Description:

Aylen has been considered an outcast on the secluded island of Vairda her entire life. It doesn’t help that her parents forbid her to acknowledge any island traditions and refuse to tell her anything about the mysterious mainland they left behind before she was born. Meanwhile, her only friend, Sai, is suddenly distancing himself because his parents don’t approve of the time he spends with “that girl who isn’t a native.” Aylen wants more than just the life of an outsider and she’s determined to figure out how to get it, even if it means defying her parents or spying on her best friend. But the night she finds a strange jewel that gives her the ability to breathe underwater, Aylen thinks she may have found a way to leave the island for good. As she learns to use the jewel, however, Aylen uncovers the nightmarish secrets about her parents’ pasts, and the dangers which made them leave the mainland in the first place. And it turns out those dangers may have found their way to the island. With the help of her jewel, Aylen is the only person who can protect her family and the entire island nation from the biggest threat they have ever known. ** ### Review ". . . [Aylen's] desire to discover her birthright, her honesty with her parents when she finally learns the truth, and her sense of responsibility to the islanders shows maturity beyond her years. Aylen's new world is mystical, vividly described, and intense, making for a thrilling adventure." -***Publisher's Weekly ***