Night falls over the land and a shadow lights the way. An all-powerful Blood Mage has taken control of the kingdom of Malethya, and his promised peace and prosperity have come at a very high price--a blood oath that secures the loyalty, and mindless devotion, of all who fall under its power. The peoples' one hope is the Sicarius Headmaster, the Shadow in the Night. Not just a scary story for naughty children, the headmaster is invisible, deadly, determined, and free of the control exerted by the Blood Mage. The headmaster is also the only one who can liberate the mind of Slate Severance, who still feels the debilitating effects of his failed encounter with the Blood Mage in Severance Lost, and free the people of Malethya. The headmaster will need all the tools in her arsenal--throwing knives, lock picks, spells, schemes, disguises, and calculated risks. As the headmaster grows closer to freeing Slate, enemies outnumber her schemes and dangers outweigh her hopes. When faced with such a cursed fate, there is only one thing to do--finish the mission.