While the storm warden's away .. her children will pay -- especially when someone's kidnapped that magical and merciless personage's son and heir. And when kidnapping's the game, Garrett's the name of the hardboiled human detective who's made nabbing the 'nappers his specialty. But this time around Garrett may have gotten into the middle of something that's too hot for him and his elvish allies to handle, and even the bewitching beauty of a half-elf, the seductive sultriness of a lady willing to prove she's wholly human, and the promise of a fortune in gold may not prove compensation enough for tackling both a host of ogres and assassins .. and some of the most menacing masters ever to seize power in this wildly enchanted land.