Across the natural divide provided by the Myrmidic Woods and the River Tor, Keaen and Tergan eye each other with an enmity as old as history. At the court of Keaen, Pandrak, the emissary of the magices of Skele, strives to fulfill his assigned duty: to ensure the survival of an ancient Covenant between the ruler and the people. But Pandrak is a man with divided loyalties.

In the city of Keaen, opposition to the Covenant is gathering strength. Would-be-revolutionaries are preparing for action, and at Castle Keaen, Armist and Tahlia are being readied for their assigned roles: Armist as his father's successor; Tahlia as bride to one of the provincial barons. Unwilling to submit to their fates, Armist and Tahlia flee the castle, threatening the stability of the nation. But when they learn the truth about their origins, they realize that the only way to go forward is to turn back.