Steadfast

Katie Langford had been part of her family's acrobatic troupe working in a small traveling circus -- until a terrible fire killed her parents. Years later, still with the circus but stuck in an abusive marriage to a drunk, Katie fled to Brighton, a seaside resort town whose music halls meant no circus need visit.

Lionel Hawkens was a professional Air Magician who had a permanent job at the Palace Music Hall in Brighton. His shows never failed to enchant the ever-changing crowds, for even though he wasn't a Master, Lionel's sylphs helped him keep his shows far above average. Lionel wasn't the only one at the Palace who had magical abilities. Jack Prescott had lost a leg in the Boer Wars, but had a steady job at the Palace as the doorman. Jack had preternatural awareness of all flame, for he was also a magician and his aspect was Fire.

When Katie answered the Palace's call for a new assistant with stage experience, she couldn't believe her luck. Lionel could not believe it either -- not only had he found a perfectly suited assistant, but he could tell that Katie was like Jack: a magician whose aspect was Fire.

Though Jack and Lionel could see the glowing salamanders that snuggled up to Katie like a couple of cats, she herself seemed blind to the little Fire Elementals. Katie's power was blocked -- a potentially dangerous situation for everyone around her -- and Lionel and Jack could tell that she was hiding something. Something that frightened her.

Would the two magicians be able to teach Katie to control her Element before whatever threatened her became real?

Mercedes Lackey is a full-time writer and has published numerous novels and works of short fiction, including the best-selling Heralds Of Valdemar series. She is also a professional lyricist and a licensed wild bird rehabilitator. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband, artist Larry Dixon, and their flock of parrots. She can be found at mercedeslackey.com.