Abandoned by the Forgotten gods and ruled by a corrupt king, the people of Desmorda are destined for ruin. A prophecy issued a decade prior-one that spells the kingdom's doom-will soon come to pass. As Heir to the throne, Princess Rhea can no longer sit by as her father ignores his people and leads Desmorda to its downfall. Believing that a fabled treasure is the key to preventing the fated destruction-Rhea is willing to go to the ends of the earth, and recruit the help of former Court Seer, Malakai Nader, to find it.
Malakai and his brother, Kasper, are struggling to survive in exile. They have been banished from court and forced to live on the outskirts of society as unrest in the kingdom grows. Their futures are as uncertain as the fate of Desmorda itself-until the Princess arrives with an unusual proposition. Malakai, who longs for his previous life of wealth and comfort, is elated when the Princess seeks him out for her quest. His visions promise restitution-a return to splendor-if her mission succeeds. Malakai agrees to help the Princess, but he knows they cannot complete the task on their own. He enlists the aid of his estranged twin, Caliban, a depraved necromancer. But Caliban, whose shadow-magic has been outlawed for years, has his own reasons for joining the party-and his own retribution to inflict.
The improbable allies set out in hopes of finding the treasure, but tension ensues as figures from Rhea's past jeopardize her plans and long-buried feelings are unearthed by forced proximity. Secrets and lies abound amongst them, threatening to upend their quest at every turn. Will they be able to overcome their differences and work together to change the prophecy? Or will betrayals and self-serving motives succeed in destroying them all?