Being a hero is nothing like the ballads promised it would be. Scattered across the realm, Callie, Willow, Elowen, and Edwyn have learned that when the fate of their world is at stake, choices are hard and the consequences are harder, even when striving for good.

Hunted by both Helston and Dumoor, Callie and Willow flee to the walled city of Fairkeep in a last-ditch effort to find allies. Meanwhile, at Alis's side, Elowen grapples with a battle between her heart and her ambition as the Witch Queen's new protégé. Edwyn, desperate to prove himself as brave as his friends, accepts a mission that takes him back to the source of his nightmares: home. Helston.

Faced with the reality of a devastating war, all four champions are forced to confront the very parts of themselves they fear most, and each must do it alone. But how can they find the truth within a kingdom founded on lies?