Ludica, the king of Faermire, has spent years creating a legacy for his three children. But when the death of a rival king fuels rumors of conflict throughout the land, he soon finds that threats to his reign are brewing both within and without his own borders. And though Gwenora, the widowed queen, offers him a treaty after her late husband's death, they both find that such an alliance could ignite a rebellion within their own ranks. Meanwhile, Ludica's eldest children, Beowyn and Estrith, uncover evidence of their uncle and stepmother's involvement in a plot to usurp their father's throne. But in revealing the truth, they must come to terms with the unintended consequences. When the world as they know it begins to crumble around them; threats to their reign, treasonous alliances, and murderous plots abound, Ludica and the others must look to each other to defend their places in the world of Aecorath or risk losing everything-and everyone- that they love.