The second book in the Mage Heart series and even better than the first one. I can see why it won an Aurealis Fantasy award. The story begins with Dion working as a healer in a remote part of Gallia and still trying to put her traumatic encounter with Bedazzer behind her (that story was described in the first book). She meets an enigmatic Wanderer, Symon, who tells her she will be going home soon. Soon after she visited by two half brothers from her Morian family that she hasn't seen since she was a child. They need her help to find her sister, Tasha, whom they believe to be in mortal danger. Once more Dion needs to confront necromancy and to overcome societal prejudices and political machinations by those in power. A very readable and exciting story that does make you think. ( )