Henrald Steuben, Lord Marshal of Legan, has no reason to celebrate the Count-Grandee’s marriage to a foreign princess, it being compelled by economic necessity in the face of a rising threat. Since the fall of Legan’s major criminal organizations, a mysterious pirate queen styling herself as the Jade Lady has built a fleet, and soon it will match Legan’s own. Balancing the incoming financial assistance from a Grand House having its own ambitions is the loss of a stalwart ally within the Holy Church. After saving the Count-Grandee’s life, the former Patér Rector of Ferramond has been demoted and cast aside. The health of First Advisor Carole Sukain is also failing. With the new Patér Rector indifferent over where Legan’s crown may fall, and with a growing suspicion that his wedding may be part of an assassination plot, the Count-Grandee finds himself short on allies, as even his remaining family members insidiously advance their own schemes for power. Meanwhile, an invasion threatens the homeworld of Cathena Barell, soror and truthseer. Though the fog of war clouds her psychic vision, it is clear that unless she finds a new path for the future, she will face a dire choice, with consequences for everyone she cares about. But dwarfing those seeking dominion over Legan is a former Countess-Grandia of Legan, Vela Lupa. Banished by her son for betrayal, through her psychic ability, her grip over the planet was once unequaled. With the bonds of her prison broken, and her life unnaturally extended, she aims for a restoration of her rulership. Opposing her is a young patér of limited experience, his chief allies being a middling monk, a lecherous imp, a precocious boy, and a snake with a lot of nerve.