by Richard Murray
Beyond the gates lies fortune. And death. The floating islands of the Kingdom hang in a vast and endless void. Between them sail the great airships of the Arcanum, powered by the magic that keeps civilization alive. But far from the bright centre of the world lies Ashfall. A frontier island shrouded in drifting ash and violent storms, where monsters roam the wild lands beyond the settlement gates—and where fortunes are made by those brave enough to seek them. When Elias Ward arrives after a three-month voyage across the void, he claims to be just another seeker of knowledge. He is lying. Elias carries a secret that could destroy his life at the Arcanum, and the only place he can pursue the forbidden truth he seeks is beyond Ashfall’s gates. But the island is far more dangerous than the stories claim. Ash storms can strip flesh from bone.Ancient creatures stir beneath the ash.And something far worse waits in the ruins scattered across the wild frontier. Few who venture beyond the gates ever return. Elias intends to be one of them. Or die trying.
