"In a Sunsurge winter, only hearts of ice will endure. The Rondian Empire is spiralling into chaos: Empress Lyra has lost her husband, her army is defeated and the deadly Masked Cabal have seized the Holy City. Abandoned by her allies, her only weapon is a forbidden magic she's afraid to use. Though victorious on the battlefield, the Eastern conqueror Sultan Rashid now faces a deadly enemy: winter. Unless he captures a major city, his plans face ruin...

As empires clash, lives are torn apart and long-held beliefs are overthrown by circumstance and desperation. A young queen whose court is riddled with traitors turns to the wrong people in her hour of need. Two princes clash in the skies, the fate of two nations riding on their skill. Two brothers must reconcile disparate cultures to regain their kingdom. An idealistic rabble-rouser sees a chance to strike. And a small group of dwymancers grope blindly...