Shadow is the son of the Unicorn’s Herd Stallion – in other words, the heir to the ruler of Unicorn Valley, a haven of peace for all supernatural creatures. As the story begins, Shadow’s foster mother Kella is felled by a stroke, and her recovery is the primary concern of all the creatures in the Valley. Her illness also precipitates a crisis in government, since her mate, Tanne Brae, the current Herd Stallion, is no longer concerned with the herd or the Valley, but only with the fate of his mate. The leadership of the Unicorns is up for grabs, and the traditional way to solve the problem is a fight between the various competitors for the office. Shadow suggests to the Unicorn Council that perhaps by studying historical precedents they can find a way to allow a peaceful transition of power. So Shadow, always interested in intellectual pursuits, is delegated to go to the historian of the Elves, whose history goes back much farther than the history of any of the other races in the Valley. But Shadow finds much more than history in the land of the Elves...