About the Book
Elizabeth Moon is back with the fourth adventure in her bestselling
fantasy epic. Moon brilliantly weaves a colorful tapestry of action,
betrayal, love, and magic set in a richly imagined world that stands
alongside those of such fantasy masters as George R. R. Martin and Robin Hobb.
The unthinkable has occurred in the kingdom of Lyonya.
The queen of the Elves — known as the Lady — is dead, murdered by former
elves twisted by dark powers. Now the Lady’s half-elven grandson must
heal the mistrust between elf and human before their enemies strike
again. Yet as he struggles to make ready for an attack, an even greater
threat looms across the Eight Kingdoms.
Throughout the north,
magic is reappearing after centuries of absence, emerging without
warning in family after family — rich and poor alike. In some areas, the
religious strictures against magery remain in place, and fanatical
followers are stamping out magery by killing whoever displays the merest sign of it — even children. And as unrest spreads, one very determined
traitor works to undo any effort at peace — no matter how many lives it
costs. With the future hanging in the balance, it is only the dedication of a few resolute heroes who can turn the tides... if they can
survive.
