Garin James never asked to be a hero—but how far will he go when those he loves are cursed? 

In a town where monsters truly do lurk in the shadows, Garin James is but a simple farmer tending his fields for the harvest. But the woods that border his home are haunted by wraiths—creatures that were once people, now poisoned by the deadly rafflesia flower. Already burdened by the disappearance of his father and brother, Garin thought he had nothing left to lose. When his mother, Joy, is arrested, and the infamous Captain Lucien marks him as an enemy of the law, his world begins to unravel. Soon after, his friend Ben is poisoned, and the countdown begins to save him from a fate worse than death.

Thrust into a dangerous quest, Garin must journey into the heart of wraith territory. Joined by an unlikely companion—a mysterious girl from Mystic Canyon—he must navigate through a land consumed by dark magic to find an ancient relic. With time running out, the lines between friend and foe blur, and Garin must decide just how much he’s willing to sacrifice to save the very world around him—before it's all lost forever.