"By the fiftieth year of his reign, Louis XIV has made France the most powerful state in the western world. Yet the Sun King's appetite for glory knows no bounds. In a bold stroke, he sends his natural philosopher on an expedition to seek the source of immortality - the rare, perhaps mythical, sea monsters. For the glory of his God, his country, and his king, Father Yves de la Croix returns with his treasures: one heavy shroud packed in ice...and a covered basin that imprisons a shrieking creature." "The living sea monster, with its double tail, webbed hands, long tangled hair, and gargoyle face, provides a grotesque yet intriguing experiment for the king and his natural philosopher. And Marie-Josephe de la Croix looks forward to assisting her adored brother Yves in its scientific study. Yet the creature's gaze and exquisite singing foretell a different future...." "Soon Marie-Josephe finds herself contemplating choices that defy the institutions which power her world - king, country, church, even her brother. Somehow she must build the courage to follow her heart and her convictions - even at the cost of changing her life forever."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved