Talia, Herald to the Queen of Valdemar, travels to a neighboring realm to investigate a prince's proposal to marry the Queen's heir, but discovers an evil plot to destroy Valdemar.

High Magic had been lost to Valdemar centuries ago when the last Herald-Mage gave his life to save the kingdom from destruction by dark sorceries. Yet now the realm is at risk again. And Elsperth, Herald and heir to the throne, must take up the challenge, abandoning her home to find a mentor who can awaken her untrained mage ablities.

Karigan G'ladheon returns to the Green Riders, the magical messengers of the king, who desperately need her help in defeating an ancient evil, long dormant, that has just reawakened, determined to destroy the world.