To be bound by blood is to be bound forever - but who can you trust, when everyone has their own agenda?
Sophie may have broken the Delville curse and gained temporary control of her powers, but the clock is ticking. She can't become a sworn Bloodlender - a blood magician blessed by the Old Gods - until she finds her missing father, and failure isn't an option.
When trouble arises in Vichy, Sophie flees to Switzerland and encounters the Vessel, a secret community dealing with a crisis of its own. Several young Bloodlenders have disappeared and rumours are circulating of a fate worse than death.
As her new friends vanish one by one, Sophie must confront her fears and venture into the heart of danger, where the answers she seeks lie in wait. But the truth isn't always pleasant... and the past is fast catching up.
Can she save herself and her loved ones before someone else seals her fate?