Once upon a time, even before the War of the Spear, when strangers were not allowed into Qualinesti, Flint Fireforge, a dwarf and blacksmith, received an invitation from the Sun-Talker to come to the fabulous elven capital, Qualinesti, and create a beautiful piece of jewelry. There he meets Tanis Half-Elf, a brooding youth born from the tragic union of an elf and a man. Tanis and Flint, so different from each other, unwittingly become friends. However, soon someone mysteriously kills the arrogant elven lord, and another victim appears in his wake. Charges have been brought against Tanis, and if he and Flint cannot prove his innocence, the Half-Elf will be banished from his native land forever. Solving the puzzle will be a risky task. Time is on the killer's side, and he's not done yet... Marc Anthony and Ellen Porath's first novel kicks off the long-awaited series that tells how the companions of the fantasy world of the Spear Saga met.