Maria never wakes peacefully. Her father a drunk who borrowed freely and then died., leaving his only daughter drowning in the debt that he created. Maria swears that she will pay for her father's debts and then vanish. Swearing that she will never be hungry or abused again., she struggles to meet her obligations and her life becomes drudgery and hopelessness Rillian must have his mate to restore and protect his home from the Creeping Curse. When he strands himself and a ragged human woman frees him, he feels the mate bond snap into place. But she is human, with no idea of the wider world where the magic rests in the core and is threatened by the Creeping Curse. When the two come together, a choice must be made. But will they be able to come together when they are from utterly different worlds?