For some girls, age eighteen is the magical age of freedom and independence. For Aerys, turning eighteen means an arranged marriage to a man she's never met before, leaving the only home she's ever known, and accidentally discovering things she never knew about the world, about her family, and about herself, things that have been lurking beneath the surface all along. However, each new discovery brings new questions with it, and the answers could lead in some very dangerous directions. She and her fiancé, Dmitri, must decide whether or not to find the answers to these questions and what to do with the knowledge they gain. To change the game instead of living by others' rules, they must look beyond what they see.

Look Beyond What You See

<p>"What a hand of cards you have been dealt," a smooth feminine voice greets me, amusement coloring her silky tones. My eyes flutter open and I find myself on the bank of a crystal clear pond surrounded by trees that create an otherworldly place comprised of shadows and bright beams of pale morning light with tiny glinting particles swirling within them. A heavy, unnatural silence fills this place, but somehow it is not oppressive. Indeed, this place is refreshing. I have never felt so at home before. "Welcome to my abode, Aerys." I rise to my feet and turn towards the voice to find a startlingly beautiful woman clad in wispy silvery-blue standing nearby.</p>

<p>"Thank you. Who are you?" I ask. The words taste strange; my mouth is unaccustomed to speech. How long have I been here? How did I get here?</p>

Chapter 22 Acionna