In the vast empire of Indirrel, power, and politics are as dangerous as the mysterious magic that fuels their world. Prince Richard, the restless second son of the queen, struggles to find his place. While his brother shines as the kingdom's golden child, Richard escapes the pressures of royal duty by taking diplomatic missions to distant lands. But on his return from the far-off Eastern Reaches, disaster strikes. His sky-ship, the Shimmerbolt, is sabotaged, sending him plummeting into the treacherous Night Forest, a place of ancient magic and untold dangers. Unconscious and helpless, Richard’s fate hangs in the balance. Meanwhile, the island nation of Koth is on the brink of rebellion. Growing tensions between Koth and their Indirrith rulers threaten to ignite a war, fueled by shadowy figures like the cunning Malanda, who have their own plans for power. As secrets unravel and dark forces rise, Richard must survive the dangers of the Night Forest and confront the political storms brewing across the empire. The fate of Indirrel—and his own future—rests on his survival.