A magic rebellion in the Kingdom of Caithe receives an offer of help from a mysterious ally in this fantasy saga from the author of Call of Madness.

Charged with murder, heresy, and treason, Athaya spent months in captivity, her magic painfully sealed inside her mind. But her allies kept her mission alive—if only barely—risking their lives to recruit wizards and train them at their secret camp. Now Athaya has escaped, and her brother, King Durek, is desperate to stop her crusade against his reign. With a ruthless new ally at his side, Durek forms a Tribunal with the sole purpose of finding and destroying all Lorngeld and their supporters. And yet an even more immediate danger threatens Athaya's uprising.

As Athaya's followers multiply, supplies dwindle, leaving her camp vulnerable to Caithe's brutal winter. Her people face starvation, until aid comes from an unexpected source—a group of military wizards on the Isle of Sare. Their intervention could save Athaya's rebellion . . . but at what cost?