Aren's mother saves children. But not just any children. She saves mayjen, those capable of harnessing an arcane power called majik. For twenty years, majik has ravaged the city of Valrue, driving away nature and leaving the city trapped in the heart of the Deadlands. With starvation threatening and tensions climbing, the people of Valrue are turning on each other.

Like her mother, Aren longs to be a heroine, but her over-protective family have other plans. Condemned to a shallow existence by their coddling, Aren hungers for purpose beyond the mansion walls. When a mistake almost sees her crushed to death at a political rally, Aren jumps at the chance to team up with her grudging saviour. Fearless in ignorance, she dives into the underbelly of Valrue, risking a fate worse than death for a chance at meaning.

A story of perseverance through overwhelming adversity, The Dark Side of Happiness marks the beginning of Aren's journey to find salvation in the most wretched of worlds.