"Is that blood? Who's bleeding?"

All five of us looked where Agrath pointed. There was a trail of blood on the snow-covered ground. Kheisan, Kinty, and Agrath eyed me suspiciously. I pulled at the edges of my cloak, to conceal the wound I had no idea was dripping, and stayed silent. I was already feeling warm, and Kheisan’s blazing glare wasn’t helping. Don’t acknowledge. You can make it. We can’t stop now. We’re almost there.

"We can't just keep going!" Kinty was on edge. We all were.

"Yes we can. We have to. Unless someone wants to say something.” She paused for a minute. “Fine. Keep walking." Always the pragmatist, Agrath was right. We marched on, following the little blue flames that flickered in and out of sight.

The sun had begun rising above the horizon when we saw it. A soft blue glow in the lantern told us Mrinė was indeed working for us, and not against us. Thank the gods; the whole realm was at stake and we needed her help. Before we even reached the door, the witch flung it wide.

"Welcome. I’ve just finished listening to the Mother of All. Come in!"

Her voice was soft as we filed in. The cottage was as I remembered it, except for the eerie shadows the blue light cast. The door closed on its own behind us as she moved from person to person, touching our foreheads and muttering a blessing. I was last, and as I felt the familiar tingle, we locked eyes and she questioned me soundlessly. I nodded my head ever so slightly and her eyes softened with pity. Once she was done with each of us, she moved to the center of the room, in front of the fire, behind a small table. I hugged my arms around my center to keep myself upright and put pressure on my wound.

Vamd is dying. Again. This time for real. And she can't do a damn thing about it. The gods have had enough of her nonsense.

With nothing to lose, she puts her skills as an ex-thief to work to try and help a group of strangers, and finds that they all end up tasked with saving the realm.

As the clock ticks down on her life and the life of her world, will she be strong enough to complete the mission? Will she falter in the face of losing the one thing she's sought her entire life? And can she break the curses that surround her, her new friends, and her beloved land of Ammaren?

• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 395 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8326102737
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 15 - 18 years
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.48 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.99 x 9 inches