Synopsis: Jessamyn Croft loves only two things: Nicolas Griffin and acting. She's already lost one of them, and is trying desperately to hold on to the other. Jessamyn has no idea why she's suddenly lost Nic. When she woke up after the car accident, she found he'd quietly but determinedly dropped out of her life. Now he's written a play that's sure to be a hit - and he'll do anything to keep her out of the starring role. Everyone thinks that Nic's new play is fantasy, but the playwright knows the truth. The real Ruby Tear, the jewel he's named the play for, has cursed the Griffin family for a thousand years. By fighting her way into the starring role, Jessamyn puts herself in more danger than she can imagine - especially when the enigmatic European Baron von Cragga begins showering her with romantic attention. Is he friend or foe? And what does he know about the real Ruby Tear? (from the back cover of the Tor paperback edition)