The dead speak through flame, and Aunna can hear them.
The first woman Firewatcher in generations, Aunna pays a brutal price for her magic, scars on her body and marks on her soul. But she made a vow: to tell the grieving what they most need to hear, no matter the cost.
Then Yuniedra arrives. Sharp-tongued and perceptive, the witch sees all of Aunna's scars and doesn't look away. Together they build something Aunna never expected: garden rows and gossip-loving fires, protective charms and late-night tea.
Then The Temnylf Come.
Silver-eyed and feral, they crawl from the dark woods with unhinged jaws and an insatiable hunger for the magic buried in human bones. As the mountains grow dark and the fires whisper of impossible choices, Aunna must decide how much she is willing to burn, and whether the life she and Yuniedra have built is something she can sacrifice on the pyre of her vows.
Some prices, once paid, can never be undone.