Lilik is on the warpath. Behind her, House Ulstat is a smoking pit. Ahead, Mieshk Ulstat wields terrible magic from within an impregnable fortress. The battle approaches. Never mind that Lilik's fighters are actually a ragtag assortment of smugglers and thieves. Forget that something is terribly wrong with the aether, leaving Lilik's magic unpredictable. Lilik is the last hope for stopping Mieshk's cataclysm. Unfortunately, Lilik's problems aren't limited to insurmountable odds and questionable allies. Ioene still holds secrets. A dark force has awakened in the island's heart. And it's hungry.