"Expecting to find allies among the deserting Levanti, Rah instead finds an enemy in their enigmatic Horse Whisperer. No longer a unified group, he struggles to lead the fractured Levanti, and will have to choose between fighting for his people's survival and the life of his oldest friend. Having allies isn't the same as keeping them. Miko has to move fast to secure a foothold in the ruins of her empire, yet for every success she makes ever more enemies. With the empire at stake she cannot give up, but can she be the empress she wants to be? Or will she have to give up everything to be the ruler her people will accept? Named Defender of the One True God in punishment for failing to kill deserters, Dishiva finds herself precariously poised between two worlds. She can neither trust the Swords who betrayed her nor the people she ought to be ruling. Yet caught to Dom Villius, she has the chance to challenge his growing power, but she'll have to give up everything that makes her feel Levanti to do it. Cassandra just wants to get her body back, but Empress Hana needs to find a way to weaken Dom Villius's growing power before he turns Kisia into his own empire. With him closing his net around them, they'll have to choose between their own survival and letting him win"--