A haunted mage. A weapon lost. Sometimes, the dead return… To save a life, Zola must find an anchor to transfer a blood knot of untold power, and she knows exactly who to turn to. An old ally, Ward, is gifted in the ancient arts and may hold the key to Vesik’s salvation. With his team by his side, Ward embarks on a quest through the outskirts of The Golden City, which is rife with Unseelie Fae and irontouched alike. Their only hope is a dangerous meeting with a highly trained cadre—who balance their loyalties on a knife’s edge. As they embark on their path of knowledge and terror, tables take a jarring turn when a long lost apprentice, believed to be claimed by the darkness, makes a ghoulish return. The time for peace is near the end, and Ward must trust in those who rarely trust themselves in order to fulfill his mission.