The strangerrsquo;s cloak had fallen back, and with it, a long, white, blood-stained wing.160;When Melaia, a young priestess, witnesses the gruesome murder of a stranger in the temple courtyard, age-old legends recited in song suddenly come to life. She discovers wings on the stranger, and the murderer takes the shape of both a hawk and a man. 160;Angels. Shape-shifters. Myths and storiesmdash;until now.160;Melaia finds herself in the middle of a blood feud between two immortal brothers who destroyed the stairway to heaven, stranding angels in the earthly realm. When the feud turns violent and Melaia becomes a target, she finds refuge with a band of angels attempting to restore the stairway. But the restoration is impossible without the repayment of an ancient debtmdash;the ldquo;breath of angel, blood of man,rdquo; a payment that involves Melaiarsquo;s heart, soul, and destiny.