Unicorn

Nobody knew where it had come from, or what it wanted. Not even Jaive, the sorceress, could fathom the mystery of the fabled beast. But Tanaquil, Jaive's completely unmagical daughter, understood it at once. She knew why the unicorn was there: It had come for her. It needed her. Tanaquil was amazed because she was the girl with no talent for magic. She could only fiddle with broken bits of machinery and make them work again. What could she do for a unicorn?

Ellery Queen is stuck with a manuscript to won't go when his father presents him with a puzzle in A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE. Nino Importuna is a self-made man who carries with him superstitions from his childhood. One of his brothers is murdered and the other hangs himself in a confession of guilt for the crime. This leaves Importuna the sole processor of a fortune worth millions. On the evening of his birthday and fifth wedding anniversary Importuna presents his young wife with a new will naming her as his sole beneficiary and he is bludgeoned to death with a sculpture resembling a nine nine times. Inspector Queen starts receiving notes about Importuna's past that contain the numeral nine and cannot be verified. Ellery is played like a puppet on a string by a master who calls the dance.

This is the story of how God taught an unambitious man to seek a throne. JUSTICE IS CRUEL But tender mercy is the cruelest of all. It was for mercy's sake that Palicroval the Fair left you to live after the desecration of your honor ... to live and become great Queen Beauty, whose power makes the very gods tremble and whose mercy is that of the grave. You would lay the world to ruin for your soul's ease, and see the corruption of the heavens for your pain. But beware Beauty-for though your power is mighty, there is still magic in the Land, and the Hart has bred a son... and the ones who have suffered your vengeance for so long may exact a payment that could split the world asunder.

The City of Mandrigyn was conquered and its men enslaved in the foul mines of the evil Wizard King, Altiokis. Now the women of the city, led by Sheera Galernas, had come to hire the mercenary army of Captain Sun Wolf. But Sun Wolf was too wise to become involved in fighting against wizardry... --- until he woke to find himslef kidnapped and offered a grim choice by Sheera. He could train and lead the ladies of Mandrigyn against Altiokis--or he could die from the anzid they had given him and for which only they had the antidote.