A wizard drags his pipe companion through a portal, to seek out and destroy a lord of the underworld, knowing that if they fail, entire worlds will be shuttered off from each other, overwhelmed by demons forever.

WHY WHISTLE IN THE DARK... There are very few days off when you're on an epic quest. Believe me, I know. I'm Hedi Peacock-one half Fae, the other were-and if being a half-breed with one foot in each world isn't tough enough to manage, there are the four chambers of my heart to consider. The one who holds the strings? Robson Trowbridge, the Alpha of Creemore. If I had my way, he and I would be locked in a bedroom, for eternity, but a pressing family matter needs my attention. It's true what they say: A woman's work is never done. WHEN YOU CAN HOWL AT THE MOON? My twin brother is being held captive by the Old Mage in another realm. Lo and behold, as soon as Trowbridge and I arrive in Merenwyn, we're separated in spectacular, dramatic fashion-and I'm left to figure out how to maintain the fragile balance between my Fae magic and my wolf's blood in a realm that cries to both. Not easy, particularly when I'm keeping an iron-grip on my temper so as not to dispatch with extreme prejudice the odd wizard or smart-mouthed mutt servant who crosses my path. My mama never told me there'd be days like these, but I'm not going down without a fight...or my mate.

Three wizards have moved into Rebecca's district with nasty hobgoblins in tow. Why are they so helpful, giving free bags of potatoes to everyone? Rebecca finds out the tainted potatoes keep all that eat them under the spell of the wizards. Rebecca and the house goblins struggle to destroy the potatoes, but the wizards are busy planting more of the horror harvest throughout the districts. Nearly everyone is now under their control. Rebecca is helped by the three old sisters and a bridge troll to take back the districts from the dangerous wizards.

THE HARVEST CHILD AND OTHER FANTASIES collects the wide range of Steve Rasnic Tem’s fantasy tales for the first time. These 39 stories include sword & sorcery sagas, chronicles of fairies, elves, witches, wizards, magical creatures, Robin Hood, funny fantasy, and a smattering of science fantasy, as well as some uncollected dark fantasy tales which emphasize the fantasy over the horror. These fictions originally appeared in both major markets and hard-to-find small magazines including, but not limited to: After Hours, Paradox, Asimov’s, Dragon Magazine, Elsewhere, Infinite Loop, New Frontiers, Jabberwocky, Chrysalis, Grue, Mythellany, Fantasy Book, Extro, and Beneath Ceaseless Skies. Stories included in this collection: The Harvest Child The Artist and His Mother Ancient Grass The Brollachan The Carl Paradox Eddie the Great Robin in the Mists Cornwoman Dune Shack The Dying Embrace of Clay, Embrace of Straw Garbage Hideout Daytimer The Orchard The Doors of Hypertext In All Things Moderation Janael Filmmaker Lost Cherokee Markers Tall Skies The Sound of Hawkwings Dissolving Riverbanks Teddy Bear Winter Time and the Exile Umbrellas Morning Talk Re: Vision Wanderlust War on the Downside Welcome to Rodeomart The World through the Tree Ten Things I Know About the Wizard Punishment Writing in the Dark The Night Market (with Melanie Tem) The Final Apprentice Dying on the Elephant Road

The Wizard Lord's duty is to keep the world in its delicate balance. He must govern lightly to protect his domain from power-hungry interlopers, such as certain wizards who previously fought to rule the world...But if the Wizard Lord himself strays from the way of the just, then it is up to the Chosen to intercede. The Chosen ones are the Leader, the Seer, the Swordsman, the Beauty, the Thief, the Scholar, the Archer, and the Speaker. Each are magically-infused mortal individuals who, for the term of their service, have only one function--to be available to remove an errant Wizard Lord, whether by persuasion or by stronger means. Breaker, a young man of ambition, has taken the mantle of Swordsman from its former bearer who wished to retire. Never did he realize that he would be called to duty so quickly, or that the balance of power in his world would be so precarious. He had a duty to perform. A world to save. So why does he still have doubts...not just about himself, but about the entire balance of power? At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

When Odin breathed life into the mortal realms, he also created the Cardinal Wizards: the Northern Wizard as the representative of Good, the Southern as master of Evil, and the Western and Eastern as the keepers of the balance between Good and Evil, each neutral, both sharing the burden of holding their fellow magic wielders in check. But now the days decreed in ancient prophecy have come upon the mortal realms. The Great War has been fought and a Renshai has proven its Champion. Yet even as the war's heroes struggle to place the rightful king of Bearn upon his throne, and the also true Renshai seeks to train a new generation of his warrior race, the word is carried forth on falcon's wings that the Western Wizard is no more. And unless Shadimar, the Wizard of the East, can find the one mortal with any hope of surviving the challenge of the Seven Tasks of Wizardry, the worlds of gods and mortals alike will fall....