At Castle Harvell, demented Prince Kylock grabs the reins of power by murdering his father. Harvell's two young refugess are torn apart by the storms of war: headstrong young Melliandra is captured by brutal slavers and Jack, whose wild power works miracles, falls prey to a smuggler's lying charms and a woman's seductive schemes. Meanwhile, a knight's shattered destiny is about to lead from death-sport pits to the blood-strewn creation of an empire.