Princess Alana, now eighteen, is betrothed to the son of Lord Mallow, and Gwalhafed prospers under the peaceful rule of her father, King Galeschin. But Prince Rolf sends his brother a heartfelt note, repenting of his misdeeds, and requesting to return from exile.Rolf's arrival brings a string of disasters. At last, she and her champion, Murdoch, find themselves alone, on a desolate journey that will lead them to the realm of the faer. There, the ancient prophecy, "When the child who was stolen returns a man, we will become the elders and teachers of the quetan," begins to unfold.