The daggers of gutter rats do not easily find themselves in the backs of princes, yet this vengeful hope is all that sustains young Jeld after the prince’s tyranny leaves him alone and broken on the harsh streets of Tovar. The god-like Idols have abandoned Avandria, never so much as protecting him in dreams where some said they lingered. In a horrible irony, it seems he survives thanks only to his father’s violent temper for so honing his empathy that he might discern danger in a man’s eyes, or in the strange depths he alone seems able to glimpse beyond.

When the prince tightens his grip on the city with a flood of oppressive watchmen, Jeld’s fight to survive will bring together a diverse band of companions and begin his journey from the cold streets to the spired royal palace. Along the way, he will unlock the magic of a lost world, untangle the secrets of the missing Idols, and find love in the most unlikely of places as his blade inches ever closer to the prince.

But alas, not even hatred can be so simple. Old enemies and new allies are not all they seem. When Jeld finds himself at the center of a plot to tear apart the realm, he must choose between revenge and fighting for the very kingdom he owes no favors.