Life is pain. No one knows it better than Ash.If redemption comes through sacrifice, thief-on-the-run Ash has paid for it many times over. Yet he finds no relief. Nothing can hide him as the Duke's bloodhounds close in.Ash has many masters, but none of them come to his aid. In his desperation he returns to the church he abandoned for magic and addiction, and the mercy it offers him is too much to bear.The Duke plans to open their world to invading Orcs, and Ash cannot abandon his home to war and destruction.The only way he can save them all is to lose himself in magic again. And this time he might not come back from it.Philip Ligon continues to enchant readers with his vivid portrayal of steampunk Victorian England down-on-his-luck thief Ash. This final adventure is sure to please fans of the series.