Book excerpt: Raja, the princess of Kazan Castle, has finally found peace, teaching and caring for the orphans she had rescued on her previous adventure. However, this peace is not to last, when her friend, Lord Pavel, requests that she join him on a mission to ensure that the slave orphanage at Marsh Mansion—still occupied by their notorious enemy, Hagatha—has been shut down. They arrive to disarray, with four children having disappeared with Hagatha in the night. Unbeknownst to Raja, Hagatha has travelled to Yurx Island in search of the cursed orb that all good hearts hope will never be found. Raja then receives a mysterious note from the self-proclaimed “Queen of Roses,” beckoning her to the dreaded land of North Vel Saca, the homeland of the frightful wailers, where darker truths await. Soon, Raja and her friends find themselves in more trouble than ever before, separated from each other and tricked into mindless servitude. All hope seems to be lost as a cruel ploy to dethrone the tzarina takes hold—or will those enticed by evil strongholds be delivered? Time is of the essence, lest innocent people die or lose their minds forever to darkness.