Kestryl, the Bladesman of High Gondylar, has every reason to believe Penthor, the heir to the Gondylarian throne, has committed treason. Yet, Penthor's assassins have failed and Kestryl sets off on a long journey to find Cyanne, the true heir to the throne. Exiled at the age of five, Cyanne is now a young woman and could be anywhere. Even if he finds her, Kestryl has no idea what she might be like, or whether she will choose to return to the Great Dukedom. Neither Kestryl nor Penthor know the face of the true enemy, a powerful sorcerer who has managed to turn the two most powerful men in High Gondylar against each other. And no one could have prepared themselves for Tanrif, an outlander whose own destiny will affect not only High Gondylar, but will change the face of Corithim forever.