Reena Valeris was a warrior, a Captain in the forces of Irulan despite her chequered past, and she was one of the best. But not even she could get away with striking a magistrate, much as she had good reason for her action. Taken to the dungeons of the Riverwake Tower in chains, her future did not look good.

Fortunately for her, Lord Gorus intervened and exiled her instead, to avoid any likelihood that other warriors, mostly mercenaries like Reena, would cause trouble.

Unfortunately for her, even as a passenger on the ship carrying her into exile, she ran into more trouble and this time her old galley slave branding was spotted and she was forced to the oar to complete the (unjust) sentence she had received so many years ago – in unspeakable conditions that many slaves did not survive. And then it got worse...