On the ice planet Nevya, summer comes but once every five years. Only the powers of the Cantrixes - with their flute-like fillas and angelic voices - can reach into the very air and provide warmth, light and healing to the people of Nevya.
<br>Sira, the newest Cantrix, is fresh from her training and off to serve the Magister of the House of Bariken. The possibilities of growth, responsibility, and maturity excite her - for she is one of the youngest Cantrixes ever, and must prove herself worthy.
<br>But as Sira will soon discover, Bariken customs are different. And the Magister's House holds many secrets within its heart. A heart darker and more dangerous than the coldest Nevyan night...
(from the back cover of the first edition)
