With his return to his post, Géta's trials only begin. Before he and his Mage, Asthané, get a chance to rest and recover from their return journey from Inski, the machinations of the post's Rector and her pet Mage separate the pair. Géta finds himself imprisoned in a workroom while Jinée chains Asthané and the rest of the rescue party to the back of a wagon and sends them back to Phalten for presumed punishment for disobeying her will. However, hope comes to Géta in the form of an unexpected ally who once knew Asthané; and to Asthané in the form of a former lover with the authority to not only return Asthané and the other rescuers to their post, but also to take control and possibly correct things before the Inskiti Army's expected arrival in the spring. But even with that, they may not be prepared in time . . .
31 parts