After Hal and Alastair's triumph in the arena, their places at St Penderghast's seem secure. However, Alastair's dramatic reunion with his father and a brutal betrayal threaten Hal's place at the elite college. When Alastair disappears, she must hunt down her ex-partner and bring him to justice. If Hal's going to survive an adventure filled with terrifying monsters, she needs allies. She has to travel with the son of the woman who recently tried to kill her, cruel savant necromancer Kiel, and Alastair's maddening older brother, gladiator prodigy Tieran. But if it means she gets to punch Alastair in the face, Hal's game for anything. This reluctant partnership follows Alastair's trail to the darkest corners of Preyburn, only to find that something much darker is brewing. When Alastair's secrets are revealed, and a sudden end to the war could start a new one, Hal may need her nemesis for more than revenge. But could she ever bring herself to trust him again?