Exhausted with life, Dakota tries to end his -- only to be saved at the last moment by his friend Terrell, who then drags him into a world of magic and intrigue that's always been right there, hidden beneath the surface.<br><br>Powerful magic users are steadily pulling the planet into a violent war, and evil forces will stop at nothing to take the talismans possessed by Dakota and his newfound family. Dakota soon finds himself deeply in over his head ... with love, with family, with fighting for all their lives.

The Pyre Starter

When he finally made eye contact with him again, Terrell was grinning like an idiot. “So, you’re gonna stay?”


He nodded slowly. “If I go back to my dorm, I’m gonna jump off of it.”


Terrell tried very hard not to seem too happy, but it showed on his face. The loss of his talisman was a small price to pay for friendship. He wouldn’t have to do this alone. He rose stiffly from the chair and carefully reached for his bag. Slinging it over one shoulder, he headed for the door. “Tomorrow, Lanie’s testing the other talismans, so we’ll know what we have. If you want, we can head back to campus later this week to get the rest of your stuff. I don’t think Eddie’ll mind if we take her truck, but I’ll ask. You’re really up for this, right?”


A quick glance at the gift solidified his resolve. “Yeah, I think so.”


Chapter 13