Through Shadows by P.S. Livingstone, A.M. Justice, Alex McGilvery, J.E. Hannaford, Laura Shank, Liam Hogan, Anela Deen

A collection of award-winning speculative short fiction! QuaranCon's top entries from both the 2020 and 2021 short fiction contests, these six stories all deal with themes of isolation and innovation, and are sure to keep you entertained in bite sized moments of adventure.

A Wizard’s Sacrifice by A.M. Justice

Victoria of Ourtown believes that destiny is nonsense—and that wandering star people think is a god, she knows it's nothing but an old, abandoned spacecraft. She used to scoff at stories of magic too, until she acquired the power to move things with her mind. Once a warrior, now a secret wizard, she just wants to live an ordinary life and atone for the suffering she caused. Ashel of Narath knows the wandering star is the god who watches over humanity, but Vic's heretical views aren't keeping them apart. Instead, a thousand miles and a tragic loss stand between them. Lornk Korng needs Vic and Ashel to execute his plans for conquest. The fact both want him dead is but a trifling snag in his schemes. A bigger problem are the world’s indigenous aliens and an ancient enemy whose victory could wipe out humankind. As plots and counterplots clash across time, Vic and Ashel must choose their allies carefully, or risk losing not only each other but everything they know. A gripping tale of wizardry, warfare, and moral dilemmas unspools in a breathtaking blend of fantasy and science fiction.

A Wizard's Forge by A.M. Justice

Wizards are forged, not born. Victoria of Ourtown lived through a nightmare to become the ruthless soldier known as Vic the Blade. Once she wished to explore the world settled by her spacefaring ancestors; now she thinks only of revenge. Prince Ashel's carefree days are filled with music, revels, and dreams of a life with Vic. Those hopes die when the thrust of an assassin's knife drives him to war. The target of Vic's and Ashel's wrath is Lornk Korng, a tyrant whose schemes stretch across a continent and a lifetime. A mysterious alien race holds the key to a legendary--and lethal--power. The one who possesses this power would hold the world in their hands, but they might just doom it too. A gripping tale of empowerment and revenge plays out against a breathtaking backdrop of dark fantasy and science fiction. Honors Booknest Top 100 of this Century 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2017 Readers Favorite Book Awards