The tide is forever. It churnes. It hungers. And when the waves rise, they scatter men's darkest memories along the shores.
With the destruction of their caravan-city, Zaira, Hain, and Salar were left without their mentor. Their only hope lies in the mysterious Secret Rooms dotted around the desert, but to save Nazrik, they must return to a place they never wanted to: the port city of Kahlaran.
But Kahlaran isn't how it was before.
Guided by Sethar, the strongest human magician running from his own guilt, they must find their footing among the streets controlled by soldiers, chasing question not only about saving Nazrik, but about the whole of djinnkind.
Meanwhile, Tamen, now the successor to Kahlaran's throne, strives to prove his worth as a commander. When his fate falls into the hands of Seiran's most dangerous man, Prince Idranil of the Golden Light, he must find the strength and cunning to survive and decide about the kind of man he wants to be.
Under the scorching Sun, new friendships are forged, and old friends' paths cross again. All must pick a side, before the Gate opens, and the sea floods through, drowning the sands in sorrow.