It takes time to unravel a deadly mystery - but there is practically no time left... Having barely escaped the clutches of the Messenger of Darkness, Inspector Nicolas Lenoir plunges into work with an enthusiasm that he has not known for years. But his legendary skills may be put to the test. The city is ravaged by a terrible disease, and everything indicates that someone deliberately sent a pestilence to the inhabitants. A mass murderer is on the loose; the number of deaths is growing every day; All the bloodhounds are sent to strengthen patrols in the city - and Kennian plunges into chaos. Lenoir and his assistant, Sergeant Bran Cody, have little time left to catch the killer and find a cure. There is only one hope: the nomadic Adali people, known for their secret healing skills, claim that healing exists. But there is a high price to pay for dark magic—one that even the dying will not be willing to pay. All that remains for Lenoir is to take a desperate gamble. And when the ashes settle, the town of Kennian will be changed forever...