As the new king of a world in turmoil, life for David Corbin is grim, at best. Abby Brown, the love of his life, has vanished without a trace, and David fears the worst: that she was brutally murdered by the Daughters of Mercy, vicious creatures employed by Tynan Tierney, an evil lord vying for the throne. One of David's best friends, Jon, has been captured by the Kruorumbrae, Tierney's army of bogeymen, and David has no idea if he's still alive, or how to rescue him. The powerful Eastern Oracle has pledged loyalty to Tierney's cause, and all communication with David and the other three Oracles has ceased. Cai Terenmare is on the brink of war. And, to make matters worse, a new evil has arisen, the mysterious Sower, a monster puppeteered by Tierney himself.On the bright side, David has his treacherous aunt locked up in his dungeon. Lucia's not happy that her ex, Tierney, tried to kill her, and she owes David for saving her life. Lucia may have critical information about Tierney's plans for the Sower, but after all the trouble she's caused, can David ever trust her again?