Adazzra, a healer of the Tree Women, was living a life of adventure traveling the Known Worlds with her sworn sister Moonrazer, the Exalted Warrior of the Sarl. When Adazzra starts to get feelings of foreboding from her tree back on the world of Arwhyrrl, the two women know they must go immediately. Upon returning, they find that Vlaad from the world of Flaming Crystal has invaded Adazzra's world. These all male, blue-skinned, winged creatures are lead by a Queen who wishes to rid Arwhyrrl of all women and rule both worlds.

While waiting for Moonrazer's warriors to arrive, Adazzra finds a wounded Vlaad and starts to nurse him back to health over her sworn sister's objections. Adazzra knows that this man's people wish to destroy hers, but as a healer she must help him. As he regains his strength, she finds out his name is Feodor, and that he does not like what his people are doing to Adazzra's world.

Quickly Adazzra finds herself drawn to this man and is stunned when he answers the first of her "riddles." The riddles are secrets of her life that only the man destined to be her life partner could know. As unreal as it seems, Feodor answers the riddles one by one.

When Moonrazer's warriors arrive, Moonrazer, Adazzra, Feodor and the women's friend, Olaf, head toward the Holy City to plan an attack on the Vlaad. As the group got closer to the city, a prophesy is revealed to them that points to Adazzra being the Chosen One who must save her own world and Feodor's. This journey also forces Adazzra to confront beliefs she has of her religion. Finding that what she has believed since she was a child may not be the whole truth, shakes her faith and her belief that she really can save her world. It is through her bonding with Feodor and their unshakeable love in each other that holds them together so they can defeat the Queen.

There are two things that make this book a pleasure to read. First is because it moves. There are no long drawn-out explanations of who people are, their history or the history of their religion. Instead, we are brought right into the heart of the conflict and get to know the characters as the story progresses. Specifically, through how they react to one another and the circumstances they are thrown into.

Secondly, everything about this story is real. The characters talk to one another the way friends do. Sometimes arguing but in the end respecting each other for who they are because they have always been there for each other. Even the love that Adazzra and Feodor find is real as to how it grows. I really appreciated it that Cummings did not fall into the "love at first sight" cliché that some authors think is necessary in romance novels. Instead we find two people who question their "destinies." There is a deep-seeded sensuality between them, but instead they learn about each other from the inside out rather than physically first.

Overall I found this to be a book that I would recommend to anyone, even those who do not usually read books of the romance genre.

Reviewed By: Kathy Martin
© June 2004