Is one born with his destiny or does he forge it? In the mystical land of Gaya, two prophecies bind the fate of men and empires alike. The Destroyer born from the royal seed on the Land of the Setting Sun shall bring the empires down, or so has been foretold. In between the Destroyer and the world stand the Seven Guardians of Gaya, guarding the realm of man. A king, a father, defies the Seven and fate itself to save the last drop of his blood and prince Agni grows in the Land of the Rising Sun, exiled from his own people, unaware of his past. Losing the woman he loved most to the shadows in the dark, Agni is thrown into a whirlpool of events that he neither knows, nor understands. His quest for vengeance brings him to the doorstep of a secret that will shatter the very foundation of beliefs of a world. Can Agni avert his destiny? Can he uncover the truth about the Seven and the prophecies, now hidden behind a veil of ignorance? The Secrets of the Dark are sometimes so terrible that they are better left unsaid.

Frederick Buechner has long been a kindred spirit to those who find elements of doubt as constant companions on their journey of faith. He is a passionate writer and preacher who can alter lives with a simple phrase. Buechner's words, both written and spoken, have the power to revolutionize and revitalize belief and faith. He reveals the presence of God in the midst of daily life. He faces and embraces difficult questions and doubt as essential components of our lives, rather than as enemies that destroy us. "Listen to your life!" is his clarion call. This theme pervades this definitive collection of sermons, delivered throughout Buechner's lifetime. Presented chronologically, they provide a clear picture of the development of his theology and thinking. Reflecting Buechner's exquisite gift for storytelling and his compassionate pastor's heart, Secrets in the Dark will inspire laughter, hope, and bring great solace. Turn the pages and rediscover what it means to be thoughtful about faith. See why this renowned writer has been quoted in countless pulpits and beloved by Americans for generations.

Webster County, Iowa, 1899: When Bessie Kloubec turns eleven she wants to be seen as more grown-up. However, she isn't prepared for the violence that unravels her family and throws her into an adult role. As she tries to fix her broken family, will her own anxieties overwhelm her? LaMoure County, North Dakota, 1904: As Bessie turns sixteen, the family moves away, hoping to leave their secrets behind. They are welcomed into the community, but a new family scandal breaks out. Will her budding romance survive? Where can she find the healing needed to move her heart forward? Based on a true story and told in first person, Bessie's dilemma is as relevant today as it was over one hundred years ago.

Secrets After Dark will take you one step closer to the edge of passion: the perfect read for fans of L.S. Hilton's Maestra, Sylvia Day's Crossfire series, or E.L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey. Ours was a love bound by power... Falling in love with Dominic changed me. I relinquished myself completely and placed my heart and my trust in Dominic's hands, but in one exquisite, excruciating moment he abandoned his control. Anguished by his actions, he has locked those darkest desires inside, unable to share my conviction that it would never happen again. Now it's not only Dominic who craves that delicate, seductive game of give and take, of walking the line between pain and pleasure, abandon and release. Persuading Dominic to let those secret parts of himself unravel will be the biggest risk I've ever taken, but I can't resist. Even if it means we fall apart... Provocative and sophisticated, exhilarating and seductive, the AFTER DARK series is a compelling pleasure we should all indulge in.

What really happened to Mother? Lauren has come home seven years after her famous mother's mysterious drowning. They said it was an accident, but the tabloids screamed murder. Her father, a senator, hadn't protected her. Aunt Jule was her only refuge, the beloved godmother she's returning to see. Lauren stops at Wisteria's annual street festival and meets Nick, a tease, a flirt, and a childhood playmate. The day is almost perfect -- until she realizes she's being watched. Arriving at Aunt Jule's, Lauren is shocked at the decay of the riverfront home. Aunt Jule seems angry and defensive, even as she fusses over Lauren at her daughter Holly's expense. Nora, Jule's other daughter, is silent and spooky, and stares at Lauren with frightening intensity. Meanwhile, Nick has acted as if he wants to be more than Lauren's friend. So why is he suddenly glued to Holly and almost hostile to Lauren? How can she trust him -- especially now that a series of nasty "accidents" makes Lauren realize that somebody wants her dead? This time, there's no place to run.