Fear of the Lords' final curse is only one reason Gerick never intended to return to the land of Avonar. Now, he must investigate a refugee from the desert-the charismatic D'Sanya, D'Arnath's own daughter (so she claims), newly released from a thousand-year captivity. Only the deep-buried memories of Gerick's life as the Fourth Lord-memories that he never wanted to revisit-might validate her story before the enraptured Dar'Nethi grant her the power of the Bridge of Worlds. Tangled in bonds of love, family, guilt, and dread memory, Gerick must unravel the mysteries of ancient magic, ancient evil, and the appalling truth of his own destiny.