Knight Shaun Grayson nearly died in the battle to save the king's daughter Sara from enemy agents. Now she finds herself in a fight of a different kind. A victim of a curse placed on her by the kingdom's enemies, Shaun struggles against their attempts to control her mind and body so that they can use her against her own people.
Thomas Delschein finds himself in an equally difficult place. As Shaun slips farther into the grips of the enemy, she begins to forget her friends and her loyalty to Riverend. He must choose between his duty to protect Sara and his need to save Shaun. He may be forced to leave her behind.
Elsewhere in the realm, the battle for power among the survivors of the siege on Riverend has begun. The king's son, Fredrik, was never his father's favorite for succession, but he's intent on taking his father's place. Even if he must do so by force.