In a harsh borderland village where the wind howls and old stones offer little comfort, survival often depends on Kayla Powell. Gifted with lumen-a golden, quiet magic that mends both flesh and shattered minds-Kayla is the only line of defense between her people and the horrors of the Veiled Wood. When a young boy named Tomas is dragged into the infirmary, his ribs slashed by a terrifying thorn-beast, Kayla must do more than just bind his physical wounds. To save him, she must dive directly into his traumatized memories and face the creature's lingering curse. But within the boy's torn flesh, Kayla uncovers something far more insidious than simple animal malice: a damp, eager hunger that seeks to swallow the light. Immerse yourself in a gripping dark fantasy where healing is a dangerous battlefield, and a single thread of warmth must hold back the encroaching dark.