Master gemsman Shay Bladen had a good life until betrayal set him on a course he never would have chosen for himself. Forced away from the remains of his home, Bladen flees with an heirloom battle-axe created from a single black diamond. With nothing but a cryptic note, he searches for answers among the bloodstone pillars within the Crystal Mountains. The note promises the revelation of the axe's creation and its magic, a lure he cannot resist. A chance meeting with a Sheethe warrior proves his only blessing in the battle against his betrayer and the bloodthirsty assassin intent on manipulating anyone around him to further his selfish cause. Will the axe's secrets bring Bladen comfort or will the ancient knowledge offer more personal devastation for the man who is not who he thought he was?