Grin Luckenbow doesn't believe in curses. But the mark on his forehead says otherwise. It burns whenever prayer fills the air. At Alfstad Academy, obedience is worship and Grin's defiance makes him stand out like blood on white marble. When tragedy strikes at home, Grin stumbles into the Elridge Hotel. A place of warmth, food, and the illusion of family. But salvation is never free. Beneath its walls, something ancient is waiting. And it's been waiting for him.