A gritty fantasy epic from Aurealis Award Nominee Christopher Ruz.

As a young mercenary, Richard followed a mysterious Magician on a quest to steal a demon's treasure and overthrow a king. The two men started their journey as strangers, became lovers along the way, and ended as master and loyal soldier.

Twenty years later, that kingdom is steadily falling into ruin and Richard has realized that time and power have twisted the Magician into more monster than man – children disappear nightly into his dungeons and the only things that leave are terrible creatures crafted in the shadows.

To save his own daughter, Richard flees into the wastes where magic boils beneath the sand and monsters walk the dunes in the shape of men. He will return to the burning heart of the desert and restore the demon's treasure, or die in the trying.

What Richard doesn't know is that Ana is the key to the Magician's plans and he and his favorite monster will lay waste to the world to get her back.