It has been forty years since Ecmund and his family helped Kitten save the realm of Inderjorne from a tyrant with a magic Sword of his own. In the interim, Kitten has been training her next Hand to be ready when war returns. But peaceful folk are never ready for war. It is up to the Cloud Cat and Marisola to keep the handsome Husam, War Leader of the Ulaan, off balance long enough for their realm to patch together an army of distrustful Maridon and Inderjornese nobles to counter the menace. In the last resort, it is her ancient and tragic relationship with the Leute that could be the key to winning the battle. If she dares to risk wielding such dangerous power again.