The epic saga that began with the multi-award-winning Eve of Snows continues...

In the 502nd year of Remembered Time, demonic Shadows of Man swarmed the Island of Kaludor through a planar gate, taking possession of humans with the hellish intent of destroying the species. The Silone clans who once dominated this wintry land fled south in a desperate migration, most traveling deep into the continent to discover a new home.

Home. An idyllic city abandoned by its residents and free for the taking, its massive walls a defensive haven for a people harried by war. But security in paradise carries a price. Ghosts roam its streets and halls, fading in and out of existence with mysterious whispers. Threats, warnings, or everyday conversations? Whatever terrors they arouse, they pale to the news from the frontier where the Histe kings ready for invasion.

Those who remained behind, intent on retaking Kaludor, plot a war of their own, but any battles they wage are pointless so long as the Gate allowing the Shadows into the mortal realms remains open. The courageous set out to test theories gleaned from ancient manuscripts to destroy the lesser Gate found in the Chanting Caverns, the very place the horrors began. With the aid of Woodkin and Colok there is rising hope, but the minions of the Queen of Shadow await their arrival. Need their arrival.

Every hero must rise, every prayer must be answered, and every mystery must be solved if ever the people wish to Sunder the Crowns.