Lady Cindra Corrina, the first female knight in the kingdom, has set off on her first quest. She is to escort young Nixy DuQuayne to his true father, the elven lord of the Shadowood, and plead for the aid of his people. But they are joined by unwelcomed guests, and an ancient evil that does not want the elder elves to return and will do anything to stop them. Back home in Portshia, as Sir Jaron Dunlorden and the king’s army prepare to march to war, the arch wizard Ildric Finnael searches for the missing god Tavenji and begins to unravel the depths of the enemy’s plans. However, those plans have already come to dreadful fruition. As Cindra faces the darkest parts of her inner self in the forest, the bearer of the Dark Heart confronts the unholy power that will shape his destiny and doom all of creation.