His brother's entire family is murdered by soldiers preparing for war against the country of Avadar. Now Bengar, a lone soldier of fortune, is determined to reach Avadar before the invading army to offer his sword, hoping to exact some measure of vengeance. Torn between her desire to be her own person and her responsibility as the heir to the throne, Ariadne, the only child of the king of Avadar, had hoped to find an education far away from Avadar. Now, with war eminent, she has been summoned home where she must decide in which direction her future will lead. Mahri, a sorceress from the distant lands of Omhri, is in search of a mystical crystal that was secreted away by her father before he was murdered. With the crystal, anyone with magical powers would become immensely powerful. The sorcerer who murdered her father has spawned the army which is about to attack Avadar, believing that is where the crystal will be. Now Mahri must get there first to ensure that he does not corrupt the power of the crystal. Three separate travelers, drawn together by chance, all destined for one place . . . Avadar