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Most original inhabitants of the Emerald Island have changed into wilder woodland creatures and moved deep into the island’s forests. Meanwhile, two other groups have made the island their home, and each suspects the other of recent hostilities, which is leading them to war. In a last effort to avoid a full conflict, Aviticus of the Caledonians sends one of his trusted military leaders, Clebis, to negotiate a peace treaty with the leader of the Hibernians.
However, the Duchess of the Hibernians insists there can be no peace until the Caledonians cease their raids. Clebis knows nothing of the raids and agrees to take a small group, including the Hibernian hero Dar, to find out who is raiding the villages. The discoveries made by the group are surprising to both clans, and they must work together to stop their infighting and prepare for a much larger threat.
This book is the second in Witty’s fantasy series. It follows the typical conventions of the genre but leans a bit more toward a low-magic setting. Magic is an important part of the story, but swordplay is more prevalent. Witty’s setting is interesting, and the prominent characters have enough personality and individuality to be easily distinguished and engage the reader. The author's sentences flow smoothly from one to the next, and the descriptions do a good job of helping the reader paint their own picture of the action. Readers who enjoyed the first book will likely feel the same about this one, while those new to the author’s world may be led back to the first volume and then forward to the next one if this lands in their hands.