The Four Kingdoms and the fatemarked face the most powerful army the world has ever seen... In Phanes, Roan Loren, the Peacemaker, has high hopes for a united response to the threat from the Horde, but swiftly realizes the only true ally he has is his arch nemesis, Bane. Meanwhile, Rhea Loren, a new mother with a secret must decide whether to protect her child or share what she knows with the fatemarked... To the north, Annise Gäric, Tarin Sheary and their allies are hunted mercilessly by the army of barbarians known as the Horde, led by her long-lost uncle Helmuth, now known as Klar-Ggra. While she seeks refuge in the east, Tarin once more struggles with his own demons... In the west, Ennis Loren and his brothers, including self-proclaimed king of the west, Sai, return to Knight's End against the advice of the fatemarked, who they despise. Secretly, they plot another attack on the south... In the east, Gareth Ironclad returns to Ferria hoping to find a unified people with a common enemy, but instead faces a fractured kingdom uncertain of its future. But when he makes a drastic decision, everything begins to unravel... In Calyp, Raven Sandes returns with the most unlikeliest of friends: Gwendolyn Storm. But when tragedy strikes at the heart of the empire, the survivors are left behind and forced to pick up the pieces...