A runaway spell is the most dangerous weapon of all. Alpha for the few remaining Sea Shifters, Leif's been playing fast and loose with death for years. Plagued by a poisoned ocean, treacherous sea gods, illness, and bad bargains, he's learned to roll with the punches. Setting ancient antagonism aside, he joined a group of land Shifters, pledging both his help and that of his pod. A vulture shifter, Moira embraces her life on Arkady, a small polar cruise ship. She faces problems-ones that may kill all of them-but at least she's free. No more sneaking around hiding from Vampires and not having enough magic to shift, courtesy of short rations and toxic air. Leif yearns for Moira, but Sea Shifters don't mate with their land cousins-ever. Besides, they have their hands more than full. Not only is there no time for love, there's barely space to breathe as they wend their way through a volatile obstacle field littered with demons, hostile gods, and ancient horrors bent on their destruction.