Following the hunting contest, Duke Marwick bides his time before making his next move. His previous scheme was intended to prop up Prince Liedis’s position, but it only resulted in reinforcing that of his opponent. This time, the power-hungry duke will have to resort to bolder strategies—ones that will shake the Palace of Albion to its core. An ancient device lying deep under the palace will be key in thwarting his plans...Meanwhile, Estelle and Arcrayne are developing a mutual mi...

Estelle Flozeth is the sister of a countryside earl, and her newfound ability to see others’ emotions through their mana has brought her nothing but trouble!Her life drastically changes one day when her childhood friend and fiancé is swept away from her by the daughter of a capitalist. Heartbroken, Estelle attends a ball and winds up meeting Prince Arcrayne, a wicked man who soon finds out about her special power and decides he must have her for himself! To that end, he proposes to...

Following Diana’s thwarted assassination attempt on Estelle, relative peace returns to Arcaryne’s palace—but not for long. Trickster, the man who had underhandedly instigated Diana, soon reappears, having found another easy high-profile target: House Rainsworth, whose daughter Olivia had once been rumored to be all but engaged with Arcrayne. As Trickster worms his way into the family’s mansion and gains nearly everyone’s unsuspecting trust, the household quickly dissolves into chaos. It is...

Produced biennially, The World’s Water provides a timely examination of the key issues surrounding freshwater resources and their use. Each new volume identifies and explains the most significant trends worldwide, and offers the best data available on a variety of topics related to water. The 2008-2009 volume features overview chapters on:• water and climate change• water in China• status of the Millennium Development Goals for water• peak water• efficien...