Once a close companion to the Imperial prince, Jandar returns to the empire after six years of exile. But his time on the plains has changed him and the Imperial Court is as deadly as ever. Can he survive his own homecoming? Raik is the third son of a minor lord, who spends his days avoiding court factions and indulging in frivolous pleasures. But when a single night changes him forever, Raik must adapt to new and terrifying world.