Kassandra comes from the sea, but she has no memory of saltwater, seagulls, or an incoming tide. She's never seen an ocean, never heard the thunder of surf. Kassandra's an exile, betrayed by her own family, sent as far from the sea as they could arrange-somewhere in the middle of Nebraska. In Kassandra's own words... If I had known my tears were doors for summoning sea demons, I wouldn't have tried so hard to cry. And I would have told someone about the mermaid's tail as soon as it happened. There are plenty of other things I would or wouldn't have done, but the sea has ways of getting into my head, into my dreams-ways of making me do things, and even worse, making me think I want to do them. I grew up about as far from the ocean as anyone can get. Plenty of rivers and lakes nearby, but sadly it's all freshwater and the sea isn't even a dream in their courses. I grew up fearing water, not trusting it, uncomfortable with more than five gallons gathered in one place. I mean real fear, like the sound of running water made my knees shake. That's the work of Matrothy, the Girl's Department Director. I was four years old the first time she tried to drown me...