This is Part One of the award-winning epic fantasy Heartwood. Please note, there is a cliffhanger at the end, and you will need to purchase parts 2 and 3 to complete the story (or alternatively purchase parts 1-3 in the handy box set.)A dying tree, a desperate quest, a love story, a last stand.When Chonrad was a child, the Arbor turned him away. As an adult, he comes to Heartwood for the Congressus peace talks with mixed feelings, but he is prepared to put aside his resentment to keep peace in the land. And then the Darkwater Lords attack.Now the tree is dying, its heart stolen. The real meaning of the Veriditas—the ancient power of the greening—has been lost. The tree’s roots are no longer keeping the land alive.The four peoples of Anguis and the Militis knights of Heartwood must work together to save the Arbor. Chonrad discovers he can provide the vital link between the people and the land as the element of water begins to rise. Will he help? Or will he turn his back on the tree who rejected him?There will be journeys to the ends of the earth, to the bottom of the ocean, and to the deepest part of the hearts of men and women. Truth, honesty, and love will triumph, but the Darkwater Lords are many and powerful, and only the strong will prevail…