Brayde loses everything when both the captain and Avilene are captured by the Tyrians. The situation goes from bad to worse after the Carpathia takes a hit, grounding the ship in the frigid mountains. Rescue seems impossible. Brayde's only option is to seek help from a group of reclusive rebels. Can he trust them? Confined to a work camp with no freedom, no magic, and no way to contact the Carpathia, Avilene endures the inhuman abuse of the guards. Her reunion with Captain Xanthe is soured by the Tyrian's attempts to twist her into a tool for the Empire. Resistance lands her in a corrupt hospital with only one way out: the morgue.