Lythande, a centuries-old magician, is summoned to the wedding of an old friend. But from the moment she arrives, deadly court intrigue ensues, sounding a warning of danger deep in her soul. And with the future of the kingdom at stake, she finds she must rely on a very different kind of magic than her own, one born of a friendship and faith stronger than any sorcery....
The legendary sixteen stones once touched by the hand of the god Oum'ilah will grant immortality and supreme power to whoever can gather them and place them in the rightful crown.
Speech Act Theory and Shakespeare delves deeper than linguistic ornamentation to illuminate the complex dynamics of thanking as a significant speech act in Shakespearean plays. The word “thanks” appears nearly 400 times in 37 Shakespearean plays, calling for a careful investigation of its veracity as a speech act in the 16th-century setting. This volume combines linguistic analysis to explore the various uses of thanks, focusing on key thanking scenes across a spectrum of plays, including All’s Well That Ends Well, Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, Timon of Athens, The Winter’s Tale, and the Henriad. Shakespeare’s works indicate the act of thanking to be more than a normal part of dialogue; it is an artistic expression fraught with pitfalls similar to those of negative speech acts. The study aims to determine what compels the characters in Shakespeare to offer thanks and evaluates Shakespeare’s accomplishment in imbuing the word “thanks” with performance quality in the theatrical sphere. This work adds to our comprehension of Shakespearean plays and larger conversations on the challenges of language usage in theatrical and cultural settings by examining the convergence of gratitude with power dynamics, political intrigue, and interpersonal relationships, drawing on a multidisciplinary approach that includes pragmatics, philosophy, religion, and psychology.
Escape to the lands of the Desert Kings with this boxed set of six contemporary romances containing the complete series. You'll find powerful sheikhs, strong women, and mystery and intrigue. So pour a glass of something long and cool and sit back and enjoy the heat and passion which await you in the land of the Desert Kings. Wanted: A Wife for the Sheikh (Book 1) Crown Prince Malek of Sumaira needs the respectability of a wife—fast. Or at least his country does. And his new PA is happy to help him find one. After looking after her sick mother for years, the last thing Sophie wants is to be tied down. But will the idea of being tied down by this Michael Fassbender clone become an obsession she needs to get out of her system before it’s too late. The Sheikh’s Bargain Bride (Book 2) The ultimate controlling sheikh, Zahir Al-Zaman is so obsessed with freedom-loving Anna Whitman that he traps her into marriage. But he won’t force her into his bed; he has his strategies for seduction. Despite an intense attraction, Anna refuses to be seduced because she won’t have a relationship based on lies. But how can she reveal secrets that will destroy the beliefs he holds most dear? The Sheikh’s Lost Lover (Book 3) When commitment-phobe Lucy finds herself falling for the King of Sitra, she wants to run. But she can’t. He’s her only clue to her missing sister. Razeen is determined to do his duty as King, even if it means an arranged marriage. But he has two weeks before he has to choose a wife. Two weeks in which to have an affair with Lucy. What could go wrong? Awakened by the Sheikh (Book 4) Cara Devlin’s sexy voice lands her the job as translator to the King of Ma’in with a salary that will ensure she can leave Ma’in, and the painful memories of a husband who used her, and start afresh. King Tariq is devoted to his children, his country and remaining single. He soon realizes Cara could prove useful in his business negotiations... but only providing she doesn’t know she’s being used. Claimed by the Sheikh (Book 5) With an arranged, love-free marriage looming, Prince Sahmir of Ma’in is enjoying his last night in Paris when Aurora runs by, fleeing for her life. All Rory wants is to regain the estates her father lost to the Russian mafia. She hadn't planned on being kidnapped by the Russian, or living with a sheikh and she certainly hadn’t planned on a baby. Wanted: A Baby by the Sheikh (Book 6) “You walked away from our wedding and kept on walking. And I hear nothing from you for a year, except a trail of credit card charges. Now you return saying you want our baby. What the hell is going on, Taina?” But Finnish heiress, Taina, can't answer Prince Daidan's question without destroying his world. So Daidan comes up with a proposal of his own...
