Lord Malvern swore he would have revenge on Lachlan the Winged for the death of his brother and nephew. Now Lachlan is dead, and his children have all been stolen away. When their life-blood has been spilt to raise the beloved dead from their graves, Lord Malvern's revenge will be sweet indeed. Lachlan's son Donncan is the new R'gh of Eileanan but, after his abduction on the very eve of his wedding, Bronwen, daughter of the Ensorcellor, must rule in his stead, in a court seething with intrigue, betrayal and suspicion.
If Donncan is not found and returned to his own time, Bronwen will be a widow before she was ever a wife. To rescue Donncan, and the young Celestine princess Thunderlily, the Keybearer Isabeau and the Stargazer Cloudshadow must together brave the perils of the Heart of Stars, and travel back a thousand years in time. If they cannot stop Johanna, the young Righ of Eileanan will be sacrificed and Brann the Raven, one of the most ruthless sorcerers in the history of Eileanan, will live again.
With the MacCuinn clan rent apart, there is no-one to stop Lord Malvern but Rhiannon and her winged mare, Blackthorn. She must risk everything to try and save the one woman she hates more than anyone - the banprionnsa Olwynne, rival for Rhiannon's one true love, Lewen. In her desperate flight to save Olwynne and her twin brother Owein, Rhiannon must face the possibility of losing all that she holds most dear - Lewen, Blackthorn, her freedom, even her own life.
