The battle for Wishapton has been won but for Bellaydin Ap'Lydin, the victory has come with a deeply personal cost. He will need all his courage to survive the trials ahead; the capital awaits him, and he must navigate the treacherous politics of the royal court. The Horned God's minions may have retreated but, as Bellaydin will learn, they do not rest.Meanwhile, Polnygar Ap'Lydin, still on the trail of the fugitive spellweaver Lord Ivellios, finds herself in the mystical desert empire of Qarld. In this unfamiliar place, she must decide who to believe, even as her trust in her own companions is shaken by unexpected revelations. Do the Horned God's followers still hunt her, or are there deeper and more dangerous threats beginning to surface?