In the aftermath of the elves’ battle with Contemno, Farahdin is left in a state of fragile peace. The two rangūn that met at Helsguard have journeyed to the northern border of the realm where they amass their strength, experimenting with new weapons against which the elves may be powerless—a new magic against which even the strength of the dragons may be futile. At the capital, though Contemno has been dethroned, a battle of politics threatens to replace the tyranny of the sorcerer king. Humans and elves struggle for power, and Arius and Kyra may be the only two who can unite the races. However, not two weeks after the battle for the city, Arius receives another summons from Galeru and must depart for Exoter with Guardus as his only companion. Though Orthel is left behind, he does not remain idle. He secures a mission of his own, and it is his story that this volume tells. He must travel across the seas to the lands of Alderdor, the ancestral home of the elves. There, he hopes to find the creator of the Book of Histories so that he might learn how the tome can be destroyed—for it is thought that only in the destruction of the book can the two rangūn be defeated. Their summonses lie within the pages and as long as the book survives, so too will the rangūn. There are those who resent Orthel, though, victims of a hatred that poisons the land. Their dislike may thwart Orthel’s quest before he can even reach the sea or journey across it. Enemies work against Orthel with all eagerness, and if they succeed, Farahdin’s doom is all but assured. Orthel is not alone, however. Lodging at a priory, he acquires not only a strange new friend and travel companion, but a new perspective on magic and its purposes. This belief may prevent Orthel from using magic the same way he always has, but will it also lead him to his death? Entrance into Alderdor’s halls requires a great price; if Orthel wishes to succeed and reach his goal, he must pay it. But will he accept this trial or will he turn back if his very life becomes the collateral?