Zakaria is willing to do anything to rid himself of the regret that is as painful as the scars on his back. He finds himself training to be a soldier for the army of the Glass City, the capital of the kingdom of Addrenna. At sixteen, he is chosen to be the Protector for Hayley, the kingdom's arrogant young countess. Their mutual disdain toward each other causes a cascade of events amidst the growing threat of the mysterious mechanical soldiers closing in on Addrenna. Hayley is kidnapped, Zakaria's solo rescue mission fails, and they are thrust into the world below, a world cursed with eternal midnight by an ancient enemy. However, they were prophesied to be there by the hopeful yet daunting Song of the Dawn. In the Midnight Lands, as they are called, Zakaria and Hayley must work together as a group to restore peace to both worlds. And they will come to realize that the enemy works in worse ways than they realize.