Oree Shoth sees magic—and nothing else. She paints landscapes by touch and scent, and uses a staff to navigate Shadow, the city built at the roots of the giant tree whose branches cradle the palace of the all-powerful Arameri dynasty. When a derelict god shows up on a neighborhood muckheap Oree takes him under her wing, an act which entangles her in a cosmic feud thousands of years old. For the gods hold ancient grudges and commit horrific crimes, letting mortals suffer the consequences. Can innocence redeem them?