Change is coming to the Highlands of Kylgahra on the two-mooned world of Trascera. Two young Kylgahran clansmen face an uncertain future. While running for his life from border raiders, Sheriff Ranyl Emyrt stumbles into an ancient tomb where he finds a sword imbued with powers unknown. Bloodthirsty borderlanders and magic swords are the least of his worries though, for he has women in his life. There's Meggie who wants to kill him, his fiancé, Helyn, who may be more interested in another, and the Ryan heiress, Tessymir, whom his father is scheming for him to marry. His father wants her title for any grandchildren and is willing to meet Ryan's brideprice. Ranyl is torn between a sense of duty and the sudden longing for a fast horse and an open road. Seeking adventure, Aeryk Emyrt joins a cattle drive to the distant city of Cos. Evading murderous bandits and hostile tribesmen, he helps rescue a kidnapped farmer's daughter along the way and then encounters a raven haired singer and an amber-eyed elf. A family keepsake turns out to be a magic talisman and comes in handy amid a city full of rogue sorcerers and thieves. His courage tested, Aeryk finds himself committed to guiding a band of Elven mercenaries on a secret quest without knowing their reason for going or why mysterious forces seem determined to stop them. The two young men share a common name, but the bond between them runs deeper; for kinsmen they are, a birthright that will mold the destiny of their people.