Cairo Dannegiatti lives in a town built on the wings of a cove: Manazza. When Cairo and Mela lose their parents, Cairo takes up the honor of caring for the Manazzan dead, earning just enough money to keep him and his baby sister alive. But when little Mela-Mielle is ripped away, Cairo finds himself unable to cope—unable to so easily let death have its way. And so a dark hope blooms, and Cairo's search for true resurrection begins.
A boy searches for magic to resurrect his sister,
and a girl chases a fool into the lair of the dead.
A holy warrior hunts a deadly necromancer;
and a dragon reconciles with the power in his blood.
A wife fights to free her spellbound husband,
but her spellbound husband fights back.
The journeys of each lead to the city of Cinterre, where a powerful necromancer weaves a terrible fate for the city, but light and fire, dark hope and pure love, relentless pursuit and an unremitting curse rise in his wake.