Years before the King of Bones ravaged the kingdom of Arles... Released from Court attendance and free to follow their own wills, Geoskia, earth-shaper and scion of House Proteion and Journeyhealer Dashyan promptly leave Apaeron's shining walls behind in search of the true state of the kingdom and an elusive healing blossom. On the road the pair discover a village quarantined, its beasts mysteriously ill-and much more than that, as wild exiles, bloodthirsty brigands, and the remnants of a dead virshaan Clan promise to have Dashyan, Geoskia and their new allies paint the forest red as the heart's rose they're chasing. Fire and Thorn also contains the following tales: Sword of the Sun: The Sunbolt and its crew must triumph against the dream-eating beast that lurks within the skybloom groves, or their fellow Stellars and the Crecheworlds themselves may fall into darkness- Temperance: Satevis, half-forgotten Warden of the West, wants nothing more than to be left to his memories and his forge. Fate-and necessity-have other plans in store for him- The Pale Gate: When an unexpected arrival abruptly gates into his shop, Shan-enchanter and proprietor of the Seven Stars-and his allies find themselves dealing with a very personal, and final, mystery-"