Prologue

  Shiah could hardly wait for the coronation. Asha was his best friend, after all, and of course he was happy for her. But this excitement, this anticipation that sent his mind spiraling through the possibilities and set his every nerve on edge until he wore grooves into the floor pacing- this was for a much less selfless reason.

Today was the day that Shiah would be accepted into Dya’s Haven Knight Academy. Right after the crown is placed on Asha’s head, they’re going to call out the names of the people who will train to be her royal guard. Me included, of course. I hope. Asha would obviously choose her best friend to protect her, right? Shiah laughed nervously. Is this confidence or delusion?

“What’re you laughing about?” A squeaky voice sounded from behind.

Shiah whipped around, his eyes snapping back up to the small boy splashing around in the fountain in Havensquare. Shiah had promised he’d watch his younger brother, Ezra, at the coronation today while his parents were at work. He didn’t realize this meant he’d have to deal with the six year old’s antics all day.

He sighed. “I’m just thinking about how you’ll feel when your amazing brother gets accepted into the Knight Academy,” 

“I still don’t get why you’re excited to go to school at night,”

Just as Shiah was about to roll his eyes, someone tapped his shoulder. 

“Because he’ll get to spend all day with me, the future queen of Dya’s Haven,” Asha laughed, scooping Ezra out of the fountain. The child giggled, proceeding to run off into the crowd.

Shiah sighed. “...I should go after him, shouldn’t I?” He sat down on the edge of the fountain, the cool spray drifting towards him on the wind as Asha joined.

“You should…but since when were you a responsible person?” She elbowed him sharply, making him wince.

Asha laughed, and Shiah watched. The glowing halo of white-blonde hair curling to an end at her jaw, the sparkle in her wisteria eyes that was visible whenever she smiled. It was all in stark contrast to his messy black hair, bone-white complexion and eerie glow to his gaze that had made the head of the royal guard think he was evil at first. The sun and the moon, they were. Sometimes Shiah wondered why Asha had stuck by his side for so long, especially when she was going to be queen in a few hours and all he’d ever amount to was a glorified bodyguard. And whenever I ask, she just says-

“Shiah, come on!”

Exactly. 

Wait, what?

“Shiah!” Asha yelled louder over the deafening sounds around them.

Only then did Shiah realize what was happening. The same beautiful Havensquare they had been standing in two minutes ago was now engulfed in flames, the buildings that’d been framing the square reduced to rubble. People were fleeing to and from every direction, trying to get out before the fire blocked off all exits. The sky was so choked with ash that the sun was no longer visible. Shiah could smell the sharp tang of blood in the smoky air, and apart from Asha’s shouting he could hear nothing but the the rumbles of buildings as they collapsed as the blood curdling shrieks of the people who went down with them. For a minute he thought- no, hoped- that maybe this was a dream. It was Asha’s voice that brought him back.

“Shiah!” She shouted over the din. “We’ve got to go! NOW!” She pulled him along as she ran, as his own legs seemed to have stopped working.

He shook the cobwebs from his mind. “Ezra! Where’s Ezra?” He cried, planting his feet.

“He’ll be fine, but we won’t! We’ve got to GO!” She kept running, and this time Shiah followed on his own. He didn’t want to leave his little brother like this, but like Asha said, Ezra would be fine…I hope.

I seem to be hoping a lot today.

They weren’t going the same way as the rest of the crowd. While the other villagers were running farther into the city, towards Haven Palace, Asha and Shiah were heading towards the outskirts of the kingdom. Towards the forest.

“Asha, where are we going?” He said breathlessly when they finally stopped running. They were at the edge of town now, and the treeline loomed in front of them. The shadows were so deep Shiah couldn’t even begin to imagine what lurked within their depths. No wonder his parents had always told him to steer clear of the Kingswood. He shivered despite the fiery heat they had just left behind.

Asha looked back at her kingdom up in flames once more before turning back to Shiah. “My parents told me this would happen.”

“WHAT? How-”

“They said a prophet used to live in the palace with them before I was born. They said I was part of a prophecy: that one day when I was fifteen, on the day of my royal coronation, the kingdom would fall. No one would know how, or why, or who was responsible, but they said it would happen today…and it looks like my parents were right.”

I learned about this place in the woods when I was just a little girl, even before I met you, if you can imagine a time like that. It’s called ‘Kingswood Abyss’- apparently it used to connect every magical kingdom in the realm before Dya’s Haven banned anyone from going near ours. That’s why we’re not allowed in the Kingswood.”

Shiah was silent for a moment, taking this all in. “...so, what? You want to use it? The Abyss?”

Asha nodded. “Trust me.”

Shiah hesitated. He would usually trust Asha in an instant- she was a leader, he was a follower. But he wasn’t sure about this.

Not that that would stop his friend. Asha pulled him along behind her as she plunged into the trees. They were immediately engulfed in darkness.

Shiah felt like he was…falling?

We’re FALLING.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” He screamed, flailing wildly for something to hold onto in the endless abyss.

And then they stopped.

Shiah opened his eyes tentatively and looked around. They were back in the forest, but this one looked different. The sky was clear, bright blue, the birds were chirping merrily in the trees, Shiah could actually breathe. It was…less terrifying.

Then he looked up at Asha, who was already standing with an eager grin on her face. “We’re here…” She breathed. “...The Sorcerers Guild.”

Shiah stood up too, but he was less thrilled.

“Asha…”

“Hmm?”

“...what did that prophet say would happen to  everyone else in the kingdom who didn’t use the Abyss? My parents? Your parents? My brother?”

Shiah waited for a long time, but Asha didn’t answer.

A figure stepped forward from the treeline. Glossy red hair, an award-winning smile, and a black silk suit- but the boy couldn’t have been more than fourteen.

“New arrivals? Kingdom destroyed? Yeah we’ve been getting a lot of those recently.” He caught the looks on Shiah’s and Asha’s faces and laughed. “Don’t worry. This is your home now.”

Asha nodded and looked at Shiah guiltily. “I…I’m sure they’re all fine.” She whispered as the boy led us through the trees.

“Is that confidence or delusion?” Shiah sighed. “Dya’s Haven was our home, Asha…”

“...It’s not a haven anymore. It’s a tomb. This place will work out better. I promise.”

I won’t bother to hope this time.