Mazael Cravenlock returns home to Castle Cravenlock with his friend Gerald Roland to find that his sister Rachel has been kidnapped by Sir Tanam Crowley, vassal of Lord Richard Mandragon. Mazael rescues Rachel and returns her to their brother, Lord Mitor, who plans a rebellion against Richard Mandragon. As Mitor plans his rebellion, rumors of dark magic and animated corpses ravaging the countryside hang over Castle Cravenlock. Mazael sets out to investigate these rumors, aided by Gerald; Romaria Greenshield, a traveler from the south; Silar, a Cirstarcian monk; and Master Othar and Nathan Greatheart, Mazael's former teachers. Mazael soon suspects Simonian of Briault, Mitor's court wizard. Romaria tells Mazael that he must master the darkness in his soul, lest it consume him. But Mazael's heritage goes back farther than simply human bloodlines. The Cirstarcine Order and Lord Richard accuse Mitor and Rachel of fostering a deadly serpent cult, and Mazael must choose whether to stand for his family or the right, even as he must confront his own tainted heritage. Jonathan Moeller lives in Wisconsin.