War's afoot! The kingdom of Amelior has invaded the Eastcountry, and many have been caught up in their invasion—including Bram, a former Ameliorite knight, and Gareth, a mercenary. But magic's also afoot, in the form of a mysterious bard from the days before the exodus that brought humans to these new lands. Where his music is heard, death soon follows. Thrown together by circumstances, Bram and Gareth are forced to work together to help the Eastcountry stem Amelior's advance. But Bram's past has followed him, and he'll need Gareth's help to defeat the ancient magic that's following in his wake.

On the surface, this is a familiar tale of friendship in a time of war. But Chords uses the story of Margrethe, their companion, to reveal what the male narrators neglect to tell us, thereby shedding new light on an old tale.