The kingdom of Nohmur has been a peaceful land for humans since the exorcists repelled the demons and sealed the way to the underworld of Ruhmon. Two sisters, Lys and Rin, are the heirs of the illustrious Shirano family, the most powerful clan among the exorcists charged with watching over the barrier and maintaining the balance between the two worlds withe the aid of Hikaten, the Sword of a Hundred Souls. One fateful day, however, with the neighboring villages suddenly coming under violent attack, the peace is broken... and the sacred sword begins to react to an unknown phenomenon.

After being separated from her companion and held captive, Rin finally broke the enchantment and was able to reunite with Aghyr. Now their only chance at getting answers about the sacred sword lies with the very same wind oracle who trapped Rin—Buren! Can they trust Buren when he says he's seen Rin's missing sister, Lys? Not only that, but Buren claims Hitaken actually has a sister sword! Everything that's happened so far seems to be connected in ways Rin doesn't yet understand, but Aghyr might have a vital clue he's been hiding from Rin all this time...

The kingdom of Nohmur has been a peaceful land for humans since the exorcist Eron Shirano repelled the demons and sealed the way to the underworld of Ruhmon. Generations later, sisters Lys and Rin are the heirs of the illustrious Shirano family, the most powerful exorcist clan charged with watching over the barrier and maintaining balance between the two worlds with the aid of Hikaten, the Sword of a Hundred Souls. Until one day, for unknown reasons, demons begin slipping through once more... and suddenly, Lys vanishes without a trace, leaving the sacred sword behind for her little sister to take up. As the underworld threat grows, Rin sets out alongside her companion, the mysterious Aghyr, to find her missing sister and figure out how to fortify the weakening barrier between her world and that of the monstrous creatures that threaten her kingdom once again.

When darkness branches to the soul of a family, light arrives in the form of a strange girl from the backwoods. Tree sprite Scarlet Oak exists as an outlier in her forested society. Wingless since she was very young, she imagines deeper things, longing to know more than a warm bond with her birth oak. Then, one Thanksgiving night, humanness wanders into her realm when an autistic boy hangs himself from her oak tree. Heartbroken, Scarlet trails the boy's father and the rescue workers out of the woods. As the father stands alone and grief-stricken on a dirt road near his beat-up blue truck, Scarlet approaches, offering him a crimson leaf. By doing so, she trades her oak roots for human ones and her forest for farmland in a quest to unearth the tragic secret that led to the boy's death. But soon Scarlet falls for a complex youth named Warren. And if she gives in to this new kind of love, it will strip away her magic, and she can never truly return to her oak or nature's wild. Scarlet Oak is a soulful exploration of our fragile ties with nature, community, and loved ones. It poignantly grapples with how we move through loss to find meaning and connection.

After their search for the missing Great Priestess Lys leads Rin and Aghyr into trouble and an unexpected battle at the Water Sanctuary, they take some time to regroup among their friends of the Kaishin Clan. There, they meet up with the Fire Oracles Kara and Koru, who have prophesied the arrival of the Scarlet Soul— none other than Rin Shirano herself. With the Fire Oracles' help, Rin reclaims her sister's sword Hitaken, which has chosen her as its wielder. Whether she feels ready to take on the responsibility or not, she is the only one who can carry the ancient exorcist blade now. With demon activity increasing throughout the land, it's more important than ever that the Great Priestess is found as quickly as possible... even as forces gather that will stop at nothing to make sure Rin can never see her sister again!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Redeeming Love and The Masterpiece comes the powerful story of two women, centuries apart, who are joined through a tattered journal as they contend with God, husbands, and even themselves. Sierra Madrid’s life has just been turned upside down when she discovers the handcrafted quilt and journal of her ancestor Mary Kathryn McMurray, a young woman who was uprooted from her home only to endure harsh conditions on the Oregon Trail. Though the women are separated by time and circumstance, Sierra discovers that many of the issues they face are remarkably similar . . . and uncovering Mary Kathryn’s story may help her write the next chapter of hers. “Rivers tells a powerful story of marital love tested in a crucible. Your hankie will not be dry, nor your heart unchallenged, as the characters learn the lessons of surrender to God’s sovereignty and unconditional love.” —Romantic Times Also available in The Francine Rivers Historical Collection (e-book only).