The Blacktalons have stopped wars before they began, assassinated crooked kings, and ended bloody rebellions through sheer force and influence for decades. Alvera has tracked, hunted, fought, and killed for them since she was a child. So, when one of their camps is mysteriously ambushed, she jumps at the chance to investigate the murderers and earn her bloodband. Determined, stubborn, and against her friend's wishes, Alvera begins the journey she has dreamed of since she was young. Then, before she is able to even properly begin, a blood-curdling screech in the night changes everything. Without realizing it, Alvera is launched on a trajectory that forces her to grapple with who she is and what she wants from this godforsaken world.