Book excerpt: After years of turmoil, another great shadow is growing over Zurkia. Princess Hannah of Avaran—the cousin of Zurkia’s renowned hero, Princess Raja—and Princess Chloe have both been taken against their will by the superior of Wsyrut, Vandal. After two of Raja’s friends, Consula Meeshan and Prince Jafar, fail in their clever attempt to save the two princesses, Raja once again gathers her crew of adventuring companions to devise a new plan. However, Vandal is merely a pawn in an even greater and more dangerous scheme. The vile Hagatha, Queen of Roses, has retrieved her once-lost royal orb and set her sights on becoming queen of the entire kingdom, by any means necessary. Using the power of magic, potions, and trickery, Hagatha infiltrates the villages and legions of Zurkia and begins to amass a powerful and obedient army. With war on the horizon, everything comes into question. Will Raja’s friends’ plan to outplay the naive superior succeed? Will Zurkia’s people be made aware of Hagatha’s evil influence before it is too late? And what will be the cost of all this greed and dishonesty? With a brave heart, the heroes run headfirst into the darkness that threatens to consume everything, and everyone.