Shay's mother has disappeared. 

Her father has become withdrawn following her mother's disappearance and there is little Shay can do to help. 

Then, one night, Shay saves her father from a strange assailant in his study and is carried to another world with her father where the truth about her mother is revealed. 

Discovering that her mother is apparently not the person Shay has admired all her life, leads Shay to question her own values which she has so proudly built on the image of the perfect marriage which her parents displayed to her as a child. As Shay comes to terms with her parent’s betrayal, she herself betrays the one person who has trusted her most in this strange kingdom. 

While she loathes her new behavior she seems unable to stop, since betraying one person means protecting another. While Shay struggles with her own question of values, Shay's life and the world itself begin to collapse around her. 

But life continues and the evil that rises seeks the greatest treasure of all. A power to rule all worlds. For evil does not mourn. And evil has no conscience. And Shay holds a key to access another world which the evil desperately desires.....

WordRealm

A wall of steel grey clouds was approaching rapidly and Shay felt the wind starting to pick up. She knew that the wind and clouds meant one thing. A storm. The men spoke in hushed tones. They were all worried. They knew they could not stay on the ledge and needed to find somewhere that would offer shelter from the approaching storm. They did not have much time. They climbed faster searching desperately for an opening where they might be able to take shelter from the storm. They found nothing and Shay felt panic start to creep into her thoughts. The clouds were already swirling around them. 


The wind picked up and everyone struggled to keep going against the wind and the cold. Then the rain started. They were all quickly drenched through but they pressed on seeking shelter. 


Chapter 44