When a precious heirloom shatters, a warrior's quest leads him into the heart of darkness-and an impossible choice.

Labaw Donggon is a renowned datu of the Philippine islands, a warrior of strength and nobility. When his ancestral bidya-a sacred stringed instrument passed down through generations-breaks, his world tilts off balance. Only one material in all creation can restore it: a single golden hair from Amburukay, the flesh-eating muwa who dwells in the darkest depths of the forest.

But Amburukay's treasures come with a deadly price. Anyone who dares steal from her forfeits their life-or faces a fate that might prove worse than death.

Driven by determination that burns too hot to extinguish, Labaw embarks on a perilous quest. He watches, he waits, and when the moment arrives, he strikes. His theft succeeds beyond his wildest hopes-until Amburukay tracks him down and arrives at his door with an offer he cannot refuse: marriage to the fearsome muwa herself.

Faced with impossible choices and his family's horror, Labaw prepares for a wedding that will make him the laughingstock of his people. But the flesh-eating muwa harbors secrets more precious than gold. Hidden away in a golden tower deep within her cave are two maidens-Matan-ayon and Suranggaon-whose beauty is so extraordinary that men cannot look upon them directly, as one cannot stare at the noonday sun.

Now Labaw must navigate supernatural bargains, ancient magic, and the unpredictable heart of a creature who has never known love. In a world where the price of desire may be higher than anyone imagined, he discovers that sometimes the greatest treasures are found in the most unexpected places.

The first book in the epic Labaw Donggon series.