Bence Brechenhad is the sole survivor of the infamous Aeonian army. His fear of Deranian justice drives him to flee the country, abandoning his only companion, Queen Isabel, without so much as a good-bye. Bence leaves with Isabel's ring and a black pearl with one goal in mind: to find a new home and a fresh start. Throughout his adventures over rough seas and maze-like woods, the sins of his past lurk around every corner. When Bence reaches the country of Irelle, he rescues a baby Dunya, jeopardizing his chances of acceptance into their clan.Meanwhile, Isabel tries to fulfill her new role as queen. She is fully invested in rebuilding her kingdom, and funds her people's short-lived peace until a man she thought was dead and a banished Healer appear on her steps.Their arrival seems to prompt a string of murders cascading through Deran. Each victim is branded with the Aeonian mark, and Isabel's kingdom is inevitably sucked back into a vortex of violence and turmoil. The winds whisper to Bence, calling him back to Deran. Will he have the courage to confront his past and fight alongside Isabel once more?