"The only thing needed to set the world ablaze is a spark." Godspeaker. Elfman. Wightman. Corpse-Whisperer. These are some of the names folk give Edward, one of a small number of unique individuals blessed - or perhaps cursed - with a powerful connection to the Otherworld and its many mystical inhabitants. The Gifted, they are called. Edward earns his living as his predecessors did, by selling his gift to both noble and peasant alike, interpreting their dreams and omens, calming their dead, and ensuring Otherworldly beings remain where they belong.

He does not expect that something as ordinary as a midwinter snowstorm will toss him into the drama of the Kingdom of Ardonn. Fate leads him on a journey that will change his life, as she sends him on a quest for revenge, binds him to the aspirations of a day-dreaming romantic, and sees him embroiled in a plot to release an ancient, immortal king from his tomb. War is brewing in Ardonn - and Edward must struggle against the rising tide.