Heart of Hythea - Song of the Arkafina, #1

Yrth... a place of ordered beauty -- and undreamed terror. A magical realm where winged Amaranthine hide in the shadow of humankind, while selfishly exploiting them. A universe of countless dimensions; where an unwary sideways step might carry you to Death's silent Kingdom -- or beyond, to the very heart of the rising Gyre. Now into this world comes Katrione, a born healer. The Amaranthine need her, for she is destined to become the Vessel of the Goddess Lalluna and a pawn in the battle against their enemy.
And Katrione's fellow citizens are also desperately in need of a healing touch, as they suffer through an endlessly bloody civil war. The difficult choices that Katrione must make -- between humankind and Amaranthine -- true love and responsibility -- sworn oath and unhappy truth, make for compulsive reading. Heart of Hythea is the first book in the "Song of the Arkafina" series.