Nineteen-year-old Thea Starsea has a secret. Living in the human lands where a faerie heritage could get her killed, Thea guards the fact that she is not only Fae-but the missing Heir of the fallen Hall of Aphaedia. She has lived her life in hiding, but when Fae slave-traders abduct her adoptive, human family, she ventures into the faerie lands to find them.

She allies herself with Gar-a hardy assassin on a similar mission. Gar believes her family's abductor to be Hrokr, the cold and cruel Lord of the northern Hall. Gar has plans both to liberate Hrokr's slaves-and destroy his entire kingdom.

But ancient oaths bind Thea's land to Hrokr's. His very magic calls to her, appealing to her birthright as the Heir of Aphaedia. To preserve her relationship with Gar, Thea guards this truth with her life. . . Until she is forced to choose. Embrace the destiny she was born for and risk losing Gar-and his help finding her family-or live a comfortable lie and walk away from the fate laid for her.