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 Leaving the bright beauty of Dacey’s reality behind, Abby and Tristan find themselves in a dying world draped in gray, where the people are bereft of hope until their arrival. Here Abby finds at least the semblance of peace and a time to rest....
However, the peace is an illusion in a place where the demon has already sat his ingenious trap, and the two will face a dangerous struggle that will drive them apart.
 
Prologue
Aubreyan and Tristan stood on the cliff by the sea, the wind blowing in from the water and the dark night hiding much of the city. The castle stood like a sentinel at the gate, a promise of safe haven -- but not for them. This was not their world.
Tristan pulled a single piece of the Kiya from the pouch, carefully unwrapping the warded cloth he and Dacey had created. Having so many pieces in close proximity to each other had started to become dangerous. He could feel her drawing strength and purpose since he had added the last one. Critical Mass, he imagined Crystal saying... and tried to curb the loss that welled in him and echoed so painfully in Abby. So many friends they?d never see again.
As he brought the piece out, Dacey shied away, moving faster than he did from the metal of Abby’s sword, even though it must have stung, as close as he stood to it. Dacey had touched the Kiya and felt her too closely in his soul, and the fear that she would take him again shown in his eyes. He saw it mirrored in Silver’s as well.
Abby’s new feeling of loss almost overcame him in that moment while his friend looked at the two of them. They didn?t want to go, and Abby could not say the words --
"Put a ward around us," Tristan said softly. "It’s time we were on our way."
"I wish --" Dacey began, but he stopped, and Tristan wondered if he wished that they would not go, or that he could go with them. He didn?t ask.
Dacey began the warding spell. Silver, less certain of his own new powers, carefully wove his own magic in with his friend’s shield.
I wonder if they realize how powerful they are, Abby thought. They?ll be safe, at least.
Bright lights and colors began to swirl around them: pretty magic that Dacey made, just because he could. Tristan added his own power to it, creating something that worked in harmony with the ward. The path to another place began to open before them.
"Find peace, my friends," Prince Tain called out to them. No, not prince -- he was King Tain now. Tristan and Abby had trouble making that change in thought, and Tristan suspected the same was true for Tain.
Abby bowed his head in thanks, but by then the sand and magic had started to obscure them, and by the next breath he could barely see the others. He and Tristan had somewhere else to go now. Abby could see nothing clearly down the long path this time. He looked back at his friends again and his hand started to lift, but he changed his mind and took hold of Tristan’s arm instead.
"Time to go," he finally admitted aloud.
"Gods be with you," Brother called out. Abby looked back at him, startled that anyone would dare say those words to him. He wanted to admonish Brother -- but the loss in his friend’s voice stopped him. "Gods protect you and let you pass this way again. Peace."
"Peace," Tristan echoed fervently, but with such a whisper of loss and longing in him that in that moment they started to leave the world behind, Abby felt more lost than he had in years.
But as they took that step away, somewhere behind them Phaedra sang.
Sweet, sweet
Sad, Sad
Longing for friends to return.
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