King Rupert of Rovatha would not know Del Hobin, the tower clock keeper in Wineriver, if he stumbled over him. Del is one of Rupert's faceless subjects in a village starving because of Rupert's demands to support his war against a rival king. Del and his wife lost a son to the senseless war. Now their daughter, Myla, is joining a rebel band in an effort to overthrow both kings. The forest Elves usually avoids contact with the less advanced humans, but the war is destroying their homes, too. It forces the fairy folk to take part in defense of the land. Their methods are different from those of the humans, but Del Hobin holds a secret that rivals even Elfin magic. The tower clock has a strange ability that could put an end to the war, but Del is reluctant to use it for fear of the unknown consequences. Until now Del's responsibility was to keep the clock's secret. The war and the appearance of Mick, an arrogant Elf, make it impossible. Leaving him to choose between accepting advice from a being he never knew existed or risk using Wineriver's Clock on his own.