Lord Tallin's plan has worked. He has drawn a massive army to Tallinvale and it now surrounds his city. The enemy prepares to deliver a devastating blow. The people of Tallinvale must hold out, and Lord Tallin must permit them to suffer until the time is right to unleash his secret weapon. It is a colossal gamble, meant to buy Robby the time he needs But the Redvest enemy has a secret weapon of its own.

Robby, meanwhile, struggles onward through ice and snow to Griferis. But he has discovered that he is not the only dreamwalker looking in on his people back in Janhaven. Another dreamwalker, working as a spy for the Redvests, seeks to trick Mirabella into revealing the fighting strength of her people. With that information, the Redvests of Passdale will move to outflank and capture Janhaven once and for all. And the enemy dreamwalker will soon learn all he needs to know. Unless Robby can stop him.

Griferis, awful and wondrous, looms ahead. Robby's escorts will do whatever it takes to get him there. But Robby is ignorant of the terrible price that Griferis will exact of him. Nor has he any notion of the tragic consequence of helping his people.