Following the events of Book Two, the Cutlass limps into the port of Mypor in desperate need of repair, and Kayrla, wracked with grief, must now attempt to complete the mission left to her. Taking up the title of Left Hand, she must lead her company out of Mypor to the Abbey of St. Ravino and its legendary Preservatorium, a library dedicated to collecting all the world's knowledge. There Captain Grivus seeks fresh clues into the mysteries surrounding the legendary pirate Praeditorus Rex. But the travelers quickly discover that they are not the only visitors to the Abbey. Beyond fellow scholars, the Abbey has also become the site of a holy pilgrimage, bringing a very different sort of devotee to its grounds. And as Kayrla navigates through this web of faith and politics, she learns that the Abbey holds many secrets, young and old, not all of which are hidden in the shelves and galleries of the Preservatorium. And some of those secrets protect themselves.