Dear reader,
Thank you for opening this book and taking a chance on a story from a new author. What began as a lighthearted experiment soon grew into something deeply personal—characters who refused to let go of me, secrets that demanded to be written, and a world that seemed to take on a life of its own.
In another language, this story was once shared chapter by chapter online, where it gathered over 400,000 reads and, to my amazement, eventually led to a publishing contract with a major publishing house. It has been a long journey from those first hesitant chapters to this moment—seeing Asya's world take its first steps into English.
I have to confess, I was nervous about reaching out to an English-speaking audience. Would her voice feel the same? Would her choices and emotions carry across cultures? For a long time, I wasn't sure. But I realized that at its heart, this story is about things we all understand: love, fear, courage, and the struggle to find your place in a world that feels both beautiful and dangerous. That is something that connects us all, no matter where we are.
Every single read and every comment matters to me more than I can say. Your trust, your curiosity, and your willingness to walk into the shadows of Kserton with me mean everything. Thank you for being here—for giving this story a chance, and for letting me share a part of myself with you.
And this is only the beginning. The trilogy is already complete—the rest of Asya's journey is waiting, though translation takes time. I hope the next volumes will not only meet your expectations, but surprise and move you, just as writing them changed me.
With warmth and gratitude,Lili Mokash