The young warrior and bard Liobhan has lost her brother to the Otherworld. Even more determined to gain a place as an elite fighter, she returns to Swan Island to continue her training. But Liobhan is devastated when her comrade Dau is injured in their final display bout. Blamed by Dau’s family for the accident, she agrees to go to his home as a bond servant for the span of one year.

Liobhan soon learns that Oakhill is a place of dark secrets. The vicious Crow Folk still threaten both worlds. And Dau, battling the demon of despair, is not an easy man to help.

When Liobhan and Dau start to expose the rot at the centre of Oakhill, they place themselves in deadly danger. For their enemy wields great power and will stop at nothing to get his way. It will take all the skills of a Swan Island warrior and a touch of the uncanny to give them a hope of survival.

Finalist in the Tin Duck Awards – Best Professional Work Long Form (The Tin Duck Awards are the Western Australian Science Fiction awards)

“I love Juliet’s signature mix of history, folklore and romance, all written in beautiful lyrical language …” (Kate Forsyth)