From the author of The Gate of Ivory comes this thrilling new adventure of Theodora and Ran—she, a scholar from a science-ruled world; he, a sorcerer from one of the most powerful families on the planet Ivory.
Drawn back to Ivory both by her love for Ran Cormallon and her fascination with a world where magic not science holds sway, Theodora willingly embarks with Sorcerer Ran on an investigation for one of the noble families of Ivory. But when their mission takes them into a province plagued by outlaws, Ran is mistaken for the leader of a dangerous band long sought by the local law officers. Pursued by government forces, Ran and Theodora run for their lives—straight into the clutches of the outlaws.
Taken prisoner by Stereth and his men, Theodora and Ran find themselves—willingly or not—becoming deeply involved in the troubles of the Northwest Sector, an area with a long history of rebellion. Caught between the demands of Stereth’s outlaws and the wrath of the Imperial troops, can Ran and Theodora find a nonsorcerous means to survive the unsurvivable and bring peace to this troubled region?
Now, one of the ruling families on Ivory, the Porath clan, threatens to depose Ran’s sister from power, and Ran and Theodora feel honor-bound to protect their own. But when they attend a gathering where the eldest son of the Porath family is killed by sorcerous means, all heads turn to Ran. Unless Ran and Theodora can prove their innocence by finding me murderer, it will be the ruin of Ran and will destroy the family business. But among the Ivory aristocracy there are any number of people who would gain from eliminating the leader of a powerful family and, under such circumstances, can Ran and Theodora ever hope to unravel the many strands of intrigue and clear their family’s name?