The Circle of Magic Series

The Circle of Magic series is by Tamora Pierce. It is a series that is focused around four children who are brought together not by the happiest means. They are brought to Winding Circle by the same man named Niko. He finds each of them when they are in most need of help. The first child he finds is Daja a Trader who's ship was sunk by a storm and was the lone surviver of the entire crew. Her clan cast her out because she was considered bad luck and he brought her to Winding Circle with him. The second child he finds is Sandry. Sandry is a noble who's parents traveled around the country. She is in a palace locked in a store room to escape the mob of people who are upset about what is not being done about the sickness that was spreading throughout the land. Her maid was a mage who spelled the room not to be seen and she thought she was going to die in the storeroom but that is when Niko finds her. The third child he finds is Briar. Briar is a kid from the ghetto and has been caught twice stealing and was going to be sentenced to hard labor but then Niko pays for his debts and is sent with him to Winding Circle. The fourth child he finds is Tris. Tris is a girl who seems to have the worst luck out of all of the children. She has been shipped from relative to relative because of the strange things that seem to happen around her. When Niko meets her she is in the Broken Circle house and is about to be thrown out when he takes her with him.