Rayne dreads the coming of the Crystal Ship and the legendary monster it bears. An Envoy destroyed a world once before, an almost forgotten event. One man, whose life the creature ruined, remembers. The mysterious Shrike has built the Slave Empire on blood and tears, and Rayne must have his help if she is to defeat the Envoy. The battle to protect her will bring three empires to the brink of war.

The Demon Lord must face three dark gods, possibly four, in order to keep the child goddess Kayos has awakened safe. At the same time, he is beset by the people whose domain Sherinias now rules, who do not believe in gods. They know all about evil, and have been trying to fight it for centuries, with dire consequences. Their attempts hamper Bane, however, and place him in additional danger.

Fate has changed for a chosen few, who set off across the Wilden Sea in a stone ship that Chanter created, heading for the Plains of Redemption to escape the Black Riders. When they reach the western continent, however, they find themselves in a land gone mad. The spirits of earth and forest have turned against Trumankind, and to set foot upon the soil is certain death.

The Shrike’s mystery has protected him for decades, but now Rayne knows the truth, and she longs for more from her gentle, but aloof husband. If she leaves his protection and the Atlanteans discover his secret, he will die and his empire will fall… Before it does, however, the Slave Empire will exact the most terrible retribution, and even the Atlantean Empire will not withstand its wrath…

The broken world falls deeper into madness without the laws that govern life, and the son Talsy bears Chanter is an abomination, able to kill with his stunted powers. The young Mujar who roams the lawless land, blinded by golden fire, is the world’s last hope. The chosen must brave the madness to find him, but if the Ghost Riders find them only a creature of the chaos can save them…

The broken world will descend into chaos unless the Staff of Law is restored, but the pieces are lost. Knowing that the world is doomed, Chanter creates a safe haven for the Chosen, but Talsy persuades the Mujar to take her on a quest to find the pieces of the staff. Yet even if they succeed, the laws have been lost forever, scattered by the winds and turned to dust... Or have they?

When Carrin meets her idol, Mark Lord, and he seems to really like her, she’s thrilled, but soon she suspects that he has an ulterior motive. Why would he choose a mousy farm girl over beautiful actresses and supermodels? His Oscar-winning acting talents don’t fool her – oh, no, she’s got him pegged, and he’s not adding her to his undoubtedly massive collection of bedpost notches!