When Shalah Malkan cannot make good on his debt to one of the most powerful shipping families in Delphini, he is offered a bargain by the enigmatic Akim: should one of his daughters be willing and able to be his companion for a month, the debt would be considered paid. Horrified but desperate, Shalah agrees, but even he could not have foreseen that it would be his youngest, Hadarah, who would volunteer to carry her father's burdens.

Hadarah has watched the world pass her by from the shadows all her life, but even she is surprised to find her host is even more reclusive than she is. Little by little, the two find common ground, and the bargain seems to be within reach until Hadarah uncovers a terrible secret, one that could end them all. (Click the cover to read more)