This two part story begins long ago in a distant land with a puppet miraculously brought to life, and the two ornaments which are accidently granted life simply because all three were made from the same block of wood. Dragged into the puppet's misadventures, Nico and Stephan do their best to help him, but their help comes at a terrible price. The second part of their story takes place in yet another distant land. Nico and Stephan are reunited but Stephan has no memory of Nico, or of them once being wooden ornaments in a wood carver's cottage. Nico is shattered by Stephan's rejection because unlike Stephan, he remembers everything. He turns to his best friend and the captain of his guard, who cautions him to remain silent and forget about Stephan. Nico can't. Betrayal from an unknown source suddenly threatens Nico's life. Was it his own sister plotting to take the throne for her son or is it someone else close to Nico who wants him dead? Nico's only hope rests with Stephan remembering their past to stop an assassin from ending their future.