After a war of twists and turns and a brief convalescence, Arcus is finally ready to return to Lainur's capital. There he'll meet Ceylan's father, King Crosellode, and be rewarded for his valiant efforts-although he's not the only one due for an audience with the king.

While rumors about Arcus continue to spread, the Empire evaluates its own part in the war. Will the nation remain a sleeping lion, or begin plotting its next move? And what of the cryptic quest to seek out an emerald on Chain's behalf, which Arcus received in a dream? Without any clues as to what it might mean, he hardly knows where to begin. But one thing's for sure: he's going to be busy for a long while yet.