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

She sniffed and wiped at her nose with a tissue. “I had a—I had a dream about…about Zach and Noah and mom. Can you or Terry stay up with me for a while?”


Whether it’d been a nightmare or just a pleasant dream that reminded her that her family was gone, it didn’t matter. Kenna was grieving, and she probably wouldn’t be fine again for a long time, if ever. When she backed up a few paces, he stepped out of the room and gently closed the door behind him. “Wanna watch some TV until you feel better? I think I could go for some hot cocoa. You want some, too?” He’d purchased a family size box of the instant stuff earlier that week, and it was already halfway gone.


She nodded emphatically, very much as a young child would. For all her apparent intelligence and precociousness, she was still only ten. Most of the time, he had to remind himself of that, but not in this instant. She’d had a bad dream, and she didn’t want to be alone. Dakota couldn’t say no to that.


Chapter 81