A warlord owes loyalty to no one, not even those most loyal to her.
Ensaadi Talitha has always been able to trust Gilsazi, her most faithful general. But when Gilsazi is captured and held for ransom, her grandfather forbids her taking the army to rescue him. Her only choice is to seek out Ashek, the unforgettable Dunedrifter who saved her life more than a year ago. Ashek is willing to help, but demands a steep price. As it becomes clear there is more to Gilsazi's abduction than a band of simple bandits, the threads of Talitha's obligations and duties become ever more tangled. Only the cruel can survive in the brutal world of the Sandsea. And a heart is the one luxury an ensaadi can't afford.
