Ana and Lin have led the Tognir to the brink of a new life. Ana looks ahead with hope to the future, and she and Lin both have the trust and respect of their people. But as they enter the Aewyn Kingdom at last, they find that trouble is never far away. The death of the Jewel-Bearer, an Aewyn ambassador to the human royals in Saelyn, shakes the kingdom to its core. The Jewel-Bearer reveals a successor no one expects.  As if that weren't bad enough, Lin and Ana's deep friendship is tested by the attentions of the Saelynite Prince Seynan. Lin retreats to bookish solitude while Ana returns to court life, finding it empty and unappealing without her dear friend. Will Ana be able to withstand the pressures forcing her and Lin apart? Will they stop the Eye of the Rogue from tearing apart yet another kingdom?