Several weeks have passed since the capital of Laria narrowly escaped destruction at the hands of the god of death and His followers. Former Captain Yala Palathar is attempting to lie low, but the dead no longer rest easily in their graves, and her role in the battle has drawn attention from potential allies and foes alike.

Niema, too, has been profoundly changed by the choices she made during the battle of Dalathar, and journeying home to the Disciples of Life reveals the devastating consequences of her actions. Niema grapples with her desire to protect Yala's secrets, but when monsters start appearing in the forest, she fears that she's brought doom upon her own people.

When the Disciples of the Flame come to Yala with the news that a dangerous book used by the god of death's followers has gone missing, Yala is compelled to seek it out to avert further disaster. Her quest takes her to Setemar, home of the Disciples of the Earth, where her path soon crosses with Kelan and the Disciples of the Sky. It isn't long before Kelan's alliance with Yala puts him at odds with his fellow Disciples, and the closer Yala treads to the domain of the god of death, the louder Mekan's voice whispers in her own ear.

With threats stirring above and below ground, ally is set against ally, and not everyone will survive the calamity that will follow...