I never did leap the coals of the Beltane fire and complete my journey to womanhood. Dawn found me standing on the strand beside my mother. We watched as my father, waist-deep in the ocean, raged and wept and thrashed his sword wildly against the tireless waves. It was a sight to make the sternest heart break and the pain and pity of it a thing I still cannot bear to recall. Luaine is daughter to the greatest of Irish warriors, the legendary Cuchulainn. Although known throughout Ireland as the most fearsome of killers, to Luaine he is a loving playful father who amuses her with his exciting tales and marvelous feats. When the unthinkable happens--Cuchulainn returns from war injured nearly to the death--it is the first intimation of the hero's downfall, and Luaine's first painful step toward an adult life unlike anything she has imagined. As she faces loss, betrayal, suffering and fear, Luaine must find a strength that comes neither from the sword nor from her proud parentage, but from her own courageous spirit. Holly Bennett is the author of The Bonemender, The Bonemender's Oath, and the forthcoming The Gray Veil, all published by Orca. In her "real" life she works as editor-in-chief of Today's Parent Special Editions. Born in Montreal, Quebec, she lives in Peterborough, Ontario, with a houseful of musicians (three sons and husband John) and a nice quiet dog.