Book excerpt: Valko, adrift in the open sea, ponders his place in the world amid a sense of longing and guilt. He encounters the swordsman Fenrir, who seems to have an uncanny knowledge of Valko. The pair soon become entranced with one another and their desire takes hold. Through terror, war, and each other's wrath they come to understand how important one has become to the other. So too have they found a new land and people to call their own. It is a closely guarded possession in a world torn apart by the wars of men and the encroachment of the Fog. Love and peace are hard won victories, and there are always casualties.