On a dangerous spy mission, Calvin has been betrayed by an ally. Summers, Blackmoth, and Tristan race to recover the isotome weapons. Raidan has underhanded plans. Kalila and Caerwyn have drawn the entire Empire into brutal civil war. The Rotham seem poised to attack human worlds. And in the vast regions of Forbidden Space the Dread Fleet moves, charged with bringing to pass the Final Darkness.

On the surface, the galaxy seems peaceful. Humankind prospers from the Capital World to the far reaches of the Corridor. But to those who can see the signs, it's clear something is wrong. Long, dark fingers are pulling strings inside the military, making clandestine deals with enemy states to fulfill a dark design. Calvin is an intelligence agent working for the Imperial government. He's young, his methods are unorthodox, but he gets results. So when a former military hero steals a warship and threatens to start a war, Calvin is sent to eliminate him. But as he chases his prey across the stars, he realizes they are both pawns in a shadowy chess game that shakes kingdoms, divides empires, and threatens civilization everywhere. And if he is to uncover the mystery and expose the conspiracy he must confront—and embrace—the darkest elements of the galaxy and throw himself and everyone he loves into the line of fire.

The threat of civil war looms over humanity. Summers races to find the isotome weapons, Nimoux is trapped, Shen awakens to a strange new life, and Calvin hunts for the true puppetmaster. Desperate to discover the deepest layer of the conspiracy before it's too late. And in the shadows, Blackmoth brews a storm of chaos, hellbent on subjecting the galaxy to the dark design of his One True God.

The leaders of the Phoenix Conspiracy are poised to usher in The Hour of Ascension. And it is up to Calvin to expose the conspiracy before the Empire collapses in a firestorm of civil war. The Organization, the Akiras, CERKO, the Advent, the Phoenix Ring... it all comes down to this moment. And the question on everyone's mind is, can the Empire survive? Or will it be lost to the tempest.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory teamed up to write The Obsidian Trilogy, set in a wondrous world filled with magical beings, competing magic systems, and a titanic struggle between good and evil. That world proved so popular with the creators and readers alike that Lackey and Mallory have returned to it with The Phoenix Unchained, Book One of The Enduring Flame, the opening volume of a new epic fantasy trilogy. After a thousand years of peace, much Magick has faded from the world. The Elves live far from humankind. There are no High Mages, and Wild Mages are seen only rarely. Bisochim, a powerful Wild Mage, is determined to reintroduce Darkness to the world, believing that it is out of Balance. Tiercel, a young Armethalian nobleman, is convinced that High Magic is not just philosophy. He attempts a spell—and draws the unwelcome attention of Bisochim. Tiercel survives Bisochim's attack and begins trying to turn himself into a High Mage. Next in line to be Harbormaster of Armethalieh, Harrier instead finds himself regularly saving Tyr's life and meeting magickal people and creatures. To Harrier's dismay, it seems that he must become a hero. In The Phoenix Unchained, Harrier and Tiercel begin a marvelous journey to uncover their destinies. Along the way, they meet a charming female centaur, several snooty Elves, and the most powerful dragon their world has ever known. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Jean Grey's cycle of death and rebirth continues as one of comics' most celebrated writers leaves his unmistakable mark on the Phoenix! As Jean's connection with the cosmic firebird rekindles, Magneto returns! The X-Men thought that his mutant menace had finally been ended - but he was hiding in plain sight all along, waiting to make his move. With the X-Men scattered and blindsided, New York afl ame and Xavier's students corrupted, Jean must reclaim the power of the Phoenix...no matter the terrible cost! Then, 150 years in the future, the X-Men's ultimate foe has finally revealed his true face. But when the Phoenix Egg is discovered, will the X-Men of tomorrow become the next victims to burn in the Phoenix Force's purifying flames? Experience a pivotal chapter in the life and legacy of Jean Grey! COLLECTING: NEW X-MEN (2001) 146-154

Death. Destruction. Despair. These are the hallmarks of the Dread Fleet. It is an unstoppable force that, when summoned to do so, will scourge the galaxy in a Holy Reckoning. It is up to Queen Kalila Akira, Calvin Cross, and the others to stop it. Meanwhile a dark figure lurks in the shadows whose path must cross Calvin's, it is an intersection that could end in death.