The Violet Keystone by Garth Nix

The Violet Keystone by Garth Nix
233 pages
     Tal has found the violet keystone-half of it, anyway-and freed a guardian of one of the keystones. Since he has the Violet Keystone, he is technically the new emperor. With Milla, he must find the man behind the destruction of the veil so the veil can be made whole again.
     When they chase the culprit into Aenir, they face many challenges. Will they fix the veil and reunite Tal's family in time?

Into Battle by Garth Nix

Into Battle by Garth Nix
201 pages
     Tal must go to Aenir to use the Violet Keystone to free the guardian, Lokar and then free his father. But when he gets there, he realizes that he must get to the Empress's island, which is across a lake of ash with terrifying creature living in it.
     Milla has been cast out of her clan, and then welcomed into a new clan as the War Chief. She is in charge of leading the attack on the castle to prevent the shadows from invading the Dark World. Inside the castle, they team up with the Underfolk and prepare to attack while the Chosen are away in Aenir. But someone alerts the Chosen and they come back sooner than they should. What will be the result of the battle? Will Tal reunite his family in time?

Above the Veil by Garth Nix

Above the Veil by Garth Nix
248 pages
    Tal knows his father is the guardian of the Orange Keystone, but was trapped inside it when it was unsealed. If it is sealed again, his father will be free. If it is not sealed, he will remained trapped forever and the Veil that keeps shadows out of Tal's world will be in danger. Tal, joined by Crow, one of the Underfolk, decide it would be best to go another keystone to avoid traps. They find Lokar, the guardian of the keystone, also trapped. In order to free her so she can help, they must use the empress's Violet Keystone. But the empress is in Aenir and they are running out of time.
     Meanwhile, Mila is returning to her home to report what she had seen to her people. Then she plans to give herself to the ice because she had violated the laws of the Icecarls and lost her normal shadow. Will Tal find the empress in time to save his family? What will the Icecarls do when they here Milla's news.

Aenir by Garth Nix

Aenir by Garth Nix
233 pages
     Tal and Milla go to Aenir, a world where the chosen go to get their Spirit Shadows. Tal has broken the law by going to Aenir before the set day to visit the other world. He is looking for the Codex, a magical object that knows about every single person alive. If he can find the Codex, Tal can find his lost brother, Gref.
     Tal and Milla are trapped by two Storm Shepards, who say one of them must die. Tal tells the Shepards that they can become their Spirit Shadows if they let both children live. The Shepards agree, but what Tal has done for good, Milla sees as evil. Without her normal shadow, she cannot be a Sheild Maiden, or even an Icecarl. Will Tal and Milla find the Codex in time to save Tal's family?

Castle by Garth Nix

Castle by Garth Nix
215 pages

     Tal and Milla have been sent to the castle to find a Sunstone for the Icecarl warriors. Tal plans on getting two, one for the Icecarls and one for his mother, who is deathly ill. No one has reached the castle from the Ice, though, and the path is now falling apart. Will Tal and Milla find the Sunstone and will Tal find one for his mother? What will happen if Tal is caught with an Icecarl?

The Fall by Garth Nix

The Fall by Garth Nix
195 pages
     Tal's father is missing-assumed to be dead-and his mother is dying, and in order to heal her, Tal must find a larger, more powerful Sunstone for his family. But to get a Sunstone, he must climb up the outside of the castle tower, through the veil into the sunlight. Tal reaches the top . . . only to fall off the tower into a strange world of ice.
     The people living there call themselves Icecarls and they too use Sunstones for light, but theirs are the ones that have fallen from the castle. The Sunstone belonging to the clan that Tal meets is old and fading. They send Tal and Milla, one of their own, to get a new one. Will they find a new, strong Sunstone in time without getting caught?