Rhodry Maelwaedd, a half-elven warrior, finds his reality fractured by persistent, haunting visions of a mysterious enchantress that threaten his stability and his bond with his lover, Dallandra. As Rhodry struggles to decipher the meaning behind these psychic intrusions, he is pulled into a conflict that spans centuries, forcing him to confront the echoes of a past civil war. The narrative utilizes a complex, multi-generational structure to explore the weight of history on the present, shifting between the immediate pressures of the protagonist's life and the foundational events of the kingdom of Deverry. The world is governed by strict magical laws and the cyclical nature of reincarnation, which serve as both a catalyst for the plot and a logical constraint on the characters' choices.

This installment is recognized for its commitment to the established lore of the Deverry saga, maintaining the series' reputation for dense, historically-layered world-building. Readers often note the author's ability to balance the expansive scope of the timeline with the intimate, personal struggles of characters like Rhodry and Dallandra. The prose is characterized by its focus on the mechanics of magic and the weight of past actions, which provides a consistent tone throughout the narrative. The work is viewed as a significant expansion of the series' mythology, offering both a continuation for long-term fans and a distinct entry point into the complex history of the kingdom.