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The Circle Opens Quartet
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1. Magic Steps
Four years after we last saw the young mages Sandry, Tris, Daja, and Briar in the Circle of Magic quartet, Sandry is back. Now 14 years old, she is helping her great-uncle, Duke Vedris IV, ruler of Emelan, recover after a heart attack. But there's no rest for the weary mage. A mysterious murderer is afoot, and it quickly becomes clear that Sandry and her reluctant young protégé, Pasco, are the only ones who can stop the killings. Unfortunately, Pasco comes from a long line of harriers, or provost's guards, and his burly family does not think highly of a boy who dances magical spells. It takes some fancy footwork to convince Pasco of the need for his special brand of magic, and Sandry is just the girl for the job.
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2. Street Magic
After years of training, 14-year-old Briar Moss, a reformed street-gang member, is now an accredited mage. While in the city of Chammur, he meets Evvy, a street urchin unknowingly gifted with powerful stone magic. Evvy needs a mentor, as well as protection from a local gang seeking to exploit her talents. Reluctantly, Briar becomes her teacher and guardian and soon finds himself caught between warring gangs whose violent lifestyles will lead to continuing tragedy unless he intervenes.
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3. Cold Fire
Daja and her teacher, Frostpine, settle into the northern Namorn city of Kugisko for a restful winter break. Not surprisingly, their illusions are promptly shattered, as Daja discovers that the twin daughters of her host have "ambient magic." As the discovering-mage, Daja is obliged to teach the fidgety girls the rudiments of magic. Meanwhile, Kugisko seems to have fallen into the hands of a ruthless arsonist, and Daja is determined to help her new firefighting friend, Bennat Ladradun, get to the bottom of the mystery.
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4. Shatterglass
Tris and Niko are in Namorn for a visionary magic conference when strange events begin to occur. Tris gets a student, Kethlun who has hit by lightning and is hiding out from the authorities so they don't force him to retrain for his glassblowing career. Meanwhile, a series of murders occur in the entertainment district. At first, the authorities overlook the crimes because the victims are merely unrespectable women, but soon they find that they can't ignore the problem any longer, and it is Tris and Kethlun who hold the key to solving the crime.
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