Strange forces are at work in the desert nation of Havek as an expanding oasis, fading river valleys, and fears of a new war threaten the already tremulous balance of the region.
An anxiety prone exterminator believes vermin are stalking him. Strange sounds from inside his walls. Crawling sensations under the sheets at night. Snide rats heckling him from the shadows. Low on patience and medication, he decides to fight back.
What would life be like being dead and the unending pain from being alive once again be like to experience? Trapped in his undead body, Rob can only watch the horrors he creates as "the hunger" controls him, while wishing for his second death.
Ryn and Josalind are caught between rival forces that would either use them, kill them, or venerate them as lost gods returned. Their best hope lies with finding the mysterious Crucible Tree. But unlocking its secrets comes with a brutal price.
