Hunter is a soldier-turned-monk, sworn to bring down the Kistrill Empire by stealing Kingmaker: an enchanted sword and the royal family's most precious talisman of power. His best friend, Chekwe, is just the sort of vicious fighter to help Hunter pull off the theft and keep the stolen blade hidden.

Hiding in the mountain jungles of Orzan should be easy, except for two women who are as determined to find Hunter as he is to hide.

Tennea is Hunter's sister, and as the Emperor's crack manhunter she's sworn to retrieve Kingmaker and bring Hunter and Chekwe to justice. She's got a company of elite cavalry and a bag of enchanted tricks to help, and she's tightening the noose. Even worse, she knows Hunter's weakness: his bruised and lonely heart.

Dahlia is a widow who'll stop at nothing to protect her son and save her ranch from goblin raids, and she'll get help from Hunter whether he wants to or not.

Even as rum-fueled goblin raids boil over into full-scale war and Orzan's petty tyrants get in on the scramble to get ahold of Kingmaker, Hunter still might be able to keep his oath and keep Kingmaker safe. That is, as long as Chekwe can control his thirst to try Kingmaker's mysterious powers for himself...