Magic never plays fair... Though Deirdre and James have escaped Neo-London and survived the monstrous Fachan, dangers both human and Fae close in on them. General Alan Callaghan, James's father and the leader of the Iron Guard, hunts Deirdre to harness her magic as a weapon against the faery Courts. And a dark curse is attached to James, connected with the disappearance of his mother. But their greatest worries are close at hand—James's brother Iain, a soldier sent to capture Deirdre, is traveling with them. After discovering his father's role in the king's assassination, Iain's loyalty to his father and the army is tested. Although he is wary of Deirdre's powerful and unstable magic, he believes in her innocence. But by aiding Deirdre, a fugitive, Iain risks treason. With the appearance of Alvey, a young half-elf runaway from the Summer Court, new truths about Seelie faeries come to light, making Deirdre doubt both her search for her parents and herself. But as they clash with both the oppressive Iron Guard and bloodthirsty Unseelie faeries, Deirdre will have to decide if she can trust those around her, as well as the magic within her.