Giant magical snails aren't exactly at the top of the list of heroic quests. But the village of Dun Nas needs help, and Aric needs money: being a legendary swordsman might be nice, but so is getting paid. Anyway, snails -- even giant ones -- aren't anything he can't handle, especially with his half-fairy partner Emrys. Together, the Storm-Wielder and the Shadow can fight anything, or so the stories say. But this job's more complicated than it seems. The lake holds a dangerous magical mystery. Aric trusts Emrys with his life -- but he'd also love to offer his heart, and he doesn't know whether Em feels the same. Em isn't human, after all ... and has a few secrets of their own.