Rana is duchess and advisor to Hillel, but no one really needs her because Hillel does not listen to women. Her lover left her for his own quest. Now she has decided to leave the court and live in the country for a while. During the journey she reads a book that her lover suggested for her. Rana finds several parallels to her own life. Maybe the book can provide answers to help her figure out what to do with about her own problems. Or maybe her own pet dragon had the answer to it all.

The magician Luce has arrived back in the kingdom of Proster in hopes of getting help to search for where the magic disappeared. He finds that his friend Zebulon is dead and Zebulon's, Driscoll, currently sits on the throne. Driscoll is more than happy to help his father's friend and gets a hunting party together. They head off to see what can be found. Magic vanished from the kingdom long before Driscoll was born. Is it possible that they could find the answers they seek? What dangers are they likely to run into? Will everyone make it back alive?

Hertha has always been an obedient child and caused her parents no trouble. So, how does she explain to them the trouble she has found herself in now? She has no idea what to do about the situation and needs their help. Proster and his wife have several problems they have to face together. Their son is lost in his own world and needs to learn how to rule a kingdom. Their oldest daughter has found herself in a sticky situation. And their youngest daughter is gone forever from their lives. Then there is news that make everything else worse. It doesn't look like there is going to be a happy...