The Othanim have conquered Brittletain. Their murderous leader, Icaraine, plans to feed Brittletain's queens to her monstrous son. But total victory over the Othanim's ancient enemy, the griffins, still eludes her. If Brittletain's resistance, led by Princess Epona, can secure an alliance with the griffins, they may still stand a chance.

Envoy Kaeto has returned to the Imperium, hiding Felldir and Belise in a ruined castle. He believes both his friends and his attempt to murder Gynid Tyleigh have escaped the empress's notice. Yet secrets are not so easy to keep in the Imperium. Kaeto will do anything to protect the people he loves - and so finds himself en route to Brittletain as ambassador to the Othanim.

Leven, Cillian and Ynis have spent the last two years tracking Ynis's griffin sister, T'rook, a prisoner of Tyleigh. Meanwhile, Leven's health is deteriorating, and Cillian - exiled and disgraced - is tormented by strange voices, who tell him of the return of the mythic Green Man to Brittletain.

There is no hope for humanity in a world ruled by Icaraine. But the price of defeating her might be almost too heavy to bear.