Five hundred years of peace and prosperity have been shattered by the assassination of the king's eldest son, the heir to the Union of Cities' throne. Now the kingdom must determine how to prevent being overtaken by a malevolent force and whether they trust the new heir-apparent, Brennan, whose unorthodox ideas and methods cause some to doubt his ability to lead. Brennan himself must not only struggle to accept his brother's cruel death and his new role in the kingdom, but also finds himself the unexpected caretaker of the refugee Galya, whose shrouded past could ultimately turn the tide for the Union.