Revika Scáthach has survived many wounds, but one she cannot bear is watching her father lose himself to the Madness. Working tirelessly to care for him, she has tried every remedy, every recourse, all to no avail. In a world dominated by miraculous sorcery, she may be a deadly shadowcaster, but she is powerlessness in the face of his ailment. The city of Sahtaltin, divided by class and creed, only makes matters worse. There is little love for the royal family, and Revika has always blamed them for letting a veteran like her father end up the way he has. When the Peddler, the mysterious man who first hired her into a life of killing, offers her a mission in exchange for a cure, she has no choice but to accept. After all, killing the royal prince is a small price to pay to save her father's life.