Book excerpt: Aimee and Dylan follow up on a new lead in their hunt for a long-lost tome that might alter the very fabric of their reality. Along the way they strike up an unexpected, yet crucial alliance that adds an unforeseen complication to Aimee's otherwise monotone existence. Meanwhile, Christina Morgen is set to take over the Council of the Living, a role she's been dutifully preparing for all her life. Her peaceful ascension to ruler of Saltung is jeopardized when the Tarung, a rebel group questioning major tenets of their society, rises in popularity and threatens Christina's orderly world. The Well of Shadows reveals secrets and challenges long-held beliefs as it hurtles its characters on a dangerous and magic-filled quest that sees them striving for a better future, only to force one of them to make the ultimate sacrifice.