Six months have passed since Amani learned the secret of her origin. The world has changed: cities are blazing, people are turning to ash, druid spies are seeping through stone walls, combat robots are charged with magic, and iron is sewn under the skin of demji half-breeds to make it impossible to conjure. The heroes have to find answers to many questions. What is the sultan up to and what do the rebels want? Who is better for the country - a smart sadist or a noble and humane fool?