Sanglant--the Prince of Dogs, King Henry's bastard son; though believed dead by all who could succor him, he is being held captive in the city of Gent by Bloodheart, the Eika warlord. Cursed by his mother's blood with an inability to die, he struggles to maintain the last shreds of his sanity in the hope rescue may yet come.... Liath--now a King's Eagle, and still grieving over Sanglant, she strives to unlock the secrets of the past while seeking to evade the traps set for her by an obsessively ambitious man. But even a post in King Henry's court offers her little protection from those determined to claim the forbidden knowledge she has hidden.... Alain--raised in humble surroundings but now proclaimed a Count's heir, he is increasingly troubled by visions of the enemy he befriended and the Lady of Battles who he's sworn to serve. A man who desires nothing more than peace, he is about to be thrust into the heart of war with the Eika.... Fifth Son--least favored child of Bloodheart, he has returned to the lands of his own people to build an army to do his father's bidding. If he survives this mission, he will become a force to be reckoned with.... And even as King Henry continues his progress through his troubled realm, defeating rebellious lords and gathering their promises of troops to use at Gent, Sanglant, Liath, Alain, and Fifth Son are fighting their own battles against almost overwhelming odds. Only time will tell who will prove triumphant as all are caught up in the dangers and turmoil of a world at war.