It is a time of tremulous peace in the kingdom of Faranin. Centuries of bloody warfare have finally ended, and the lands have been united under one crown. This delicate balance is threatened when a daring attack on the capital leaves a prominent councilman dead, a host of unanswered questions, and indications that not everyone is content to live in peace. For Calton Relanas and Ratel Eresgot, two young guardians of the city, the attack signifies something else: opportunity. For Calton, it has given him the chance to show he is more than a simple farm boy; for Ratel, it means the opportunity to succeed without the aid of his famous family name--the chance to prove that he can make it on his own.