Edward never wanted to be anyone special. He just wanted to deliver flour without being mocked by arrogant squires. When a confrontation with noble-born squires forces him to flee the only home he has ever known, the miller's son discovers a world far larger and more dangerous than anything he imagined. In the Caruthian Mountains, a monastery holds the spirit of an ancient mage whose city was destroyed a thousand years ago. In a hidden village nearby, the goddess Cholas speaks through mortal lips. And across the mountain passes, an Eastern sorcerer named Eldaric the Magnificent is gathering armies that will darken the horizon of every Western kingdom. Edward was raised to grind wheat. His father broke the law to teach him to read and write, and to use weapons. His friends trained daily with work implements in place of proper arms. None of that matters now. The fate of nations rests on a young man raised to grind wheat, not wield magic. Some destinies cannot be outrun.