Reveling in their recent glowing success, Cora tidies up her final days with the Kotting family and prepares to relocate to Cer Cannaid more permanently. They not only solved the case of Wilder Tower, but also they ferreted out a Nephreqin plot to assassinate the Duke of Alikon and overthrow the nation.
In saving the duke's life, he granted them clemency from their probation and hired them as commissioned freeblades on permanent retainer for Alikon. Success and fame--at last!
Their first job is to investigate a vanishing mansion located in the Brack, the swampy delta of the Rae Serene, which has the maritime traffic diverting elsewhere and disrupting the shipment of goods to the nation. It seems easy enough, but Cora's trademark song, The Ballad of Tanasha's Keep, stirs up the sailors aboard the ship taking them to their destination.
It's a journey of discovery for Cora, but also one of heartache. Much heartache. She grows up a lot in this book, discarding her naivety for a more hardened outlook on the world. Brushes with death and UNdeath shake her foundations, as does deep treachery from unexpected places.
But...there is hope. There is always hope! The question is whether Cora can find it, and whether she can trust its source. Friendships are tested, alliances proven, and loves both lost and found. I hope you truly enjoy her journey.