When the messengers from Frain arrive to secure the hand of Princess Illera for their cruel, selfish heir to the throne, Torul, she hides. Forced by circumstances and her own father, Illera and her three companions journey to the cold, dark north. Fighting against her fate, Illera plunges the quartet into danger. But when she accedes to the demands of cruel destiny they must fight against a ravening evil that knows no restraint. Using her mixed blood heritage, can this innocent child learn and mature fast enough to control both herself and the forces ripping her world apart? Can she negotiate the political intrigues and defeat the hordes of Shul, the pirates of Carnuvon and the hatreds of Frain?