'Laela the half-breed raised in the South is now the Queen of the North. The seemingly invincible King Arenadd Taranisaii and his partner, the dark griffin Skandar, are missing. The Northerners blame Laela for Arenadd′s disappearance, but she knows the truth...
'With only her griffin partner Oeka to help her rule, Laela struggles to maintain power and tensions mount with Arenadd′s cousin, Saeddryn, who believes she is the rightful ruler.
'Laela is forced into a desperate fight to stay queen as the entire North is plunged into a brutal civil war. To win, she will need the help of her new friend, the odd shapeshifter Kullervo, and a surprising griffin ally from the past.
'But the true test of Laela′s strength will come when the deadly Shadow that Walks returns...' (Publisher's blurb)
'In the aftermath of civil war, Queen Laela must do whatever it takes to maintain control of her kingdom. With Arenadd gone and her own griffin partner Oeka lost to magic, Laela joins forces with the dark griffin Skandar to secure her hold on the throne and attempt peace between the North and South. But Saeddryn's son Caedmon is still determined to claim the throne himself - and this time he has help from the most unlikely of quarters.
'Meanwhile, as Kullervo rallies the South in support of his sister's peace treaty, he embarks on his own journey of self-discovery and must decide what he truly believes in ... and what he's willing to fight for.
'With the Night God plotting Laela's destruction, old enemies rise again. The battle for the North is reaching its final stages - but who will win? And at what cost?' (Publisher's blurb)