Merlon, the king of Eldarlan's healer, hides his soft heart beneath a prickly exterior. Despite a traumatic childhood, he strives to excel as a healer and an elf. But he gets more than he bargained for when he rescues a human woman from certain death right before being snared in the curse put on the king of Eldarlan. Left to fend for herself in an absent elf healer's compound, Adela tries to be useful. The patients call her the healer's apprentice...