How can a 15-year-old magician expect to rescue his family and king when no one else is willing to? Aldric and the war unicorn Neighbor must find and rejoin the remnant of the Farhner army, but to reach them, they need to travel through enemy territory with their only companions a band of thieves.The Farhner general is more interested in self-preservation than in saving the king and other Farhnerians. He commands Rick to work on the Bottoms' wall where the other outcasts live. Aldric is not the only one frustrated with the general's inaction to rescue. Desertion is out of the question, yet so is doing nothing to save their king and country.Are thieves and a handful of magicians enough to hide and heal a healing unicorn? And what about the ghosts King Segan told Rick to bring? Worst yet, Rick must confront his nemesis, the witch Alyse. Is there any hope for Farhner?