In a medieval world where gods once walked the earth, Tristan is cursed with the power to heal from any injury—at a terrible cost. Each wound he heals brings excruciating pain, and his immortality has condemned him to an eternal, isolated life. As the Lord Defender, a heroic figure tasked with protecting the realm, Tristan is revered but trapped in a life of suffering. Everything changes when he meets Neila, a woman with the same healing gift—but unlike Tristan, her power brings her only pleasure. She is his equal, his opposite, and his enemy. Torn between the pain she could bring and the answers he needs, Tristan must decide whether to risk everything for a chance to end his pain—or embrace the darkness of a bond that could destroy them both.