In a world where arcane contraptions are capable of just about anything, running an antique shop is a dangerous business. No one knows that better than the Masker family. Strict rules and cutthroat competitors have pushed them to the limit. They need to make a big sale soon or they just might go under.

High school senior Tanner Malone has bombed the Test, a high-stakes exam that establishes how much he owes for his corporate-funded education. Burdened by a crushing debt that rules out college, Tanner enlists in the navy of Archangel, a star system with four terraformed worlds. But he hasn't factored in the space pirates.

How could a good photo-op go so wrong? A perfect time-lapse of the lunar eclipse should have earned Alan some cash and acclaim. Instead, he came home with an invader in his dreams and a terrible feeling of being watched. Now his life is a tangle of cults, mysterious white-suited visitors, and scheming shadows. Overnight, Alan's finely trained eye has gone from spotting photo-ops of local celebrities to unraveling a political plot that could shift the balance of light and darkness. Surviving the next few days will take teamwork, guile, and an awful lot of coffee. 

The Guild of Navigators has ruled the Aion Sea for centuries, using their fleet of mystical ships to collect trade for the Aurelian Empire. Now, the Emperor is dead. For Calder Marten, Captain of The Testament, the Emperor’s death is not an end, but an opportunity. He and his crew seek the legendary Heart of Nakothi, an artifact that could raise a second Emperor...and earn Calder a fortune. But they’re not the only ones who want the Heart. The Consultant’s Guild, an ancient order of spies and assassins, will stop at nothing to keep the world in chaos.

The Consultant’s Guild has served the Aurelian Empire for over 1,000 years, working in the darkness to hunt dissension and eliminate traitors. Now, the Emperor is dead. For Shera, an assassin in the employ of the Consultants, the Emperor’s death is the beginning of a nightmare. Powerful forces hunt the Heart of Nakothi, a cursed artifact that can raise a second Emperor...and corrupt him in the process. But some desire power at any cost. The Guild of Navigators, an infamous collection of swindlers and pirates, has been paid a fortune to secure the Heart.