Is magic real?

Jed doesn't think so. Forced to live with his grandmother after the death of his parents, he's mad at the world. He doesn't believe in God, much less the folk magic his grandmother practices in the isolated mountains of Appalachia. He doesn't fit in, and anger simmers within him, ready to explode.

Then Skylar arrives—a girl who's experienced evil firsthand. Though lost in silence, she forges a connection with Jed, his grandmother, and the neighbors who come for potions and spells. Even without a voice, she embraces her new life.

Eventually Jed flees, but not for the right reasons. And his insides still burn with rage, leaving him hollow and even more unhappy—until the day he feels compelled to return home.

Skylar understands why Jed has returned. It has nothing to do with her summoning spell. He's come home to heal. She's known for being a healer and can consume his sins so he can find peace. But the only way she knows how requires death...

The trees shiver. They know, too. They always do.