Elkan loves Liand from the first moment he sees her. Her pursues her with single-minded determination. When she agrees to marry him, he's overjoyed, certain the Mother has blessed him beyond his wildest dreams. Liand likes the handsome, caring young wizard. But it doesn't take her long to realize that marrying him was a terrible mistake. Trapped in a bond with a man she can't love, all she wants is to escape. Elkan will do anything to make Liand happy-except let her go. But when his frantic attempts to keep her drive Liand to take desperate measures, disaster looms. Elkan risks loosing not only Liand, but his wizardry as well. And he'll face the bitter truth about the darkness within his own soul.