Things couldn’t have been worse on the island of Araden. Since the Cadelle Empire landed on its shores nearly three hundred years ago, the land had been stripped of its valuable crops and its famished inhabitants were under the continuous threat of becoming slaves. Sure, there were some who opposed the Cadelle and their brutality, but those brave souls usually wound up dead. It was bad enough that Talen Shire had to live with the same pressures as all the others, but unlike most, he had to do so without knowing anything about his past. His mother constantly refuses to tell him what happened to his father, he isn’t allowed to celebrate his birthday, and worst of all, he can’t seem to shake the dark visions that haunt his dreams. When he finally gets to know the truth about his life, only one question will remain unanswered: will Talen be able to shed his past and become Araden’s guiding light?