Avila Durant, a young woman with an unknown past, lives as a refugee with her adoptive parents on the planet of Aril. Haunted by nightmares that plague her sleep, she struggles to remember who she used to be.
Avila's life on this small, isolated planet is turned upside down when she is saved by a stranger from an accident triggered by a forgotten memory. As Avila slowly recovers, it soon becomes clear that there is more to this savior than she anticipated when the mysterious man, named Galdren, reveals his true identity.
Avila finds that her second chance at life comes at a price when Galdren invokes an ancient law that turns her life upside down. Forced to accept this new reality, Avila must work with Galdren to navigate various pitfalls as they are pushed into a life side-by-side that neither of them was prepared to face.
Avila's nightmares could hold the key to her missing memories, but what she doesn't know is that, if her memories return, so will the danger. As her life changes and her past refuses to fade away, she must face the reality that nothing is as it seems.
EXCERPTED FROM CHAPTER 2
Avila pushed those thoughts aside and waited until she trusted herself to speak without her voice cracking. “I’m truly sorry you have been dragged into my personal drama. I’m quite certain you have much better things to be doing. Now that I am better enough to move, I will be out of your way as soon as I can get my things and have someone to come and get me. I will eternally be in your debt.”
As she said those words, the same strange look of hurt and guardedness passed over Galdren’s face once more. “Avila, that is the other thing I have come to talk to you about.”
His words sounded ominous, but she was already numb from all the other revelations. She didn’t move as he continued, “Are you familiar with our laws?”
Once again, the change of subject had Avila off-balance and searching for what it was he wanted from her. “I am familiar with some of them, but I am no expert. What laws, exactly, do you want to know about?”
He took a deep breath and looked away from her. “Are you familiar with the Life Debt?”
Those simple words sent an icy chill over her, and she couldn’t repress a shiver. “I have heard of it before. When a person’s life has been saved, the Life Debt states that they literally owe their life to their savior, to put it simply, but I thought it wasn’t used anymore. Too many people disputed whether their lives were actually in danger, and other times the savior didn’t want the responsibility of holding another person’s life in their hands.”
It was more of a statement than a question, as she was hoping he would only confirm what she had said. “You are only partially right. It is not required to be enforced anymore because of the problems you have listed and many more. However, there is a provision that if the threat to life is clearly defined and the savior so chooses, they can invoke the Life Debt.” He paused for a moment and looked at her intently. “I have already talked to my father and to your parents. They all agree that if I had not helped, you would have died. My father has allowed me to invoke your Life Debt.”
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