Battered and betrayed, Vespera has become what she always feared- a burden. Pursuing revenge against the Bloodied Men in Caneesho only uncovered more questions than answers. Why would King Karrolei plot against Rokellia? Why does he desperately need an army when the kingdoms are at peace? And the most important question- What are the Genmari?

Vespera turns her sights east to Jahilta, the capital of the kingdom of Rokellia, where Prince Aleron has promised refuge and resolutions. But the journey is long and she must revisit her old haunts: the Nitalla Forest, Rogue City, and Ameris.The slices King Karrolei left on her body are deep but the worst wounds have yet to come. Sometimes, it isn't just the daggers and swords wielded by the enemy that leave the lasting scars, but the words and actions of loved ones that rend us to pieces. And the most painful healing isn't that of the body but of the mind and heart. Memories of her life before the bladed crest become tainted with every new discovery. As the air grows too thick and the walls close in, Vespera struggles to decide what is more important: Who she is or who she wants to be.