On the return journey to Midair City with the ardakis lily for Riva's poisoned sister, Holt Gnarl becomes caught up in the schemes of the family who originally sent him on his quest.

After several delays in the Mobius Pass, Holt and Riva are back on the road, but when the plight of a plague-ravaged village along their way forces him to help an old friend, Holt finds himself swept up in a convoluted scheme of intrigue and blackmail, leading him to not only being hunted by those he hoped to help but also entangling him in a country-wide trade dispute.

Matters turn from bad to worse when he discovers that the one at the heart of the dispute is his old mentor, the famous General Pascal. Can Holt make it through his old grudges and new 'wanted' status and return with the cure for Riva's sister, or is she doomed to die at the hands of those scheming to ruin their family?