As the Dragon Moon continues to hold sway over Tiberos and the gods begin to take a hand in matters for their own gain, Rath the minotaur finally returns to the empire. However, accompanying him and his surviving crew is a cargo that immediately puts the mariner at odds with his own people...the wizard Amble, the knight Erik Constantin, Kaldara, the elven mystic, and Grey Gage, reluctant new emissary. There to attempt to close the rifts growing between the empire and the kingdoms, they are instead used as pawns by powers both mortal and not seeking to foment all-out war.

Meanwhile, as they struggle against the calls for blood, back in the open port city of Aryon, the druid, Wellin Oak, and his allies discover that sometimes shadows need not always be cast by something to exist...and that they also can kill.