Book II - Uzriel - Prologue

Ayla had always loved her garden. Since she was a little girl and her grandmother started teaching her about the power of the healing plants and herbs, Ayla had spent time each day in the garden, tending to it. She grew all kinds of medicinal plants–from embelia, which loved the sun, and served for healing wounds, to swamp-root, which thrived in swamps and was good for lung sicknesses.

When the plants were mature, Ayla collected them and gave them to Drax, the Water Mage novice. He used them to make potions, elixirs, or tonics. Some could be applied directly to the wounds or transformed into ointments. Leaves or other parts of plants were dried to be made into teas.

While working in the garden, Ayla loved hearing the birds sing while the sun warmed her skin. Butterflies or dragonflies danced between the flowers. Myrthana was, after all, the Kingdom of Everlasting Spring.

But for some time, the sun felt cold, as if he hated Ayla. The birds were silent, and even the wind had died. There