A mad king's genocide destroyed Alea's home and left her sanity in tatters. Wracked with grief, she now faces a lonely life in a strange city. The war has other plans. Caught in the crossfire between the gods and their creators, Alea's new friend Arman abandons his idyllic jeweler's life—and his humanity—to protect them both from the coming terror.

Across enemy lines, bastard lieutenant Brentemir Barrackborn is horrified by the blood on his hands. If he has any hope of redemption—or surviving the war—he must choose between his newfound family and the gods he worships.

As Arman and Brentemir's sacrifices grow, Alea realizes that only the darkness inside her can end the bloodshed.