When Layla Ashford, an orphaned college girl with a loyalty to no one but her younger brother, Lucas, stumbles through a tear between worlds, she discovers a realm where magic is currency and desire is dangerous. Caught between the duty of finding her missing brother and the pull of the realm she has entered, she must choose: risk everything to find Lucas, or bide her time with the mysterious half elves that took her in and learn the truth behind what actually happened to her brother-or who took him.As Layla learns to navigate this perilous realm, she uncovers secrets that make her the key to its survival-and its destruction. But every second that ticks by has a price, and every breath she takes isn't just for Lucas, but for Aaren, the half elf leader with a burden too heavy to shoulder on his own. The longer she stays in this realm, the closer she is pulled to a destiny that could unravel both of their worlds. And not even fate knows what lies in store for Layla if she fails. Love, loyalty, and magic collide as enemies stir, alliances fracture, and the cost of choice becomes irreversible for all involved.