The Sevenfold Council stands firm against Dreydmaster Vald's treaty terms--they will not surrender the Everland. Their will is strong, but there is a traitor in their midst, and Vald intends to win this struggle...by any means necessary. As the Everland is torn apart by invasion and the threat of civil war, the young warrior-Wielder, Tarsa'deshae, and the little Tetawa Leafspeaker, Tobhi Burrows, travel to Eromar City, the centre of Vald's influence, in hopes of rescuing the diplomats who have long languished in the shadows of Gorthac Hall. But only one remains alive, and he knows too well the price for fighting the Dreydmaster's will. It will take all their strength, courage, and good fortune to escape with their lives. Whether they have a home to return to is another matter entirely....