Book two of the Kingkillers of Vermont Trilogy, the long awaited sequel to the acclaimed Firefax. "You go to war wit' de Firefaxes and you will burn dis country to de ground . . ." The colonies stood on the cusp of victory after Yorktown, until King George bought twenty thousand Russian mercenaries using the gold Istäni stole from Lubrerum. While the war between Britain and the colonies erupts anew, another smaller but no less brutal war begins in the wilds of Vermont, when Istäni brings his rivalry with Murdoch back to Maralah. As Cara and Rafael race to save their brother's children, Istäni endears himself to the Continental Army as the new patriarch of the Firefax family business. Meanwhile, Murdoch strikes a deadly bargain with King George that may be the final nail in the coffin of a fledgling nation.