The Oncoming Storm Series by Marion Blackwood

What would you sacrifice to save your friend? Your soul? Your humanity? Your life?The Oncoming Storm is a name whispered in awe throughout the Underworld. She's known as a master thief and a lethal knife-wielder - some even say she has the skills of an assassin. All of it is true. She's also a sarcastic smartmouth with the social graces of a bull. You will find her running across rooftops, sneaking in the shadows, and breaking into houses... moreWhat would you sacrifice to save your friend? Your soul? Your humanity? Your life?The Oncoming Storm is a name whispered in awe throughout the Underworld. She's known as a master thief and a lethal knife-wielder - some even say she has the skills of an assassin. All of it is true. She's also a sarcastic smartmouth with the social graces of a bull. You will find her running across rooftops, sneaking in the shadows, and breaking into houses. That is, if she's not busy getting ambushed and blackmailed into a seemingly impossible mission. Grudgingly caught in a dangerous power struggle, the Oncoming Storm must leave behind the world she knows and maneuver through scheming assassins, calculating elves, and desperate royals. Before her adventure is over, she will have loved, saved, killed, and double-crossed those around her. The only question is, who? The clock is ticking, and before time runs out, the Oncoming Storm must decide who to trust and who to betray… less

What would you do if your past sins came back to haunt you?Hide? Fight them head on? Or scheme and stab them in the back?After barely surviving last year’s lethal power struggle, the smart-mouthed thief known as the Oncoming Storm has solidified her long-standing belief that steering well clear of other people’s problems is the way to live. Even when a whole new civilization sails right into the harbor, she remains adamant. She is not getting involved in another political intrigue... moreWhat would you do if your past sins came back to haunt you?Hide? Fight them head on? Or scheme and stab them in the back?After barely surviving last year’s lethal power struggle, the smart-mouthed thief known as the Oncoming Storm has solidified her long-standing belief that steering well clear of other people’s problems is the way to live. Even when a whole new civilization sails right into the harbor, she remains adamant. She is not getting involved in another political intrigue. But she might not have a choice.Past sins have caught up with the knife-throwing thief and she finds herself under attack. With more enemies than she can count, the Oncoming Storm has no idea who is targeting her. Or why. Her desperate fight for survival draws her deeper into a web of manipulation, threats, and conspiracies.Assassins, kings and noble lords, as well as strangers from another land, all plot in the shadows. Who will outsmart who? And which side is trying to kill the thief caught in the middle? The noose is tightening. Can the Oncoming Storm solve the mystery in time or will she be forced to betray her allies in order to stay alive? less

What would you do to protect your home? Lie? Manipulate? Kill?War awaits across the sea. In order to ensure their survival, the Oncoming Storm and a band of misfits set sail for the land beyond the horizon. In a country where the power structure is as strange as the language, their desperate mission to secure a lasting peace will take them on a journey through halls of power and dark back alleys alike... moreWhat would you do to protect your home? Lie? Manipulate? Kill?War awaits across the sea. In order to ensure their survival, the Oncoming Storm and a band of misfits set sail for the land beyond the horizon. In a country where the power structure is as strange as the language, their desperate mission to secure a lasting peace will take them on a journey through halls of power and dark back alleys alike. Trusting the wrong person could get them all killed, but without help from the locals they have no chance of succeeding. They can only hope that they have placed their faith in the right people.In addition to the constant outside threats, tensions also run high within the group. Working together turns out to be far harder than anticipated, and cracks form in the bonds between them as personalities clash and weapons are drawn. Relationships will be tested and strained to the breaking point when a surprise betrayal forces secrets long buried into the light. The deck is stacked against them and hidden threats lurk around every corner. Can they accomplish their mission despite the overwhelming odds? Or will they end up killing each other instead? less

What could you learn to live without? Your heart? Your mind? Your soul?Having lost her purpose in life, the Oncoming Storm leaves behind everything and everyone she has ever known, and takes off across the continent. But there is one thing from which she can’t run. Trouble. When Shade and Elaran track her down, she manages to get them all captured by the star elves... moreWhat could you learn to live without? Your heart? Your mind? Your soul?Having lost her purpose in life, the Oncoming Storm leaves behind everything and everyone she has ever known, and takes off across the continent. But there is one thing from which she can’t run. Trouble. When Shade and Elaran track her down, she manages to get them all captured by the star elves. During their stay in the star elves’ capital, the Oncoming Storm must learn to navigate a world far outside her comfort zone: court life. With no frame of reference to go by, she desperately scrambles to keep up appearances while also trying to find a way out. But nothing is quite as straightforward as it first seems.When secrets about herself and the world around her are revealed, she is forced to question whether the star elves really are the bad guys. It might actually be someone else entirely. Namely, the Oncoming Storm herself. Can she figure out the truth before she gets her friends killed? Or will she lose herself in the darkness first? less

What would you be prepared to face in order to win? Ambushers? An invading army? Your own inner demons?Deep in the mountains, the Oncoming Storm finally finds the other Storm Casters. However, learning to control her powers turns out to be more difficult than she expected. In order to improve, she needs someone to train her but that comes at a cost.On the other side of the continent, the stars elves are marching... moreWhat would you be prepared to face in order to win? Ambushers? An invading army? Your own inner demons?Deep in the mountains, the Oncoming Storm finally finds the other Storm Casters. However, learning to control her powers turns out to be more difficult than she expected. In order to improve, she needs someone to train her but that comes at a cost.On the other side of the continent, the stars elves are marching. When they threaten to take over one of the only unoccupied cities left, the Oncoming Storm gets an offer she can't refuse: rescue an important advisor and she will get the Storm Caster teacher she sorely needs.Outnumbered and up against an enemy who will stop at nothing, the Oncoming Storm and her friends are fighting a losing battle. If they fail, one of the last free cities will fall and the Oncoming Storm will lose her chance to master her powers. Can they outsmart the invaders before it's too late? less

What is more important to you?Wealth? Peace? Freedom?With her powers finally under control, the Oncoming Storm returns to Pernula. But not everything is as she left it. There is a new King of the Underworld and he is out for blood. And submission. The Oncoming Storm has no intention of bending the knee to anyone but she is still reluctant to enter yet another power struggle.However, not getting involved turns out to be impossible when her enemy can turn every single underworlder against her... moreWhat is more important to you?Wealth? Peace? Freedom?With her powers finally under control, the Oncoming Storm returns to Pernula. But not everything is as she left it. There is a new King of the Underworld and he is out for blood. And submission. The Oncoming Storm has no intention of bending the knee to anyone but she is still reluctant to enter yet another power struggle.However, not getting involved turns out to be impossible when her enemy can turn every single underworlder against her. Staying on the sidelines has always been the way she survives, but now the Oncoming Storm might have to step out of the shadows and become something else. A leader.In this fight, the Oncoming Storm will have to draw on everything she has. Skills, wits, friends, and old contacts. And maybe a wicked knife or two. She is determined to win this battle by herself, but her enemy has the Underworld in an iron grip and breaking it on her own sounds more like a desperate dream. Maybe it is time to accept that sometimes, even an arrogant selfish thief must bow to someone? less

What would you do to protect everyone you love?Anything. Everything. Whatever it takes.The final battle is here. With the star elves marching on Pernula, the Oncoming Storm and her friends must gather their allies and make one last stand. But it won't be easy. Their enemies have legions of soldiers, chemical weapons, and a powerful magic spell on their side. Not to mention a dragon. Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat will be costly, and should they fail, everyone they love will suffer... moreWhat would you do to protect everyone you love?Anything. Everything. Whatever it takes.The final battle is here. With the star elves marching on Pernula, the Oncoming Storm and her friends must gather their allies and make one last stand. But it won't be easy. Their enemies have legions of soldiers, chemical weapons, and a powerful magic spell on their side. Not to mention a dragon. Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat will be costly, and should they fail, everyone they love will suffer.For most of her life, the Oncoming Storm has only opened her cold black heart to very few people. But now, after all her adventures and everything she has been through, she has found friends and family all across the world whom she would do anything to protect. The only problem is that in war, people are bound to die and get hurt. Fear gnaws at her soul, because even with her considerable powers, the Oncoming Storm knows that she might not be enough to protect everyone she loves.Every weapon will count, every ally will be vital, every skill will be used, and every single card will be played before the end. But will it be enough? And who will be left standing when the streets are running red with blood? Because the war will end. One way or another. But not everyone will be there to see a new world born... less