The Serving Magic Series by Toni Cabell

Her homeland under siege. A dark sorcerer hot on her trail. All the prophecies say Linden can stop him. Who are they kidding? Linden is the worst mage apprentice at her school. Her latest disaster: accidentally destroying her classroom when a small hooded figure pops up inside the fireball she’s just conjured. Linden is sent to the headmaster’s office to be formally expelled, when she is saved by the bell—quite literally... moreHer homeland under siege. A dark sorcerer hot on her trail. All the prophecies say Linden can stop him. Who are they kidding? Linden is the worst mage apprentice at her school. Her latest disaster: accidentally destroying her classroom when a small hooded figure pops up inside the fireball she’s just conjured. Linden is sent to the headmaster’s office to be formally expelled, when she is saved by the bell—quite literally. Someone is frantically ringing the bell inside the watchtower overlooking the western frontier. Soon, all the bells in town, from the government buildings to the chapels and private residences, are ringing out the same warning code. Raiders are coming, in broad daylight, wearing the uniforms of the enemy army. In the days following the raid, rumors begin to fly about the invading commander, with dark powers and an even darker mission. And for some reason Linden has yet to fathom, he’s taken a personal interest in her and her unruly magic. less

Old magic. New alliances. A necromancer raising the undead. Has he brought back Linden’s worst nightmare? Although Linden is now the Liege of Faynwood, she’s struggling to adjust to the customs of her adopted homeland. No one is taking her seriously. Her advisors are more concerned with keeping her safe than listening to her warnings about the dark magic gathering along Faynwood’s borders. But that all changes when a fay scout delivers shocking news: Mordahn has returned from beyond the grave... moreOld magic. New alliances. A necromancer raising the undead. Has he brought back Linden’s worst nightmare? Although Linden is now the Liege of Faynwood, she’s struggling to adjust to the customs of her adopted homeland. No one is taking her seriously. Her advisors are more concerned with keeping her safe than listening to her warnings about the dark magic gathering along Faynwood’s borders. But that all changes when a fay scout delivers shocking news: Mordahn has returned from beyond the grave. Even worse, he’s discovered the ancient places of power, which are fueling his war machine. Linden, her old classmates, and an unlikely band of fays and clansmen, set out to destroy the places of power—but will they be able to save Faynwood from Mordahn’s dark magic before it’s too late? less

A roving gang of necromancers. An undead army. A missing resistance leader. Must Linden visit the realms of the dead to fix this mess? Linden knows it’s only a matter of time before her nation is attacked by Mordahn’s army. As the clans prepare for all-out war, Linden decides to lead a small team into the neighboring kingdom. She believes the only way to stop Mordahn and the dark sorcery heading their way is to team up with the local resistance across the border... moreA roving gang of necromancers. An undead army. A missing resistance leader. Must Linden visit the realms of the dead to fix this mess? Linden knows it’s only a matter of time before her nation is attacked by Mordahn’s army. As the clans prepare for all-out war, Linden decides to lead a small team into the neighboring kingdom. She believes the only way to stop Mordahn and the dark sorcery heading their way is to team up with the local resistance across the border. All the clan chiefs and fays agree with Linden’s plan, except for one. The stubborn, handsome Chief of Arrowood, who must remain behind to defend the western frontier, is furious with Linden. Every prophecy predicts this is the final showdown between Linden and Mordahn, between the Liege of Faynwood and the most powerful necromancer in three kingdoms. Linden is determined to dispatch Mordahn once and for all, even if it means pursuing him into the realms of the dead. This is her last chance to save her nation from the coming darkness—but before it’s over, will Linden be forced to choose between her duty and her heart? less

A dark fay uprising. A dashing fay wizard. And a growing anti-magic movement. Mara’s blades aren’t sharp enough to cut through this tangled web. By day, Mara runs a clockwork toyshop. By night, she spies for the resistance. The last thing Mara needs is a ridiculously handsome fay to train in customer service and spy craft. Arnesto is persistent, bedazzling, and a twelfth-level fay wizard... moreA dark fay uprising. A dashing fay wizard. And a growing anti-magic movement. Mara’s blades aren’t sharp enough to cut through this tangled web. By day, Mara runs a clockwork toyshop. By night, she spies for the resistance. The last thing Mara needs is a ridiculously handsome fay to train in customer service and spy craft. Arnesto is persistent, bedazzling, and a twelfth-level fay wizard. He also casts spells in all the wrong places, talks more than he listens, and manages to get himself arrested. Mara plans to send the incompetent fay packing if he makes one more mistake. But Mara and Arnesto must team up when a fresh threat imperils both the human and fay realms. Are swords, magic, and a scrap of prophecy enough to save the kingdom? less

Mara’s magic has stopped working—at the worst possible time! With chasms opening in the streets of Bellaryss and rumors of chaos in the lower realms, should Mara seek help from the king of the elves? After rescuing thirty people, including Arnesto, from the dark fays, Mara’s physical injuries are healed—but her magic has never recovered—and her ensorcelled sword no longer responds to her touch. Even worse, Mara’s heart is bruised by Arnesto’s long absences and rambling explanations... moreMara’s magic has stopped working—at the worst possible time! With chasms opening in the streets of Bellaryss and rumors of chaos in the lower realms, should Mara seek help from the king of the elves? After rescuing thirty people, including Arnesto, from the dark fays, Mara’s physical injuries are healed—but her magic has never recovered—and her ensorcelled sword no longer responds to her touch. Even worse, Mara’s heart is bruised by Arnesto’s long absences and rambling explanations. Arnesto, however, has problems of his own. His brother’s spirit—along with many others in the lower realms—can’t cross over to the far shore—and Arnesto blames himself. Mara must find a way to work with Arnesto despite their differences and misunderstandings. But can she gain admittance to the elven king, find a cure for her magic, and save both worlds—the living and the dead—before time runs out? Praise for the award-winning Serving Magic series:. "A captivating fantasy adventure with a relatable female protagonist. Highly recommended! ” (The Wishing Shelf, for LADY APPRENTICE). "Airy, fun and brimming with magic…a rollicking fantasy adventure of enchanting proportions. ” (Indies Today, for LADY SPY). "This series has everything I love in a good young adult fantasy novel. .. a powerful protagonist, a strong plot, dry humor, and a romantic interest that our protagonist resists. .. " (Readers Favorite, for LADY LIEGE). **Don't miss the final installment in the series! **. less