<be>'Child,' said Hare, 'if his hold fails, then many will die, and you will likely be first.' Back on the mainland after defeating the magician Daroguerre, Orc and Cass search for a way to reverse Tashi s horrific transformation. But the discovery of a mysterious set of transcripts sets them against Daroguerre's former masters, the Kings Behind the World. To escape their reach, Orc and Cass must navigate the labyrinthine city of Bismark and reach Highcloud, whose monks might help expose and defeat the shadowy cabal. Meanwhile, an unforeseen web of connections draws the circle of the Fire Stealers together. But what is the ambition of Geist, the man who conjured them from the Dawn of Time? And what sacrifices will others have to make for him to achieve it? As Orc's mind falls ever deeper under the influence of the Goddess, he is forced to make a decision that will affect him and Cass for the rest of their lives. Even if they at last find out who they are, it might be too late.