The planned prequel to Galebound. Alain and his sister Shion are orphans of the wars that once consumed Ivelia. Fosterlings in the castle, they grow close to the crown prince Éduin, until terrible secrets hidden by the crown drive a knife between them.
Three decades previously, the princess of Ivelia, Oriana, wanted nothing more than to not be a princess, to escape the diplomacy and demands and responsibilities, and above all, the suitors seeking her hand. But war is brewing, and Ivelia becomes home to a mysterious people called the Daemonborne—humans with the power to control certain daemons, to be used as weapons against Ivelia's enemies. Oriana's people whisper of them in hushed tones, telling stories of children stolen away, of strange powers and of glowing eyes.
As war steals away what Oriana loves most, she learns the truth of the Daemonborne.
And when the Daemonborne threat returns, what can a prince do but protect his throne?