Book excerpt: For every warrior there is a first battle; for every journey a first step. For every life there is a first heartbeat . . . and a last. For every soul there is a road home. DianaMarie, Daughter of the Light has been trained in the ways of the Protector Spirits by the leader of an enigmatic council of mystics known as The Gathering. Shunned by the council for the color of her skin, she is nonetheless bound to their purpose. When the husband of her close friend and confidante is brutally murdered, DianaMarie begins to feel a silent and powerful call she is unable to resist. Guided by the words of an ancient prophecy, she begins a journey that will change her life and forever alter the path of her destiny.