Against a stark backdrop of territorial Arizona, a veteran fleeing his past tries to outrun his destiny. Caught between nightmares of past battles and visions of the future, Royal Healey is hired as the marshal of a small town. His new life provides Royal with happiness he can't quite accept. When the town is afflicted by tragic events, Royal pursues a truth so dark and sinister it threatens to destroy him. Sparse but lyrical in style, this is a classic tale of opposing forces. Individual choices collide with fate; past, future and present commingle; chaos evolves into darker order. Themes of divisiveness and connectedness; fratricide and patricide; and unnatural love give this small novel a vast and compelling scope.