Tamison had been a miner until the cave-in that killed his brother and father left him with a paralyzing fear of venturing underground. With the passing years and the growth of his own new family, Tamison is willing to turn his hand to any trade that will feed his wife and children. But in a realm where guilds rule — and where his own guild canno longer support him — Tamison is forced to steal food or see his family starve. Caught in the act, Tamison is sentenced to four years on a chain gang. And when he is finally released, he discovers that his family had been kidnapped. Now he's determined to rescue them — but he can't do it alone. To break into a seemingly impenetrable city, he will need the help of three unlikely a guard, a thief, and a fortune-teller...