* Winner of the Branford Boase Award. *

When novice singer Rialle hears the cry of the merlee, she knows her life will never be the same again. Taken from the Echorium as part of a dangerous mission to punish the hunters, she finds herself a prisoner of the Karch, where the evil Khizpriest wields black crystal that can control people's thoughts.

Meanwhile, class rebel Kherron has fled the Singer Isle, and also finds himself facing the power of the Khiz. He has friends in the Karch - but when the Khizpriest tries to use Rialle's songs against the Isle, which side will Kherron choose?

"Fascinating and poetic... extremely original too." Joan Aiken.

This debut novel from award-winning UK author Katherine Roberts is the first part of a trilogy, followed by 'Crystal Mask' and 'Dark Quetzal'.