Orphaned Lena Ashford is hunted by greedy kin. She flees to her parents’ mountain cabin and finds a hearth that links her world to a medieval realm besieged by the Shadow Legion. Wounded Lord Darren Voss, whose kingdom is collapsing, believes the voice from beyond the hearth is a god.
Lena sends firewood, medicine, food, modern weapons and antidotes through the portal, saving Darren and his people time and again. He pays her in gold and jewels. Lena trades the treasure for black-market arms, building a cross-world supply line.
When relatives assault Lena, her blood awakens the starstone necklace Darren gave her. He crosses the hearth for the first time to fend off her attackers. They meet and seal a blood pact. As the portal faces permanent closure, Lena leaves her old life behind and travels to his realm.
Darren unleashes his ring’s full power to defeat Shadow Lord Morvath, securing a hundred years of peace. He weds Lena and crowns her his queen.
