Gwenn and Gunnar travel to Khalama to bury Arkady Svalbarad, but nothing goes as planned. For one thing, Arkady isn't really dead. When Gunnar mysteriously disappears, Gwenn and Arkady form an alliance that will bring both danger and new promise to the peoples of Yrth. Meanwhile, Huw and Katkin find comfortable shelter in an ice-locked valley, until the addition of two orphaned children to the family leaves Katkin feeling trapped and...