The Sister of the Blade rule Medalon with an army of elite Defenders to enforce their oppressive rule and keep their neighbours out. R'shiel Tenragan, daughter of the First Sister, Joyhinia, and her half-brother Tarja find themselves caught up in the Sisterhood's political intrigue. R'shiel is to be married off as part of a deal with a neighbouring King and her brother has defied Joyhinia at the cost of his freedom, so they must flee the Citadel together . . . As they travel into unknown parts of the realm, they realise that no-one can be trusted.
And there is another rumour. That the magical race of Harshini are not extinct and that a Harshini outcase, Brak, is searching for the Demon child, the half-human offspring of the legendary Harshini king, Lorandranek. Caught up in the rebellion against the Sisterhood, they cross paths with Brak and are reluctantly involved in his quest . . . setting in motion a chain of events that none of them can control.
