In a kingdom where the Old Ways
hold fast and a man's worth lies entirely in his skill with
the sword, Conor Mac Nir is a scholar, a musician, and a
follower of the forbidden Balian faith: problematic for any
man, but disastrous for the son of the king.
When Conor is sent as a hostage to a neighboring kingdom, he
never expects to fall in love with the rival king's sister,
Aine. Nor does he suspect his gift with the harp (and Aine's
ability to heal) touches on the realm of magic. Then his
clan begins a campaign to eliminate all Balians from the
isle of Seare, putting his newfound home in peril and
entangling him in a plot for control of the island that has
been unfolding since long before his birth.
Only by committing himself to an ancient warrior brotherhood
can Conor discover the part he's meant to play in Seare's
future. But is he willing to sacrifice everything—even
the woman he loves—to follow the path his God has laid
before him?