Book I of the Bridei Chronicles. When Bridei is sent by his parents to work with the druid Broichan, he knows only that he has left his family and home to learn to be a warrior and a scholar. He is not aware that in the divided and war-torn kingdom of Fortriu a secret council of elders, including Broichan, have been making plans for the future of their homeland, with Bridei central to their strategy. As the only child in the druid's remote household, Bridei learns early to deal with fear and loneliness. When he awakes one freezing mid-winter morning and finds a baby girl on the doorstep he thanks the gods for their precious gift of a companion and takes her in, not knowing that the baby's arrival will have unforeseen consequences. As Tuala, the foundling, grows from fey child to beguiling young woman and Bridei moves closer to his destiny, Broichan anticipates a perilous complication to his long-laid plans. Cover art by Jo Allsop.