Eloran is a world of imperious elves, fractious human realms, and the hated, skeletal kaul—with each nation poised to grasp at any advantage over the others. When Latanna Forgrym's despised father tries to betroth her to the youngest son of a powerful, manipulative family, she forges a new path by instead marrying a man she respects but doesn't love. A chance encounter with a pair of mercenaries leads Latanna to a lost crown, a relic of forces the world has tried desperately to forget, and gives her the means to break free from her corrupt family—but at a terrible price.

A kaul mercenary travels through the human realms with a companion of no nation, no identifiable species, and no memories—not even the memory of his own name. Latanna's crown sets the warrior on the path to recovering first his name—Vorykas—and then fragments of his past. As he searches for clues to himself, his connection to the crown and the suppressed lore it represents become clear.

When a forbidden book resurfaces, threatening to reveal the knowledge Vorykas seeks, enemy forces move to conceal the book and any hint of its contents, by whatever means necessary. Latanna and Vorykas must unite to defend the realm and reveal the truth. But what they learn has the power to shake the world . . . and make the gods tremble.