"The King's Rider Justin has been dispatched to the small town of Neft where he can easily watch any suspicious activity at the nearby Lumanen Convent. Under the rule of Coralinda Gisseltess, the convent houses the fanatical Daughters of the Pale Mother, who worship the moon goddess and believe all magic-wielding mystics are evil. Assuming the guise of stable-hand, Justin befriends Ellynor, a young novice from the convent." "Although her order forbids her to associate with men, Ellynor gladly disobeys. Born in the Lirrenlands, Ellynor has always worshipped the Dark Watcher, the goddess of the night. It is the Dark Watcher's blessing that has bestowed Ellynor with the gift of healing and the ability to move through the night unobserved. As love blossoms between Justin and Ellynor, he discovers her magical talents. Fearing that her convent sisters may mark her as a mystic, she swears Justin to secrecy." "In fact, Coralinda is already aware that Ellynor has special power during the dark of the moon, and she manipulates the novice into helping her hunt down and kill mystics. And when Ellynor finds herself unable to escape the convent, it falls to Justin to risk everything - his own secret, the trust of his friends, even his very life - in order to save her."--BOOK JACKET.