Hardboiled private detective and elementalist Alexander Southerland is told by a troll, who is a detective for the Yerba City Police Department, that a beautiful sea nymph is going to come to him with a case. The troll tells Southerland to turn the case down--or else! Southerland rejects the case, but his curiosity won't let it go. Next thing he knows, he's hip-deep in corruption and murder as he comes into possession of a mysterious locked box that powerful people are willing to kill for.