CHAPTER 1 ~TRYSTAN~ There was nothing but sorrow and music keeping Trystan glued together. Mari was everything to him. He couldn’t think about the void in his life or how it would be without her. Trystan’s fingers slid along the neck of the guitar as he strummed, playing the song that brought him solace. When his world cracked apart the song always rose to the front of his mind. The weight within him felt like it was too much to bear, crushing his bones while he still breathed. Nothing changed. Life continued down the same hellish path, beating him in every way possible. Maybe it’d be different if he gave up, but he wouldn’t. That was Trystan’s problem—he didn’t stay down. It was like that with his father. It didn’t matter how many times his father’s hand flew, he got back up. It was the same with his life. It didn’t matter how many bad hands he was dealt, he always got back up. A numb tingling filled his body again as he played softly. There was no peace. No refuge. He was alone. There’d always been an ember of hope burning within him, but when Mari said she didn’t like him, it felt like someone ripped his lungs out. The ember died, shriveling within his chest, leaving a dull ache in its place. Mari’s words left him mute, unable to respond. It was the one