Khya and Tessen are on the run. With Varan chasing her across the sea and the people come to warn of his invasion hunting them down on land, Khya has nowhere to turn. The only way to kill Varan before he destroys her home and invades Ryogo is to find a way to break immortality - which also risks her brother's life. And Ryogo has a new magic. A way of using the world's energy that she's never seen before. Harnessing it could change everything and keep Ryogo safe, but this land of hostile strangers doesn't want Khya's help, and it doesn't want to give up its secrets about Varan.