The action-packed first book in the 'Tale of the White Queen' fantasy series.

When Iiriniss rescues a severely wounded prince from an ambush, she fears that nothing good will come of it. She and her sisters know his father, King Jethron Bloodthorne, too well since he took everything from them—their family, their land, their freedom.

Iiriniss has sworn to avenge her father, but she can’t let Prince Terven die. She has a debt to repay to him. And the more time she spends with him, the more she realises that he is not like his father and his two brothers.

Iiriniss and her sisters may have found an unexpected ally, but by saving Terven's life Iiriniss has put herself and her sisters in even more danger. 

After the death of King Jethron, his two eldest sons, Jekon and Revon, are fighting for the throne. The king’s third son, Terven, is in hiding. Despised by his late father, he has less resources than his brothers, and he must deal with many ghosts from his past.

Supporting his cause are seven dishonoured knights and Iir, the nyvan princess. Iir will help Terven once again, but she is also on a quest of her own, seeking vengeance for her dead parents.

Her sister Yarrow, disguised as a servant, is learning the magic skills of a witch at the Academy of Light Magic, while the youngest sister, Dee, will follow the knights in their quest to find allies for Prince Terven. But in a kingdom ruled by a murderous king and his mages, nothing comes without danger.

After having magically travelled to the capital, Iriluxir, Terven, Kitaj and Iir have a few problems to solve. Iir meets her estranged grandfather—and he is not as she expected—while Terven must find a mage able to heal his paralysed arm. The palace of the new king, Terven’s half-brother, is very close, and King Jekon would gladly torture and kill them if he knew where to find them.

Yarrow has a new job in the Academy of Light Magic and she’s even assigned a new instructor to help her master her ability to resist magic. Daraan is young, good-looking and a rising star in the Academy. Yarrow finds herself attracted to him, but she must still keep her identity secret.

Dee is told a prophecy by a ghost, which sent her and the knight Jikat to the city of Tenebrosa. The shortest way passes through Iriluxir, but the shortest way is not always the most straightforward, especially when a dragon lies in between.

These are dangerous times for travellers on the roads of the Two Kingdoms.