Discovering that his Sheen lady has been sadistically killed, Kyre sets out to avenge her death, equally pitilessly.
The demands of the Rua Sisterhood mount up, adding to his struggles to hold out against rebellious provincial lords; the hill bandits; the increasingly erratic Lord Rogor; the secretly-building forces from neighbouring realms; and the rising tide of pirate raiders from the coastal lands.
With his small troop of aristocratic guerilla, he attempts to master the skills of the Fireworkers – to use the blackpowders in fire-bombs, explosions and hurling projectiles.
Among the conflict, blood-soaked brutality and trauma, he finds comfort in the taverns; riding his forids; running and hunting with the hounds; and lying in the arms of a succession of lady-friends, casual bedmates, and Rua Sisters.
Is this enough to satisfy his own needs? Or to stave off the looming doom that surrounds the Lordlands? Or to discover whether his destiny is driven by The Pit, The Stars, or himself?