When Raif and Drey Sevrance return home to their clan as the only survivors of a vicious attack in which both their father and the clan chief, were killed, everything changes for Raif. Uneasy with the new chief''s reign of brutality and his brother''s acceptance of it, Raif welcomes his uncle Angus Lok''s invitation to accompany him to Spire Vanis. Asarhiah March, Ash for short, is the beautiful ward of Penthero Iss, Overlord of Spire Vanis. Suspicious of Penthero''s increasing interest in her developing body, when Ash overhears him planning to imprison her she flees, only to be cornered at the city gate by a band of the Overlord''s elite guards. But as they close in on her, a stranger comes to the rescue - observed by a bemused Raif, Angus Lok plunges into the midst of the guards and snatches her to safety. For Angus knows that as this girl grows to womanhood she will develop powers which could destroy herself and the world if she doesn''t learn to control them . . . and only Raif can protect her on her journey to understanding.