Whym accepts an apprenticeship with a master his parents fear and revile. He soon finds himself entangled in a web of treachery and on a perilous journey to locate a creature of myth and magic. Meanwhile, Quint, the son of a powerful religious leader, abandons his faith to join the fight against the corrupt council. While navigating the shifting sands of truth, the two young men must distill what they believe and decide on whose side they will stand in the coming conflict. --Back cover.