All Josiah wants is a little excitement. His work as an apprentice fuller is boring, and playing in the mill’s machinery isn’t that dangerous. Everything goes fine—at first.All right, he’s lucky the wizard Elkan and his familiar, a donkey named Sar, are there to save his life. Even better, when his furious master fires him, Elkan offers him a job as his assistant. Josiah jumps at the chance. Traveling around Tevenar for a year, meeting all sort of interesting people, helping the dedicated young wizard and clever donkey serve them with the Mother’s healing magic—what could be more fun?But Josiah soon learns that while matters of life and death may be exciting, they’re seldom fun. Impulsive actions, even when taken with the best of intentions, can have devastating consequences. And some choices have the power to change the future of Tevenar forever.

Two lands, separated for a millennium by divine decree. Each holds the key to the other’s survival. The Matriarch of Ramunna needs an heir. Only the lost healing magic of the ancient wizards can help her conceive and bear the daughter who will ensure Ramunna’s future. She sends an expedition to seek the wizards who legends say still dwell somewhere far across the uncharted ocean. Tevenar hovers on the brink of disaster. Elkan, Josiah, and the rest of the Wizard’s Guild battle a virulent wheat blight, but even the Mother’s power might not be enough to prevent a deadly famine. The arrival of the Matriarch’s envoy offers both hope and danger. For in order to strike the bargain that could save both lands, they’ll have to sacrifice the isolation that has protected Tevenar for centuries.**