"I won him in a game of dice. I never owned him, though. He owned himself and always would, but I did not discover that until much later."

Javaneh's people disdain her for her mixed blood, yet covet her magic. On the run from those who would bind her powers, she needs another horse for speed, no matter the cost. So in a caravanserai on the edge of the mountains, she gambles everything she has – including herself – to win one.

However, she hadn't anticipated getting a smelly, dim-witted slave, whose only thought seems to be getting his next meal, into the bargain. Such an annoying travelling companion she can do without. Or can she? For with the wolves of the steppe hard on her heels, she may need all the help she can get, even from unexpected quarters.

A tale of elemental magic, deception, dangerous escapes and dumplings.