In this sweeping sequel to the critically acclaimed Cold Iron, which NPR Books called "a thoroughly enjoyable book," the Acrasian army has swept through Eledore, nearly massacring the entire race of Kainen in fear and hatred of the magic they possess. This same magic is all that was keeping the malorum incursion at bay, and now the great evil that was banished is seeping into the world. Wardens are formed to warn of sightings of the demons, knowing that if one encounters a malorum in shadow or at night, it is the last thing they'll see. Meanwhile, the Kainen general Nels is leading a desperate few hundred survivors from Eledore through the wilds, hoping to find solace and rebuild while his twin sister, Suvi, the now-exiled queen, seeks allies at sea. But there is hope, born in the ashes of this devastation, a hope that only Eledorian magic can grow, if they all survive.