Publisher's Synopsis
It's just a pretty pendant. A harmless necklace. Everyone wears them, like a talisman. At least that's what sixteen year old Shai Eli has always believed. But why does her community enforce a law that keeps people from removing the necklaces? When a book, a key, and a vision begin to unravel the sinister secret behind the necklaces, Shai discovers the guy she's falling for may not be who he says he is. With the lives of her friends a stake, Shai must uncover the truth about her past and her identity before it's too late. This young adult novel is episode one, book one in a trilogy. It's a thrill-ride for adventure-seekers loaded with murder, intrigue, betrayal and redemption. Set in a drab and colorless community of orphans, it's the perfect backdrop for the vibrant teen to learn that what she doesn't know may actually be killing her, and knowing the truth is what will set everyone free. Shai is an independant and brassy teen who finds herself caught in an identity crisis and must overcome her fear of deep emotion in order to trust her best friend, Aliah, to help her. But what she doesn't know is that Aliah harbors a nasty secret that could potentially destroy the fragile beginnings of their young romance. When a mutual friend is discovered brutally murdered and twenty-one orphans go missing, Aliah comes up with a dramatic plan to keep Shai safe. A plan that back-fires when Shai realizes that someone is willing to go to drastic measures to keep the truth from her. She vows to trust no one but herself. As Shai's and Aliah's feelings for each other grow so does Shai's suspicion of him, which forces her to launch into her own private investigation. As Aliah's past catches up with him, Shai begins to unravel the truth about her identity, her connection to Aliah and the secret he has worked so hard to keep.
