The Ashes Wake

When Raiden is told by the Sage Witches he must kidnap Trifica Larkin for the sake of their world he sighs a bit, complains a bit more, but ultimately accepts the task-as he always does. Guilt has a funny way of making him feel obligated. However, this job isn't like all the others and not just because Trifica reminds Raiden of his old love who died centuries ago.

This time, the job means all of creaturekind will perish if he fails. It doesn't help that along the way his ring-the sole item capable of keeping him alive-becomes broken, that a shadow wolf war is about to begin, or that their enemy seems to know horrible truths about himself he'd buried so deeply he had nearly forgotten.

Trifica, however, finds herself quite pleased to be kidnapped. She's sick of being a Kalied, the second lowest of all species. She wants to flee from her mother's disapproving glare and if she has to travel with Raiden across the Realm as they try to avoid dying, so be it.

Except the closer Trifica and Raiden get to the Sage Witches, where safety and answers await them, the more questions and danger they realize lies ahead.