Chapter One
VALTINA SAT under a tree in Middle World, observing the spirits around her. She’d been scanning the faces of those who passed ever since Ladaya had told her that her soul-mate was also stuck in Middle World. She tried to sense his spirit, but as her mentor had warned, she hadn’t recognized him yet. Valtina contented herself to sitting still and watching as the others moved about. Like her, many had been enlisted to fight in the war against evil. Middle World was frequently filled with visitors from The Afterlife. Generals, like Ladaya, popped in to give instructions and updates to their soldiers. Valtina hadn’t seen anyone she recognized, though several of her friends had already moved on.
As Valtina waited she thought about her mission. The last one had been more difficult t
