In the kingdom of Estala, wizards called Menti are outlawed, and the kingdom is gripped by a religious fever. When Reva Avalon's parents are killed during a Menti rebellion, King Daved of Estala takes her into his custody. But he does not marry her to Prince Luca, as he promised, but sells her to the strict general Unna. Prince Luca, the second son of the king, has always lived in the shadow of his beloved older brother. Weak and sickly, Luca fears he is dying, but finds himself at the center of such a force that it can consume him. Luka must learn to hide his power, but how will he hide it from his father? King Daved believes that his reign will be cut short by the menti, so he orders the death of all the magicians. From this order arises the Order, led by his terrible son, Stefan the Serpent. But the Order only makes King Daved vulnerable to danger and his fears.