The darkness does not disappear without a trace.
Suzanne is left alone. Above her mother’s grave, an old apple tree rustles, while the family home—once so warm—has grown colder and scarier than the forest thicket outside the window. There is only one reason: her beloved father has vanished without a trace.
The trail of searches leads to an ancient castle, where beneath stone vaults lies a dreadful truth—the royal line is marked by a curse. Walder Illerstrom knew of it and was forced to disappear. Now the king has announced a hunt for Suzanne as well. All she can do is flee along her father’s trail—through a road of shadows and ghosts, along mysterious ashen paths. But a desperate escape may have an unbearable price: who can guarantee that one can even return from the world of burned-out souls?