Orestes has a secret that he wishes he could hide even from himself. To everyone else at Warrior Peak, Orestes is the model military student--top of his fighting class and son of a powerful division leader. But Orestes knows better. He knows he is from a land far from Warrior Peak, and he knows that the only reason he can swing a sword well is due to his brutal upbringing among the sinister Morroks, who build up their army by kidnapping the children of other races. But when the Morroks start attacking Warrior Peak and its colonies, Orestes has to make a choice. Does he stay quiet even when his past may unlock the secret to defeating the Morroks? Or does he risk alienating those around him--including the woman he loves--by revealing his shameful origins? Orestes's choice may be taken from him, however, as the Morroks begin sending him messages--often written in the blood of others--reminding him that he might not be as far out of their reach as he'd like to think.