives. The more time she spends with Justin and his family, the more she finds herself drawn to them, and soon she's more than a little confused about her feelings for this man she barely knows. Is it possible she's the next one hand-picked for marriage?(This is a collection of five interwoven novellas, about 20,000 words each.)

Celia Fincastle is headed back to Renasci, ready for another year. This time she has to complete her family tree, but she doesn't have much information to work with. Help comes from an unexpected source, but it's hidden by a series of clues, and Celia soon learns she's not the only one searching. Time is running out, and both her grade and her future hang in the balance - will she find it in time?

Celia Fincastle thought she had everything under control, until it all came crashing down around her just before her fifteenth birthday. Now she has to do her best to pick up the pieces, put her life back together, and move on, which is difficult when she's cut off from the demesne for the summer. Stuck with Aunt Agatha again, Celia quickly realizes that things still aren't what they seem, and while she's seeking answers and information, those are in short supply. Returning to the demesne doesn't bring the result she expected, but then everything shifts again with the discovery of a new puzzle, one that has Celia looking for pieces of a different sort. Her search brings her to new people and new places, but now she has to balance all the demands on her time and attention even as she struggles to master new abilities and keep up with her schoolwork. The stakes are higher than ever and Celia can't afford to fail, because now she's searching for more than just answers.

Celia Fincastle is thrilled to spend the summer at Maddie's house, far away from Aunt Agatha. But it appears she's traded her insufferable aunt for Maddie's grandfather, who goes out of his way to let Celia know that he doesn't like having her around. His reasons for disliking her are just the first in a long line of surprises for Celia as she starts her fourth year at Renasci. As secrets begin to leak out, Celia still has to focus on her schoolwork, which includes new independent studies that increase her workload even further. One particular secret comes as a huge shock to Celia, which leaves her feeling betrayed by those she trusts most and pushes her to find answers on her own. A series of letters promises information about her grandmother and maybe even her parents, but taking the offer might have consequences she never imagined...and she has no idea that more lies still lurk in the shadows.

A mysterious book, unusual abilities, and a school that isn't quite what it seems - Celia Fincastle is about to step into a whole different world, and she has no idea what awaits her. She's got new friends and some big expectations for her future, but someone doesn't want her to stay. Celia must figure out who's behind the plot and stop it - fast - because there's more at stake than she realizes...

Summer hasn’t started the way Celia Fincastle expected, and her surprise visitor is just the beginning. She might not be at school, but that doesn’t mean she gets to relax. With more decisions to make, more changes to cope with, and more answers to find, there’s plenty of work awaiting Celia before she and her friends return to Renasci for their final year. Celia knows she has to be ready for the showdown that’s looming, but she finds it hard to focus on what she needs to do. Everything is conspiring to distract her, especially once rumors and accusations start to appear around the demesne. Celia still has plenty of questions and too many unknowns, and she’ll have to trust those around her if she wants to find the answers she seeks. Only one thing remains between Celia and her final goal, but if she wants to defeat her adversary, find her family, and take her rightful position in the demesne, it’s going to take everything she has.

The news Celia Fincastle received at the end of school last year came as a surprise, and it isn't the last surprising information she'll get before she heads back to school for another year at Renasci. The summer brings challenges right from the start, and by the time she gets through the Summer Tournament, she's just hoping she makes it to the start of school without anything else falling apart. School isn't any easier, though, and Celia struggles to cope with all of the changes. She needs to find the remaining clues from her parents, no easy task when she can't let anyone find out what she's really doing. She also has some decisions to make, questions with no easy answers that will affect the rest of her life and possibly the lives of those around her. But there are other things going on, things that Celia can't quite see yet. Something's brewing and Celia knows it, and this time the price they'll all pay might just be too high.