Author of the hugely popular Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, Laurell K. Hamilton has brought the supernatural to light—and has given readers a vision of a world aflame with electrifying suspense and violent passions. In this, her debut novel, her rich imagination spreads its wings to fly—in a tale of a woman known as sorcerer, prophet, and enchantress.
The mark of a demon can open the door to undreamed-of powers and possibilities—or expose a soul to the darkest and most forbidden forces of sorcery. Now Keleios wears the mark—and the time of avenging her mother’s death is at hand.
After two hundred years of civil war the planet Oriana is dying. Most of the surface vegetation is gone, the air is nearly unbreathable, and the people themselves are dying. Now, the two warring factions have finally sat down to talk peace, and Captian Picard and the U.S.S. Enterprise™ are sent to help them negotiate a settlement.
Picard, Lt. Worf, and Counsellor Troi beam down to Oriana, just as the Starship Enterprise is called away on another urgent mission. Alone on the planet, the U.S.S. Enterprise team learns that there are people that would rather finish the devastating conflict than talk peace. Suddenly, Picard is accused of murder and the delicate negotiations have fallen into the hands of Lt. Worf.
Now, Worf and Troi must unravel the truth and prevent planet-wide disaster, before time runs out for the people of Oriana and the crew of the Starship Enterprise.
