Mercedes Lackey

Mags, Herald Spy of Valdemar, and his wife, Amily, are happily married with three kids. The oldest, Peregrine, has the Gift of animal Mindspeech, and his dream is to follow in his father's footsteps as a Herald Spy. But there is growing rural unrest in a community on the border of Valdemar. A report filled with tales of strange disappearances and missing peddlers is sent to Haven by a Herald from the Pelagirs. To let Perry experience life away from home, Mags proposes that his son accompany him on an expedition to discover what is really going on. During their travels, Perry's Mindspeech allows him to communicate with the local wildlife of the Pelagirs, whose connection to the land aids in their investigation. But the details he gleans only deepen the mystery. They must discover the truth behind the disappearances-before those disappearances turn deadly...

In this second installment of the Family Spies series, set in the bestselling world of Valdemar, the children of Heralds Mags and Amily must follow in their parents' footsteps to protect the realm. Mags, Herald Spy of Valdemar, and his wife, Amily, the King's Own Herald, are happily married with three kids. Their daughter, Abidela, dreams of building upon her parents' legacy by joining the Artificers, hoping to offset her seeming lack of a Gift. But when Abi senses the imminent collapse of a bridge only moments before it happens, she saves countless lives, including that of her best friend, Princess Katiana. The experience, though harrowing, uncovers her unique Gift-an ability to sense the physical strains in objects. Intrigued by the potential of her Gift, the Artificers seek to claim her as their own-but so do the Healers. Through training with both of them, Abi discovers unique facets of her Gift, including a synesthetic connection to objects that allows her to "see" as well as feel the strains. Her Gift may also grant her a distinct advantage as a spy-there won't be a building in the entire kingdom of Valdemar with a secret room that she doesn't know about. With the help of her mentors, she must hone her gift to uncover the hidden secrets in the depths of Valdemar.