The dwarves want Earth's magic. We want their weapons. The price? Survive their deadly trials.

As an Adept Forces Officer, Asha Lopez is used to defending Earth against hostile magical forces. But now she's trapped underground on an alien world, forced to prove humanity's worth through ancient trials that have claimed countless lives. And with Earth's biggest off-world weapons deal hanging in the balance, failure means more than death?it means losing humanity's best chance at winning the war.

Between training with dwarven warriors who'd rather see her fail and dodging monsters that whisper false promises in the dark, Asha discovers the downtrodden gnomes struggling to survive without magic on the surface. Helping them would mean betraying her mission and risking court-martial, but their suffering mirrors the very injustice Earth's military claims to fight against. As she digs deeper into dwarven traditions, Asha questions whether Earth's first potential allies are the right ones.

In a world of ancient magic and deadly creatures, sometimes the real monsters are the ones making the rules.

A military fantasy prequel novella featuring underground labyrinths, magical creatures, and a heroine whose compassion might be her downfall. The perfect introduction to the War for Magic series. For fans of Martha Wells and Lindsay Buroker who love their fantasy with both action and heart.