Shield Lee Mallorough and Source Shintaro Karish head to a new assignment, and smack into danger. Sent by the Emperor rather than the Triple S Council, they are stationed at Flown Raven, Taro's ancestral home. Folklore and policy say a Source should never be posted in their home area as keeping hold of nature's forces is more difficult than in a strange land, endangering lives. Folklore is right and, since the Emperor is still playing a hidden game with Taro's life and transfer elsewhere is blocked, Lee turns to forbidden magic to shore up Taro's defenses and help him keep the nightmares at bay.

Taro's mother, the woman who cruelly imprisoned him as a child, resides at Flown Raven. She has not given up on her machinations to break his bond with Lee and position him where he can present her with more political opportunities. Meanwhile, Fiona, the rightful ruler of Flown Raven, is under siege. The residents want someone of Taro's blood to lead them, and assassination attempts are becoming more and more blatant as each one fails. Torn between the secrets they must keep from the council, reluctantly doing the Emperor's bidding, and the seduction of ancient spells she can actually work, Lee must find a way to keep Taro from losing his sanity and everything they hold dear.

HEROS RETURN is book five in Moore's 'Hero' series. Although it can be read alone, it depends upon prior events to a great extent, so I recommend it be read in sequence with the other books.