Scholar's Eye: Book Two of Cain's Web

Long before the city, there was only sprawling forest, and a swamp that hid great evil. As village mayor, Morgrinne leads a gruesome ritual each autumn in the name of his god, feeding a horror beyond human comprehension. That is, until a stranger bearing an ominous mark threatens to overturn everything Morgrinne has worked so hard to create. The man known only as "Tom" slipped away the first time. Now Morgrinne begins the ultimate hunt...Meanwhile, beaten nearly to death, Tom finds himself alone in a fetid swamp without direction and only a few memories. That suits him just fine; a chronic malcontent, he's never been much for people. But the night is filled with worse than angry villagers - horse-headed demons, restless spirits, and bloodthirsty fiends inhabit a world unknown to most mortals. With a weakened body and mind, he isn't likely to survive a night. But with the right allies, he might just thrive...The Scholar's Eye is the second strand of Cain's Web, a dark fantasy trilogy. Now enter its swirling center, where the lines between good and evil, human and inhuman blur. Journey into the dark and vast woods, and you may discover the origins of mankind and its forgotten sister race. Delve deep enough, and you may unlock the mysteries of time itself.