The Kingdom of Lathia, once part of a powerful empire, is being ravaged by drought and King Tiban, a dreadful tyrant. The people are starving, bands of robbers rove the country, children are being abandoned and rebellion is in the air. Ukalion, the illegitimate child of the king, wants to topple his hated father and heads to the former imperial city of Ycena. It was once splendid and full of life, but now it stands in ruins contaminated by old witchcraft and the nightmarish palace, in which the Emperor's daughter is said to still sleep. According to the legend, her saviour will unite the thirteen kingdoms and become the Emperor. Even Tyra, the former scent seeker, has started a journey. She is hunting the mysterious man who has kidnapped her son and to all intents and purposes is a sorcerer, or even worse. What does he plan to do with the small boy? And Tyra’s child is not the only one that he has in his clutches...
