Vesper, the worst Watcher in the order, cannot weave nets, hear the trees' song, or feel the hunger. But when the ancient seed beneath the New Tree begins to crack and the darkness returns, she is the only one who sees the truth. Entering the seed, she finds Elara Venn's lingering spirit and learns that sacrifice not memory or hope is the only thing the hunger cannot consume. Vesper gives herself to the seed, becoming part of the tree, holding back the darkness. Centuries later, a young woman hears Vesper's heartbeat and comes to free her, ready to finish what she started.
