Intro. Asher was once human. He was betrayed by those closest to him, and in a moment of pain he killed them, and then himself. After death he ended up in hell, where he endured centuries of punishment and servitude. His hatred for humans became the foundation of his existence.
Instead of destruction, he is given a sentence: to become a guardian of a human. He must observe, stay close, and not interfere. If the human sees his true form, Asher will disappear forever, falling into the World of the Forgotten.
His charge is Liora — a trusting, kind girl. Asher is irritated by her naivety and convinced she will not survive. He watches her life, sees how she is used, and increasingly violates the rules indirectly to protect her.
Gradually, he becomes attached, though he denies it. He does not know that they are a rare pair of matching souls: guardian and human whose connection does not destroy them upon meeting, but preserves them.