She is abandoned by all evil spirits. Instead of cutting the prince's throat, she simply let him go. And now she is supposed to bend the knee before King Tedore in the throne room. Not with her. Never. Better to kill standing than to live kneeling. In the late autumn of his life, far from home, fled from his guilt. A deceased son, a lost daughter, a forfeited title. What remained is to sit on the beach and count the waves. But then the old sword master rises and sets out on his last great journey. Terrible events lead to terrible losses. The war between Prince Schohtar and King Tedore Marein divides the realm. In a world whose deep shadows leave little room for light, the struggle for survival begins for Karek and his comrades.