Nothing comes easy for Galen. Exiled from his homeland, apprenticed to a healer turned assassin, now Galen has gone out on his own. After a simple hit on a young boy goes awry, Galen is nearly killed by one of his own poisoned darts. When he learns why the boy went after the thief-master Davin and meets the painted girl the boy rescued, Galen realizes the boy needs his help or they'll both end up dead. But helping him means going against one of Eban's most dangerous criminals. After all he's been through, Galen isn't sure if that's a risk he's willing to take.