Reiko, Empress of Japan, has allied herself with Princess
Órlaith, heir to the High Kingdom of Montival, to find the
Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, the Grass-Cutting Sword, a legendary
treasure of an ancient dynasty that confers valor and
victory to its bearer. Órlaith understands all too well the
power it signifies. Her own inherited blade, the Sword of
the Lady, was both a burden and a danger to her father, Rudi
Mackenzie, as it failed to save the king from being
assassinated.
But the fabled sword lies deep with the Valley of Death, and
the search will be far from easy. And war is building, in
Montival and far beyond.
As Órlaith and Reiko encounter danger and wonder, Órlaith’s
mother, Queen Matildha, believes her daughter’s alliance and
quest has endangered the entire realm. There are factions
both within and without Montival whose loyalty died with the
king, and whispers of treachery and war grow ever louder.
And the Malevolence that underlies the enemy will bend all
its forces to destroy them.