Despite a great working of Wild Magic and High Magick that struck at the heart of the Demon Queen's evil plots, Knight-Mage Kellen and his Elven allies are seen as enemies by the human Mage Council, thanks to the manipulations of High Mage Anigrel, the Demon Queen's pawn.In the midst of war, the Elves and their magical companions must find a way to shatter the Demons' hold on the human Golden City of the Bells. Without High Magick, the forces of Light will be destroyed by the forces of Darkness.Fearful for their safety, the Elven King orders all children and pregnant females - Elves, Human, and Centaur alike - to be taken to the safety of a too-small Elven Fortress. In ancient books on High Magick, Citarnen, a banished High Mage in training, learns a great secret that can make him incredibly powerful ... at the cost of drastically shortening his life.The allies decide to prepare a cave system near an Elven city as a refuge for those driven from their homes by the war. Kellen is put in command of a force of engineers and warriors, not knowing until it is nearly too late that the caves are full of Shadowed Elves. Vestakia, the half-Human, half-Demon healer with whom Kellen is trying hard not to fall in love, lest he break his year-long vow of chastity, finds that instead of just being able to sense Demon-taint, she has begun to be able to read the mind of her Demon father, Crown Prince Zyperis.The Demon Queen, Savilla, is preparing a great sacrifice that will summon He Who Is back to the world and leave her ultimate ruler forever. Being Crown Prince for eternity does not sit well with the ambitious Zyperis. When the Wild Mage Idalia learns of Savilla's plans through Vestakia and the dragon Ancaladar, she knows there is only one way to prevent the coming of He Who Is. A very different sort of sacrifice must be made. Read Less