When Balagir awakens at the fire with no recollection of his past, he discovers he is an ashena mysterious group of black-eyed vagabonds, addicted to the smoke they must pay the ghostly piper in exchange for power. But danger lurks beyond every hub. Distrustful settlers, the influential askaba, an older darkness that stirs in the ash, and themselves.
With the aid of the kalaqaian ancient, unique chisphe must rally the ashen as never before, if they are to unravel the past, salvage the future, and vanquish the threats both within and without.